Wall balls at HYROX: 100 reps to finish the race
Wall balls are the eighth and final station at HYROX: 100 reps of squatting deep and throwing a ball at a target above your head. In the 2026/27 season, women throw a 4 kg ball to a target at 2.70 metres. Men throw 6 kg to 3 metres. In the Pro divisions the ball is heavier: 6 kg for women, 9 kg for men.
Sounds simple, right? A ball, a wall, a hundred times. But by then you've run 8 kilometres and done seven stations. Your legs are cooked. Below I'll explain the rules, how the technique works and how to split those 100 reps in a smart way. And how to train for them, so you don't grind to a halt under that target.
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Updated: 2026-11-12
What the station involves
A HYROX race is always the same: eight times 1 km of running, with a station after every kilometre. Wall balls come last, after the sandbag lunges and the eighth kilometre. Then it's just a short stretch to the finish. Want the full picture first? Read what HYROX actually is.
At this station you do 100 reps. One rep is a full squat with the ball in front of your chest, then a throw with both hands at a target on the wall. You catch the ball and go straight into the next squat. No distance to cover, no sled to push. Just you, the ball and the wall.
You use almost your whole body. Your legs and glutes for the squat, your core to stay solid, your shoulders and arms for the final push. Your heart and lungs work hard too, because you're moving at a high pace.
What makes it tough is the timing. Right before this, you've done 100 metres of lunges with a sandbag on your shoulders. Your thighs are already burning. And that's exactly when you have to squat deep another hundred times. Strength helps. A plan helps even more. Want to see where this station sits in the race? Have a look at the eight HYROX stations in order.
Weight and height per division
The ball weight and the target height depend on your division. These are the values for the 2026/27 season, straight from the official HYROX rulebook.
| Division | Ball weight | Target height |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 4 kg | 2.70 m |
| Women Pro | 6 kg | 2.70 m |
| Men | 6 kg | 3.00 m |
| Men Pro | 9 kg | 3.00 m |
Check which division you're racing. Online you'll often see 9 kg and 6 kg called 'the HYROX weight'. Those are the Pro weights. In the regular divisions it's 6 kg for men and 4 kg for women.
Racing Doubles? A women's team throws 4 kg. Men's teams, Women Pro and Mixed teams throw 6 kg, and Men Pro throws 9 kg. In a Relay, women's teams use 4 kg and men's teams use 6 kg. Weights and rules can change from season to season, so check the official rulebook before your race.
A tip from me: don't only train with your race ball. Use a lighter ball to practise your rhythm, and a heavier one to get stronger. More on that further down.
What counts as a rep
This is where people lose time. At wall balls there's no warning, unlike the other stations. If a rep doesn't meet the standard, it simply doesn't count and you do it again. That's called a no-rep.
According to the 2026/27 rulebook, this is what a good rep looks like:
- You start upright, with the ball in both hands.
- You can't pick the ball up off the floor and throw it straight away.
- Your hips go below your knees at the bottom of the squat.
- You throw the ball with both hands and hit the target.
- You can catch the ball, or let it hit the floor and start again from standing with the ball in your hands.
- Catching the ball after a bounce doesn't count.
And you have to finish all 100. Stop early and you're disqualified. A no-rep doesn't cost you penalty time, but it does cost energy. Every squat that isn't deep enough, you get to do again. So depth is the first thing to watch. By the way: gloves are allowed, grips (loose hand protectors) aren't.
Ten no-reps add up to a lot of extra squats at the end of a hard race. Practise the standard in training, so it's automatic on race day.
Technique: squat, drive, catch
A good wall ball is mostly a good squat. The ball is just the extra weight in front of you. What follows is my advice, not a HYROX rule.
- Set up. Stand about an arm's length from the wall, feet shoulder width apart, toes slightly out. Hold the ball high against your chest, elbows underneath it.
- Squat down. Sit your hips back and down, chest up, weight on your heels, knees in line with your toes. Go just below your knees. Going a lot deeper only costs extra energy over 100 reps.
- Drive up. Stand up hard, as if you want to jump. Only when your hips and knees are straight do your arms push the ball further up. Aim at a spot just above the target.
- Catch and go. Catch the ball with your arms still up and let it sink back to your chest. Go straight into the next squat. The ball sort of takes you down with it.
The key is the order: legs first, then arms. If you throw mostly with your arms, your shoulders burn out fast. Your legs are much stronger. Let them do the work. Think of it as one smooth movement instead of a squat plus a throw. CrossFit's own guide to the wall ball shows it well, and their air squat guide helps with the squat part.
This is where a coach really makes a difference. You won't feel that your squat is a few centimetres too high. A coach sees it straight away and tells you before you've grooved a hundred bad reps. Want the basics right first? Read how to learn the squat properly.
Got knee, back or shoulder pain? If in doubt, check with your doctor or physio first. A coach can then adjust the movement for you, but we don't replace your physio or doctor.
Read enough? Come and train with us.
In 28 days you train 12 times with a coach who keeps an eye on you, at our box in Amsterdam East. You don't need to be fit to start.
