Back · Medicine Ball
Medicine Ball Catch and Overhead Throw
How to do the medicine ball catch and overhead throw, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Medicine Ball
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- VerticalPull
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Stand facing a partner or a sturdy wall with a medicine ball. Catch the ball overhead with arms extended, absorb it by letting your arms travel slightly back behind your head, then explosively throw it back overhead. Reset and repeat with rhythm.
- 1Feel your lats and shoulders load as the ball travels back overhead
- 2Drive the throw from your back and arms, not just your hands
- 3Keep your core braced so your spine stays stable through the catch
Common mistakes
- Avoid over-arching your lower back when the ball goes overhead
- Do not let the ball drift too far behind and strain your shoulders
- Do not catch with stiff, locked arms; absorb the impact
Muscles worked
The medicine ball catch and overhead throw mainly works the lats, with the triceps, forearms, lower back, upper traps, mid traps, lower traps, upper abs, lower abs, obliques, front delts, and rear delts assisting.
- LatsPrimary
- TricepsSupport
- ForearmsSupport
- Lower BackSupport
- Upper TrapsSupport
- Mid TrapsSupport
- Lower TrapsSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- Lower AbsSupport
- ObliquesSupport
- Front DeltsSupport
- Rear DeltsSupport
- GlutesMinor
- CalvesMinor
Kovo programs the medicine ball catch and overhead throw for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More back exercises
- How to do the archer pull-up
- How to do the resistance band assisted pull-up
- How to do the machine assisted pull-up
- How to do the back extension bench back extension
- How to do the machine back extension
- How to do the back lever
Last reviewed June 2026.