0470-0477 Smash D-Ball

Extremely sturdy, with an excellent grip, non-rebounding, the Smash D-Ball, also known as slam ball or no bounce ball, are medical balls designed for core training and in particular for exercises, such as smash or slam, for training power and its main components; strength and speed.

The extreme versatility of medicine balls, coupled with the above-mentioned features and the wide range of weights available, have broadened the areas of use of this equipment, which has quickly proved to be suitable for functional training in general.

See, alternatively, code 0500 Giant Med Ball e code 0495 Medicine ball with handles.

Available models:

cod. 0470 Smash D-Ball 2 kg / Ø 230 mm
cod. 0471 Smash D-Ball 4 kg / Ø 240 mm
cod. 0472 Smash D-Ball 6 kg / Ø 250 mm
cod. 0473 Smash D-Ball 8 kg / Ø 260 mm
cod. 0474 Smash D-Ball 10 kg / Ø 270 mm
cod. 0475 Smash D-Ball 12 kg / Ø 300 mm
cod. 0476 Smash D-Ball 15 kg / Ø 320 mm
cod. 0477 Smash D-Ball 20 kg / Ø 340 mm

Smash D-Ball: explosive strength training

The Smash D-Ball is one of the medical balls that has become more popular in recent years, because in the field of functional training it is the one that is best suited to training explosive strength (power), i.e. that level of force delivered by the muscle in a very short time. It is not easy to focus on the main factor in explosive strength training, but perhaps the neuromuscular component is the most important. In an explosive action, in a few fractions of a second, what happens inside the body is something extraordinary on a motor level. One only has to think of the frequency of nerve impulses that propagate from the central nervous system to the peripheral nervous system and vice versa, resulting in the coordinated contraction of muscles from which a certain complex movement is derived.

Smash D-Balls, soft, non-rebounding medicine balls, are a very effective tool in training this aspect of strength, thanks to the possibility of using even high loads by slamming them violently into the ground in a highly explosive and coordinated manner. The very low rebound also allows an immediate recovery of the ball, with the possibility of performing intense series of smashes that are also useful for refining technique, training the body in more efficient neuro-motor circuits. This type of training can be included in any context of athletic preparation, also because training explosive strength with the medicine ball implies multi-articularity and intense core training (scapulo-humeral girdle and pelvic girdle first of all).

In terms of loads, weights of 6 or 8 kg are recommended, up to 15 kg for advanced athletes.

Example of an exercise: the Power Slam

Wanting to give a concrete example of a multi-joint exercise, let us try to describe the Power Slam. The initial phase consists of taking the ball from the ground, bringing it to the chest by performing a clean, with the elbows always adhering to the hips. This is followed by a squat in maximum squat, taking care not to bring the elbows outside the knees, keeping the ball always in line with the chest.

From this position, the athlete should drop backwards, performing a forward and a return roll on the column. It is important to remember, in the return phase of the squat, not to close the knees nor to move the elbows away from the hips, using the strength of the abdomen so that the anteversion of the pelvis can be recovered immediately. The ascent phase from the squat will be fast, powerful, up to a jump, with the ball always on the chest.

Once the maximum flight phase has been reached, arms at 90°, the ball must be brought behind the nape of the neck, slamming it into the ground forcefully before landing. In this phase, the athlete should make maximum use of the explosive force of the abdomen and back. The correct direction of the ball throw should be slightly forward of the body's centre of gravity. Finally, at the moment the ball hits the floor, the athlete will perform a new squat quickly, fast enough to take advantage of the very low rebound of the medicine ball to catch it again.

In order to train power and explosive strength, one must therefore perform extremely dynamic exercises capable of achieving the highest possible combination of strength and speed. In this context, the use of Smash D-Balls also offers great prospects in terms of exercise variations in relation to the relevant sport.