Medicine Ball Rainbow Slams exercise demonstration image

Video Coming Soon

We're working on adding video demonstrations for this exercise.

Medicine Ball Rainbow Slams

Intermediate
Home Friendly

A dynamic rotational medicine ball exercise that targets the core, obliques, and full body to build power, speed, and conditioning through explosive slamming motions.

About Exercise

Equipment

Medicine Ball

Difficulty

3/5 • Intermediate

Primary Muscle Groups

Obliques, Abs

Secondary Muscles

Quads, Hamstrings

Popularity Score

6

Goals

Power
Conditioning
Strength

Training Style

CrossFit
Functional Training

Setup Requirements

Requires Rack

No

Requires Bench

No

Requires Spotter

No

Space Needed

Medium

Noise Level

High

Muscle Breakdown

Obliques

9/10

External Obliques, Internal Obliques

Abs

8/10

Rectus Abdominis, Transverse Abdominis

Shoulders

7/10

Anterior Delts

Glutes

7/10

Glute Max

Lats

6/10

Quads

5/10

Hamstrings

5/10
Programming

Typical Rep Range

8-20 reps

Rest Between Sets

30-60 seconds

How to Perform

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart holding a medicine ball at chest height with both hands, knees slightly bent, core braced.

  1. Lift the ball overhead in an arc to one side while rotating your torso.
  2. Pivot on your back foot, bend knees, and hinge at hips to slam the ball forcefully to the ground outside your front foot.
  3. Catch or pick up the rebounding ball while absorbing impact with your legs.
  4. Immediately arc the ball overhead to the opposite side.
  5. Pivot and slam to the other side with explosive power from hips and core.
  6. Return to start and repeat alternating sides in a continuous flow.

Coaching Tips

Form Cues

  • Drive power from hips
  • Keep core tight
  • Chest up always
  • Explode through legs
  • Pivot fully
  • Exhale on slam

Breathing

Inhale during the overhead arc, exhale forcefully during the slam, and brace core throughout.

Tempo

1-0-1

Range of Motion

Full overhead extension to ground contact outside the foot, with torso rotation from neutral to full pivot without spinal rounding.

Safety

Safety Notes

  • Avoid if acute low back or shoulder pain
  • Use lighter ball for beginners
  • Perform on padded surface
  • Keep space clear around you
  • Inspect ball for damage before use
  • Maintain neutral spine to protect back

Spotting

No spotter needed; perform in open space with clear rebound area.

Common Mistakes

  • Rounding the back during slam
  • Using arms only without hips
  • Poor pivot leading to imbalance
  • Not bracing core
  • Slamming too close to feet
  • Ignoring rebound path

When to Avoid

  • Acute shoulder impingement
  • Low back pain
  • Recent spinal injury

Flexibility Needed

  • Shoulder flexion to overhead
  • Hip rotation mobility
  • Ankle dorsiflexion for pivot

Build Up First

  • Basic hip hinge proficiency
  • Core bracing control
  • Rotational movement coordination

Also known as

Rainbow Med Ball Slams, Rotational Medicine Ball Slams, Side-to-Side Med Ball Slams

Found this helpful?

Share your thoughts or help us improve this guide.

Hero Image

Master your movement.

Experience automatic exercise detection and rep counting - powered by the motion of your Apple Watch.

We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience, serve personalized content, and analyze our traffic. By clicking 'Accept All', you consent to our use of cookies.