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Sets: slicing up 100 reps smartly
You don't have to do all 100 in one go. No rule asks for that, and there's no time limit at HYROX. You can rest by holding the ball, or drop it and start again from standing. My advice: pick your split before the race. Then you don't have to think under that target.
| Plan | Sets | Suits you if |
|---|---|---|
| Steady | 10 sets of 10 | It's your first race, or wall balls are your weak spot |
| Balanced | 5 sets of 20 | You can do twenty in a row without your squat getting shallow |
| Fast start | 30, 25, 20, 15, 10 | You want to start fresh and make the end feel small |
| Big sets | 4 sets of 25 | You've already trained wall balls a lot |
Keep your breaks short. Three to five calm breaths is enough. Standing still feels nice, but the clock keeps running. And take your breaks before you need them: stop at 20 with a calm breath, rather than at 31 with a red face.
Start slower than you think. The first set always feels easy. Go too hard there and you'll pay for it in the last forty. And count down in your head, not up. 'Thirty to go' sounds a lot better than 'seventy done'.
Racing Doubles? Then you split the 100 reps with your partner however you like. Whoever is resting stays in the work zone. My advice: swap often, for example every ten. That way you both stay fresh enough to squat deep.
How to train wall balls
You train wall balls in two ways: the technique on fresh legs, and the movement on tired legs. You need both. Do one or two of these a week, on top of your normal training.
- Technique: 5 rounds of 10 calm wall balls, with a short pause at the bottom of every rep. Rest a minute between rounds.
- Run and throw: 4 rounds of 1 km running, straight into 25 wall balls. That's the feeling from the race.
- Lunge and throw: 4 rounds of 20 lunges, straight into 20 wall balls. This is closest to the end of the race.
- Squat strength: goblet squats and front squats make the squat part easier. Strong legs make the ball feel lighter.
- Test: every few weeks, do 100 wall balls for time with your planned split. Write down your time and sets, so you can see if you're improving.
Not there yet? Scale it. Use a lighter ball, a lower target or fewer reps. Work on depth and rhythm first, then on weight and speed. Twenty good reps beat a hundred half ones. To see how this fits into a full build-up, read how to train for your first HYROX.
Coming up with a plan like this and sticking to it on your own is hard. With us you don't have to. You walk in, the workout is ready and a coach helps you pick the ball and target that fit you right now.
Common mistakes at wall balls
- Squatting too shallow. When you're tired, your squat gets shorter by itself. Check your depth in training, ideally with someone watching.
- Using your arms too early. The ball loses power and your upper body has to do everything.
- Standing too far from or too close to the wall. The ball drops in front of you or comes back over your head, and you lose your rhythm.
- Holding your breath. Breathe out as you throw, breathe in as the ball comes back.
- Going up on your toes. Keep your weight on your heels, or you'll tip forward.
- Never practising tired. Fresh wall balls and wall balls after 8 km are two different things.
How to prepare with Hybrid Endurance
Let's be honest: we are not an official HYROX gym. Our Hybrid Endurance classes prepare you very well for a HYROX event. You train strength and conditioning in one class, with a coach who watches your squat and adjusts everything to your level. Read more about hybrid training in Amsterdam East.
Hybrid Endurance runs on Tuesday from 18:00 to 19:00, on Wednesday from 13:00 to 14:00 and from 20:00 to 21:00, and on Sunday from 12:00 to 13:00. Check the schedule for the full week.
Never thrown a ball at a wall? That's fine. You start at your level. Want to build the basics first, with a coach guiding you? Have a look at the Strong Start below.
Thinking about a race? In the 2026/27 season there are events in the Netherlands and Belgium, including Amsterdam at the RAI in January 2027. Dates and locations are on the HYROX Benelux events page.
Finish those 100 wall balls strong? Build the base first.
With Your Strong Start you learn to squat, drive and breathe through the reps with a coach watching. You don't have to plan anything: the workout is ready and scaled to your level. Build the strength and engine first, then add the volume for race day.
- 12 coached CrossFit sessions in 4 weeks, around 3 a week
- A personal starting assessment plus scalable Fit Test as your baseline
- A midway check, so one busy week doesn't break your rhythm
- Final assessment and repeat Fit Test: you see what changed
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Frequently asked questions
How heavy is the wall ball at HYROX?
In the 2026/27 season it's 4 kg for Women, 6 kg for Men and Women Pro, and 9 kg for Men Pro.
How high is the wall ball target at HYROX?
The target is at 2.70 metres for Women and Women Pro, and at 3.00 metres for Men and Men Pro (2026/27 season).
Do you have to do the 100 wall balls without a break?
No. There's no time limit and you can pause. Plan your breaks in advance, for example sets of 20, so you stay in control.
Can you catch the ball after it bounces?
No. You catch it straight out of the air, or let it hit the floor and start again from standing with the ball in both hands.
Which ball should I use to practise at home?
Use a soft wall ball in your division's weight. A hard medicine ball isn't made for catching after a high throw. Hang your target at the right height, 2.70 or 3 metres. Or train in a box, where it's all ready for you.