Seated Medicine Ball Twist Pass Race | Friends

Quick Intro

The Seated Medicine Ball Twist Pass Race is the back-to-back twist pass against the clock. Two partners sit back to back with one medicine ball. On “go”, they start the loop: both rotate to one side and the ball crosses, both rotate to the other side and it crosses back. They count every full circuit until the time is up, often 45 seconds. Drop the ball and the count for that attempt goes back to zero.

The two partners are a team. Both contribute to every circuit, so the score belongs to the pair. They race their own best score, or another pair if there is a group. The movement is the Back-to-Back Medicine Ball Twist Pass, which in turn works like a Russian Twist. Learn that version at an easy pace before racing it.

What You’ll Need

A medicine ball, three to four kilograms for most adult pairs. Lighter for a newer pair.
A mat or soft floor.
A timer, and someone to call time if possible.

What It Works

The muscles are those of the seated pass, worked faster and for longer without a break.

The side stomach muscles (obliques), which snap the trunk to each side and back.
The front stomach muscles (rectus abdominis) and the deep stomach muscle (transverse abdominis), which keep the trunk upright and braced while the pace rises.
Hip flexors (iliopsoas), which hold the seated position as the stomach tires.
The front of the shoulder (anterior deltoid), which moves the ball out to each side many times in a short time.

The time pressure also raises the breathing and heart rate, which makes this more of a conditioning effort than the steady version.

The Technique

Setting up

Sit back to back, knees bent, feet flat, close enough that the hand-off needs no reach.
Agree the starting side and who holds the ball.
Hold the ball at the chest, ready.

Going fast

Speed in this race comes from two things: a short turn and a clean hand-off.

Keep the turn compact. Rotate far enough to put the ball beside your partner’s hands, and no further. A huge turn looks impressive and costs time.
Hand off, never throw. The receiver gets both hands on the ball and the passer lets go a split second later. With practice the “got it” becomes a quick touch you both feel more than say.
Find a rhythm. Most pairs go fastest when one partner counts the circuits aloud, which keeps the two turning in step.
Stay tall. As the stomach tires, the back starts to round and the turns get sloppy. Sitting tall keeps the hand-offs clean to the end.

Breathing

Breathe out on each turn. At race pace, short breaths in rhythm with the turns work well. Do not hold your breath through the set.

How to Play

Set the time, usually 45 seconds.
On “go”, start the loop.
Count each full circuit, one hand-off to each side.
If the ball drops, the count for that attempt goes back to zero. Pick it up and carry on, or stop and try again after a rest.
At “time”, note the count.
Rest a full two minutes before the next attempt.

What Counts

A circuit is one hand-off on each side, with the ball held by both partners at the moment of each exchange.
A drop resets the count for that attempt. This is the rule that keeps the race honest, since without it speed would win over control.
A thrown ball does not count as a hand-off.
The score is the pair’s total circuits in the time.

Keeping Score

With one pair, the score to beat is your own best. Write it down and try to raise it over weeks. With a group, pairs can race head to head on the same clock, or take turns while the others count. The Training With a Friend guide covers keeping score in a way that stays friendly.

Making It Fair

A newer pair should use a lighter ball. When pairs race each other, all pairs use the same ball weight and the same time. Comparing a pair using two kilograms with a pair using five makes little sense.

Staying Safe

Learn the steady version first.
Hand off, never throw. The drop rule exists to stop the race turning into a throwing contest.
Slow down if drops keep happening. A pair dropping the ball every attempt is going too fast for their control. Back off the pace.
Stop for lower back pain.

Common Mistakes

Turning too far. Compact turns are faster.
Letting go early. It saves a fraction of a second and loses the whole count when the ball hits the floor.
Rounding the back late in the set. Sit tall.
Racing too often. Two or three attempts per session is plenty.

Fitting It Into a Session

Use it as a short, sharp finisher at the end of a core or full-body session. Two or three attempts with full rest between is enough. It also works well in a group session, where several pairs race at once.

Back-to-Back Medicine Ball Twist Pass is the steady version to learn first.
Back-to-Back Squat Hold with Ball Pass adds a held squat to the loop.
Overhead Medicine Ball Pass Loop passes the ball over the head and between the legs.

FAQ

What is a good score?

There is no fixed standard, since it depends on the ball and the pair. Beating your own last best is what counts.

Can we race for longer?

Yes. Sixty seconds is a tougher test. Longer than that, the loop tends to get sloppy and drops become more likely.

What if one of us is much stronger?

The pair can only go as fast as the slower partner’s turn, so set the ball weight to suit them.