Overhead Slam
A beginner compound movement that trains the lats with a medicine ball.
Force Type
Pull
compound
Difficulty
Beginner
compound
Variations
0
equipment swaps
Muscles
1
primary + secondary
The verdict
Overhead Slam has 4-step instructions, documented to a similar depth as most of the 38 lats exercises PlainExercise catalogues.
Ranked against the 38 lats exercises PlainExercise currently catalogues, not the full exercise-science literature.
Overhead Slam is a beginner compound movement that trains the Lats. It requires a medicine ball. There are 0 known variations and 8 peer exercises that target the same primary muscle.
- 1 of 9 exercises targeting the Lats
- Level: beginner
PlainExercise cross-links 0 variations and 8 peer exercises sharing the same primary muscle.
What the Overhead Slam Data Reveals
Overhead Slam is classified in the PlainExercise database as a beginner-level compound movement with a pull force profile, primarily training the Lats. The canonical form requires a medicine ball, and the movement falls within the plyometrics category. The parent record is sourced from the public-domain Free Exercise DB and enriched with exercise-science framing unique to PlainExercise, including structured common-mistake patterns derived from the force and mechanic fields above.
Within the same primary-muscle cohort, the Lats is trained by 9 catalogued movements in total, meaning any practitioner planning a session has at least 8 alternatives that load the same tissue through different joint angles or equipment profiles. No alternate-equipment variations have been catalogued for Overhead Slam yet; the canonical form is the documented path. The documented execution runs 4 discrete steps, each one derived directly from the upstream record and reproduced verbatim rather than paraphrased.
Context matters: this database aggregates exercise science taxonomy (level, mechanic, force, primary/secondary musculature, equipment) but does not and cannot account for individual biomechanics, joint history, recovery status, or training context. The common-mistake and progression framing below is derived programmatically from the classification fields and represents general exercise-science consensus rather than case-specific coaching. This is not medical or personal-training advice. Consult a physician, physical therapist, or certified trainer before starting a new exercise or modifying an existing program, particularly if you have prior injuries, pain, recent surgery, cardiovascular limitations, or are pregnant.
Muscles worked
Exercise profile
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | beginner |
| Mechanic | compound |
| Force | pull |
| Equipment | medicine ball |
| Category | plyometrics |
| Primary muscle | Lats |
| Secondary muscles | 0 |
| Variations available | 0 |
Source: Free Exercise DB (CC0); profile derived per exercise record.
Muscles worked
According to the Free Exercise DB classification, Overhead Slam trains the lats as the prime mover and no catalogued secondary muscles. The source classifies muscles as primary or secondary, it does not measure activation, so we show involvement, not percentages.
Source: Free Exercise DB primary/secondary muscle classification. Involvement, not measured activation, actual recruitment varies by load and form.
Intensity context
For reference, here is where common activities sit on the MET intensity scale. Overhead Slam does not have a measured MET in the source data, its intensity depends on the load and effort you use. Estimate calories for any activity with the calorie calculator.
MET values from the Compendium of Physical Activities (Ainsworth et al., 2011). A general reference scale, not a rating of this specific movement.
How to do it
- Hold a medine ball with both hands and stand with your feet at shoulder width. This will be your starting position.
- Initiate the countermovement by raising the ball above your head and fully extending your body.
- Reverse the motion, slamming the ball into the ground directly in front of you as hard as you can.
- Receive the ball with both hands on the bounce and repeat the movement.
Common mistakes
- Rushing through reps before the pattern is grooved - at this stage, a slow, controlled tempo (2-3s down, 1-2s up) on Overhead Slam teaches the nervous system the movement far faster than speed does.
- Cutting the range of motion short - moving the lats through its full safe range on Overhead Slam is what most reliably separates effective reps from wasted ones.
- Treating a compound lift like an isolation movement - Overhead Slam recruits multiple joints; bracing the core and engaging stabilizers matters as much as the prime movers.
- Shrugging the shoulders up toward the ears on pull movements, keep shoulder blades down and back to load the correct muscles.
- Breathing out of sync with the lift on Overhead Slam - brace and inhale during the lowering phase, exhale on the exertion, especially important with a medicine ball where control matters most.
Who this is for
- People new to resistance training who want to build a foundation in the movement pattern
- People who want to train the Lats
- People who have access to a medicine ball
Who this is NOT for
- Anyone with acute pain in the joints or muscles involved, pain is a stop signal, not a soreness signal
- People with unresolved injuries in the loaded joints, seek clearance from a physical therapist first
- Anyone with a recent surgery, cardiovascular limitation, or pregnancy complication without physician clearance
Progression path
Once Overhead Slam feels comfortable with your current load, progress by (a) adding reps until you can complete 12+ per set, (b) increasing resistance by 2.5-5%, (c) moving to harder variations such as single-limb or longer lever versions, and eventually (d) stepping up to intermediate-level movements that train the same muscle.
See the Progression guide for a full framework on when to advance, and the Compound vs Isolation guide to decide when to prioritize this movement in your program.
Safety notes
- Sharp or joint pain is a stop signal. Muscle soreness during sets is normal; pain is not.
- Warm up the involved joints with 2-3 progressively loaded sets before training to a working weight.
- If you have a history of injury in the loaded joints (knees, shoulders, lower back), consult a physical therapist before loading this movement.
- General information only. Consult a physician or certified trainer before starting any new exercise program.
Related exercises
Other exercises that target the Lats.
See all Lats exercises.
Using the overhead slam
A beginner compound movement for the lats - here's how to put it to work.
- Train the lats 2–3 times a week with 48+ hours between hard sets; pair this with other lats movements for balanced development. All lats exercises
- Match the load and rep range to your goal, strength, size, or endurance each call for a different scheme. Strength vs hypertrophy
- As a compound lift, this trains several muscles at once, anchor your session around it before isolation work. Compound vs isolation
Form before load. If a movement causes sharp or joint pain, stop and substitute a safer alternative, this is general information, not medical or training advice.