One of the quickest ways to improve your athletic performance is to work on your triple extension, the ability to simultaneously extend your hips, knees and ankles—a movement required for everything from sprinting to jumping to cutting.

The Overhead Med Ball Toss is a simple exercise that develops your triple extension explosiveness and helps you become a better athlete—which is why pros like A.J. Hawk and Justin Verlander include them in their routines.

The Overhead Med Ball Toss is somewhat similar to a Hang Clean, but you can move the weight faster and through a wider range of motion. Overhead Med Ball Tosses also develop the ability to transfer power from your lower body to your upper body via your core, which is an important skill for athletes.

How to Perform Overhead Med Ball Tosses

• Begin in an athletic stance holding the med ball in front of you.
• Perform a semi-squat and bring the med ball between your legs.
• Explosively extend your ankles, knees and hips to jump out of the squat while you swing your arms up and throw the med ball as high as you can.
• The ball should naturally land behind you.
• Walk and pick up the ball to repeat the exercise until you complete the set.

Sets/Reps: 2×10