Wall Ball Squat Technique

The current 26/27 competition standard

In Singles, Wall Balls is station eight and requires 100 valid repetitions in every division. Women Open uses 4 kg; Women Pro and Men Open use 6 kg; Men Pro uses 9 kg. The target is 2.70 m for Women and Women Pro and 3.00 m for Men and Men Pro. Those values replace the older and incorrect claim that both sexes use a 3 m target.

HYROX^® Singles Rulebook 2026/27

What counts as a valid repetition

Start standing tall with hips and knees extended and hold the ball in both hands. Complete a full squat, then throw with both hands so the ball strikes the designated physical target. At the bottom, the hips must be lower than the knees. After target contact, you may catch the ball and continue, or let it hit the floor and restart from a tall position. You may not catch it after a bounce and continue directly. A breach is a no-rep; there are no warnings at this station. Powdered chalk at Wall Balls carries a two-minute penalty. Digital counts are only a visual aid: the physical target and judge remain authoritative.

HYROX^® Singles Rulebook 2026/27

Technique without invented universal rules

The rulebook defines the result, not one compulsory stance width, toe angle, elbow height, gaze, breathing rhythm or unbroken cadence. Choose a stable stance that lets you reach the required depth and hit the correct target under control. Continuous catches can be efficient, but dropping the ball is expressly allowed. A pause or planned break is therefore not automatically a technical error. Stop and seek qualified assessment for pain rather than treating one generic cue as a diagnosis.

HYROX^® Singles Rulebook 2026/27

Training the station

Practise the competition standard first, then build tolerable volume progressively. Use lighter balls when learning if needed, but confirm that some work also uses your division weight and target height before racing. Sets, rest and weekly frequency should reflect training age, current capacity, recovery and the rest of the programme. The current ACSM position stand supports progressive, individualised resistance training and does not establish one mandatory 16-week wall-ball plan, rep range or breathing protocol for every athlete.

ACSM 2026 resistance-training position stand

Race-day checklist

Confirm your division colour and weight before starting. Begin tall, make the hip crease visibly lower than the knees, use both hands, and hit the assigned target. Count judge-confirmed valid repetitions rather than throws attempted. If you drop the ball, reset tall before the next squat. Do not use powdered chalk at the station.

HYROX^® Singles Rulebook 2026/27

Frequently Asked Questions

How many wall balls are required in HYROX^® Singles?

Every Singles division completes 100 valid repetitions at station eight.

HYROX^® Singles Rulebook 2026/27

What weights are used?

Women Open uses 4 kg; Women Pro and Men Open use 6 kg; Men Pro uses 9 kg.

HYROX^® Singles Rulebook 2026/27

How high are the targets?

Women and Women Pro use 2.70 m; Men and Men Pro use 3.00 m.

HYROX^® Singles Rulebook 2026/27

Can I drop the ball or break the set?

Yes. After a valid target contact you may let the ball hit the floor, but you must restart standing tall and may not catch it after the bounce and continue directly.

HYROX^® Singles Rulebook 2026/27

Marketing text preserved unchanged

Repz recent seasons of race data shows that Wall Balls is one of the two stations (alongside Sandbag Lunges) where athletes lose the most time relative to their overall race pace.[^6] The gap between a well-prepared athlete and an unprepared one at this station alone can exceed two minutes in a 75-rep race.