Hyrox Wall Balls

Wall balls are the last workout station before the final run to the finish line. You take a medicine ball (6 kg for Open Men, 4 kg for Open Women), squat below parallel, and throw it to a target on the wall (3 metres for men, 2.7 metres for women). Open Men perform 100 reps. Open Women perform 75 reps. This station is the final test of everything you have left: leg endurance from 7 km of running, shoulder stamina from the sled pull and row, and cardiovascular capacity that has been draining for 50+ minutes. The athletes who finish strong are the ones who break the reps into manageable sets, maintain a consistent throw height, and never let their squat depth get sloppy.

Technique Breakdown

Efficient technique on the wall balls is the difference between a fast station time and a painful one. These are the key steps to get right — especially under race fatigue.

1. Set up at the right distance. Stand about an arm's length from the wall. Too close and you will hit the wall on the way up. Too far and you waste energy throwing the ball forward instead of upward. Your feet should be slightly wider than shoulder-width, toes turned out about 15 degrees.
2. Squat to depth, then explode. Each rep starts with a squat below parallel — your hip crease must drop below your knee. As you stand up, use the momentum from your legs to throw the ball to the target. The throw should feel like a continuation of the squat — legs drive, arms guide. If you are pressing the ball with your shoulders alone, you are leaving your legs out of the movement.
3. Catch and absorb in one motion. As the ball returns from the wall, catch it at chest height and immediately descend into the next squat. The catch and the squat descent should be one fluid motion — catching the ball, pausing, then squatting adds a second per rep, which is 75–100 seconds over the full station.
4. Keep your elbows high. Hold the ball at chest height with your elbows pointing forward, not down. High elbows create a shelf for the ball and allow you to transfer leg power directly into the throw. Dropped elbows force your shoulders to lift the ball from a dead position, which is far more fatiguing.

Pacing Strategy

Pacing on the wall balls is not about going slow — it is about going sustainable. Here is how to approach it.

• Break the reps into sets before you start. A popular strategy for 100 reps is 20-20-20-20-20 or 25-25-25-25. For 75 reps, try 25-25-25 or 15-15-15-15-15. Having a plan prevents the mental spiral of "how many more?"
• Keep rest between sets to 3–5 breaths (roughly 10–15 seconds). Longer rests let your heart rate drop too far, making the next set feel harder than necessary.
• Aim for a total time of 3:00–5:00 for competitive Open athletes (100 reps). That is a pace of roughly 1 rep every 2–3 seconds, including rests between sets.
• If the ball hits the target, the rep counts regardless of style. Do not waste energy on a perfect-looking wall ball — focus on meeting the standards: squat depth and target height.

Common Mistakes

These are the errors we see most often at Hyrox events. Avoid them and you are already ahead of half the field.

• Not squatting deep enough. If your hip crease is not below your knee, the rep does not count. A judge calling "no rep" costs you the energy of the throw plus the time to redo it. Squat deep every time.
• Throwing the ball too high above the target. You only need to hit the target line — every centimetre above it is wasted energy. Dial in your throw height during warm-up so you are just clearing the target.
• Resting with the ball on the ground. Setting the ball down between sets means you have to pick it up again (extra energy) and re-establish your position. Instead, hold the ball at chest height during rest. This is an active rest — your arms work a bit, but the transition back to reps is instantaneous.
• Catching the ball high and squatting separately. The catch-to-squat should be one motion. Catching the ball, standing for a beat, then squatting turns one movement into three, adding time and fatigue.

Training Drills

You do not need specialist equipment to train for the wall balls. These drills work in any commercial gym and directly transfer to race-day performance.

1. Wall ball sets: 5 x 20 reps at race weight and height with 30-second rest. Focus on consistent squat depth and throw accuracy. Time each set — aim for <1 minute per 20 reps.
2. 100/75 rep time trial: Do the full rep count once per week at race conditions. Track your total time and the number of rest breaks. This is the best predictor of race-day performance.
3. Front squats: 4 x 12 at moderate weight. The front squat mimics the wall ball squat position (upright torso, elbows high) and builds the leg and core strength to sustain deep squats for 75–100 reps.
4. Thrusters: 3 x 15 with a light barbell or dumbbells. The thruster is the closest gym movement to a wall ball — squat to overhead press in one fluid motion. Great for building the full-body coordination the wall ball demands.

Weights by Division

The wall balls weight varies by division. Here are the official specs for every Hyrox category.