Wall Balls

Definition

Wall balls are the 7th workout station in every HYROX^® race. After the seventh 1 km run, athletes pick up a wall ball (a soft-shelled medicine ball) and perform a squat-to-throw movement against a wall target for a prescribed number of repetitions. Open Men complete 100 reps with a 9 kg ball at a 3 m target. Open Women complete 75 reps with a 6 kg ball at a 2.7 m target.

This station is the highest-repetition challenge in the race and tests muscular endurance across the legs, shoulders, and arms. Coming as the penultimate station - after 7 km of running and six prior stations - wall balls are a brutal test of both physical capacity and mental resilience.

Technique & Form

Stand facing the wall at arm's length. Hold the wall ball at chest height with both hands, elbows tucked under the ball. Drop into a full squat (hip crease below knee) while keeping the chest up and heels planted. From the bottom of the squat, drive up explosively through the legs and use the momentum to press-throw the ball upward to hit the target.

Catch the ball on the rebound at chest height and immediately descend into the next squat. The movement should be fluid and continuous - the catch flows directly into the squat descent.

Breathing: Inhale on the descent, exhale forcefully on the drive and throw. Consistent breathing prevents premature fatigue.

Common mistakes:

• Standing too far from the wall, which turns the throw into a forward push and wastes energy
• Performing a shallow squat that doesn't break parallel - judges will no-rep this
• Catching the ball high overhead then lowering it to the chest, adding an unnecessary extra movement
• Starting with large unbroken sets and hitting a wall (metaphorically) at rep 60

Muscles Worked

Primary:

• Quadriceps
• Glutes
• Anterior deltoids
• Triceps

Secondary:

• Hamstrings
• Core (rectus abdominis, obliques)
• Calves
• Upper chest (clavicular pectorals)
• Forearms
• Trapezius

Competition Standards

Note: Pro Women perform 100 reps (same as men), compared to 75 for Open Women.

Training Tips

Build toward completing the full rep count (100 or 75) unbroken. Start with sets of 15-20 reps with 15-second rest intervals and progressively increase set size. Aim to complete the full count within 5:00-6:00.

Train wall balls 1-2 times per week. On one day, perform 3 x 30-40 reps at competition weight with 60-second rest. On the other, do 100 reps for time, breaking as needed, and track your progress weekly.

Wall ball thrusters (without the wall) and barbell thrusters at light load (30-40 kg) for sets of 15-20 build the squat-to-press endurance pattern. Dumbbell thrusters are a gym-friendly alternative.

Our athletes find that the key to fast wall ball times is finding a sustainable rep cadence - typically 12-15 reps per minute - rather than going max effort from rep one.

Recommended weekly frequency: 2 wall ball sessions (1 interval, 1 for-time test).

Exercise Alternatives

• Primary: Wall Ball (the exercise, using a wall ball)
• Wall Ball Thruster - same squat-to-press pattern without the wall target
• Barbell Thruster - heavier loading develops the strength foundation for high-rep wall balls
• Dumbbell Thruster - unilateral variation that corrects strength imbalances

HYROX^® Race Impact

Wall balls are the second-to-last station, and by this point in the race, athletes have accumulated 7 km of running and six stations of work. Shoulder fatigue from the sled pull and farmers carry often resurfaces here, making the overhead throw feel disproportionately heavy. Based on our race data, wall balls produce the most dramatic mid-station stalls - athletes who start with sets of 25 often degrade to sets of 5-8 by rep 60.

The winning strategy is consistent sets from the start. Break the reps into planned sets (e.g., 5 x 20 for men, 5 x 15 for women) with brief 5-10-second rests. This controlled approach typically beats an aggressive start by 30-60 seconds across the full station.

FAQ

How many wall balls do you do in HYROX^®? Open Men and Pro Men perform 100 reps. Open Women perform 75 reps. Pro Women perform 100 reps. The ball must hit the target on each rep for it to count.

What weight is the HYROX^® wall ball? Open and Pro Men use a 9 kg ball thrown to a 3.0 m target. Open and Pro Women use a 6 kg ball thrown to a 2.7 m target.

What is a good wall ball time in HYROX^®? Competitive Open Men finish 100 reps in 5:00-7:00. Open Women complete 75 reps in 4:00-6:00. Elite athletes can finish sub-4:30 (men) and sub-3:30 (women).

Crush your wall ball station with ROXBASE - our app tracks rep-count progression, programmes thruster alternatives, and monitors your station splits so you know exactly where to focus your training.