Kneeling Medicine Ball Twist Pass | Friends

Quick Intro

In the Kneeling Medicine Ball Twist Pass, two partners kneel upright back to back, hips stacked over their knees. One holds a medicine ball. Both rotate the upper body toward the same side of the room and the ball goes across. Both rotate the other way and the ball comes back. The hips stay over the knees the whole time.

Kneeling takes away what the legs give in the other versions. Standing, the hips can help start the turn. Seated, the floor and the bent legs give a broad, steady base. On the knees the base is narrow and the hips have to stay still, so the side stomach muscles turn the trunk almost on their own. It uses the same rotation as a Russian Twist with the rest of the body taken out.

What You’ll Need

A medicine ball. Start lighter than you would seated or standing, two to four kilograms.
A padded mat or folded towel under each partner’s knees. Kneeling on a hard floor quickly becomes painful.
Clear space around both partners.

What It Works

The side stomach muscles (obliques), which do the turning with little help from anywhere else.
The front stomach muscles (rectus abdominis), which stop the trunk leaning back or folding forward.
The deep stomach muscle (transverse abdominis), which locks the ribs to the pelvis so the turn happens above the waist.
Glutes (gluteus maximus), which squeeze to keep the hips pushed forward and stacked over the knees. Without them the hips drift back toward the heels.
The front of the shoulder (anterior deltoid), which carries the ball out to each side.

The Technique

Kneeling position

Kneel back to back on the mats, knees about hip-width apart.
Lift the hips so that hips, shoulders and knees line up, with the thighs vertical. This is called tall kneeling.
Gently squeeze the glutes to hold the hips forward. Keep the ribs down so the lower back does not arch.
Kneel close enough that when you both rotate with bent elbows, your hands meet without reaching.
One partner holds the ball at the chest.

The rotation

Agree the first side before starting. Facing opposite ways, one partner rotates to the right while the other rotates to the left. Turn the shoulders and chest only. A good check is to imagine a glass of water balanced on each hip bone. The hips should stay so still that neither glass would spill.

Passing

The partner with the ball brings it to the agreed side.
The receiver places both hands on it.
“Got it”, and the passer lets go.
Both rotate back to the centre and on to the opposite side, where the ball is returned.

Each pair of hand-offs, one to each side, is one rep. Halfway through the set, swap which side the loop starts on so both directions are worked.

Breathing

Exhale as you rotate and hand off. Inhale on the return to the centre.

How Many

Two or three sets of eight to twelve reps. The kneeling base is less stable, so keep the pace slow and the turn controlled. Stop the set when the hips begin to sway, which means the obliques are tired and other muscles are starting to take over.

What You Should Feel

Done well, the burn sits along the sides of the waist just under the ribs, and the glutes feel steadily switched on. A tired lower back or burning thighs both mean something else has taken over. Usually the hips have sat back or begun to turn with the shoulders. Reset the tall kneeling position before the next rep.

Making It Easier or Harder

Easier:

Use a lighter ball.
Make the turn smaller.
Sit back onto the heels, which gives a broader base. This is a different position and a useful stepping stone.

Harder:

Use a heavier ball, within what both can hand over with control.
Hold the ball out a little further from the chest, which lengthens the lever.
Pause for a second at each side before the hand-off.

Staying Safe

Padding under the knees, always.
Light ball, given the narrow base.
Hand the ball over. Never throw it.
Stop for knee pain or lower back pain.

Common Mistakes

Hips sitting back toward the heels. Squeeze the glutes and stay tall.
Hips turning with the shoulders. Keep them facing forward.
Arching the lower back. Keep the ribs down and the stomach braced.
Reaching for the ball. Kneel closer if the hand-off needs a stretch.

Fitting It Into a Session

It suits a core session or the end of an upper-body day. Because the legs do little, it also fits a day when the legs are tired from running or squatting.

Back-to-Back Medicine Ball Twist Pass is the seated version.
Standing Back-to-Back Medicine Ball Twist Pass brings the legs and hips in.
Pallof Press trains the obliques to hold still against a turning force, which complements this exercise.

FAQ

Why kneel instead of sit?

Kneeling removes the help from the legs and the support of the floor under the hips. That leaves more of the work to the side stomach muscles, which is why many people find this version the hardest on the obliques.

Is it bad for the knees?

On a padded surface, short sets of tall kneeling are fine for most people. Anyone with a knee problem that makes kneeling painful should use the seated version.

Which version should we learn first?

Most pairs learn the seated Back-to-Back Medicine Ball Twist Pass first, since the broad base makes the hand-off easy to practise. Move to kneeling once the seated loop is smooth.

What if my partner and I are different heights?

Hand off at a height that suits the shorter partner. Since both are kneeling, the difference is usually smaller than when standing.