Sport Specific Medicine Ball Exercise

The split stance perpendicular medicine ball scoop is one of my favorite medicine ball (MB) exercises for developing sport specific power. It is a great movement because it relates so well to most sports and is very specific to how athletes produce power during competition. 

Coaching Cues

·         Assume a split stance with the back heel off the ground.

·         Begin by slightly dropping the front knee towards and ground.

·         As the knee is dropping start rotating your thoracic spine (upper back).

·         Keep your eyes on the medicine ball the whole time.

·         After the slight knee drop and thoracic spine rotation explode up by driving through the front heel and forcefully extending the hips.

·         Scoop the medicine ball into the wall and be ready to catch it on the bounce back.

Picture a hockey player skating up ice, a baseball player stealing 2nd base, a basketball player dribbling by an opponent, it is going to look very similar to this specific MB exercise. Each player will load their posterior chain by making a slight dip and then explode out of that stance.

Any athlete that moves their feet into a split stance can use this exercise to develop sport specific power. Try doing 3 sets of 6-8 repetitions per side to develop sport specific power.