Dball Training Principals

TRANSFER OF MOMENTUM - Speed over range of motion increases momentum. Synchronization, linking the torso, is the key to generating momentum. The more momentum transferred by the hip snap and shoulder push/pull to the ball the further it will go.

It is important to throw the balls in all directions up-down-sideways-forward-backward to match the requirements of sport. With Grippers, throw left and right handed. The chest pass, soccer inbound pass and volleyball set have flexed elbows, which shorten the distance and therefore reduce the momentum. The shot-put motion with a small ball is similar but the body rotation increases it. Always finish by throwing the sport ball, which is the point.

Application:  Basketball rebound (think power clean) squat with the ball at ankles, snap the hips to jump with ball tossed overhead, jump again to catch and pull it down before landing. Now, do a rebounding drill with a basketball.


PERFORMANCE STRENGTH-SPEED-POWER - the basis of training with the ball is that it affects the center of motion, the body’s weight distribution, which moves with the application of force. The balance point or fulcrum, is the key. A ball close to fulcrum, front or back and above is easier to move than one that is below and away from the body center.

BALL SIZE - A larger ball is more difficult to use because it naturally pushes the elbow outside the bodyline and forces the trunk to work harder at the balance point to support the shoulders and hips. Begin strength training with the larger 9inch ball, (“Strength-Builder”), holding and moving it slowly. When two balls are used together the shoulders have the difficult task of simultaneously pushing in to hold while moving them.

Use a smaller 8inch,Speed-Plus and Speed-Maker, for power and speed. It reduces the load at the balance point leaving more trunk base support for the hips and shoulders to move faster.

SELECTING BALL WEIGHT - The amount of weight that can be thrown powerfully with proper mechanics is the baseline weight. The weight used for strength development should be 50% heavier than the baseline weight while the weight used for speed should be 50% lighter. Using two Grippers, their weight approaches the weight of a larger ball and increases the possibilities for strength training.  

Application:  Throw the baseline weight after moving the heavier ball over the range of motion. The throw will have more momentum because the body remembers the heavier load and applies all of it to the lighter ball. Similarly, when you use sports equipment after training with the medicine ball, the throw will be more accurate over a greater distance because the sports ball is lighter and therefore, uses less of the body’s potential capacity.

SPENDING LESS STRENGTH ON BALANCE - the more effort required to hold the center balance point the less strength there is to support the movement of the hip and shoulder. Thus, the movers have to use more of their capacity as support, leaving less available for lifting.

Application:  Standing; with a Strength-Builder held at the waist pulls at the balance-point, much like negative body lean or leaning backward. Leaning forward, positive leverage reduces the pull.  Try it with or without a ball, the intensity change is unmistakable. The supine and prone position concentrates effort on the trunk while lifting/lowering and rotating of shoulders or hips or both as they clear the ground- their weight moving in the air.

SHOULDERS - pushing and pulling a Strength-Builder around shoulder height, in front and back or overhead increases the load on the shoulders while pulling at the center causing the shoulders to divide their capacity. Sitting and kneeling on one or both knees will increase this workload because it weakens the support of the hips.

Application:  Hold a Strength-Builder out from the waist. There is a pull at the balance point but not much on the shoulders. Now, raise the ball to shoulder height and notice the simultaneous pull on the shoulders and the trunk.

LEGS  – (Lunge and Squats)  standing flat-footed or on the balls of the feet, squat or lunge with chest at knee and knee at ball of feet. Force of the push is generated over the distance hip travels to ball of the foot. Ball held at knee or ankle level while reaching away increases the load on the hip as it pushes down.

Application:  Hold a ball at the waist to locate reference balance point pull. Now squat, lowering the ball to knee or ankle level and reach away while holding balance point pull. When you return to the standing position the hips have to work hard to lift the body and the extended ball.

STRENGTHENING THE BALANCE POINT FIRST - moving a weight slowly places a constant load on the fulcrum, building no momentum. That constant load on the trunk means the hips and shoulders have to divide their effort between stabilizing the working joints and motion. During a squat or lunge drill, lift the ball slowly from ankle to hip, from waist to shoulder and from shoulder to overhead.

Application: (think power clean lift or motion) Hold Strength-Builder at ankles, chest over knees and knees over balls of feet. Slowly, raise ball up as high as possible (close to shoulder height) then move hips and shoulders in sync. As hips come in line with chest and knee slowly toss the ball, feeling the load at the balance point.   

BALANCE IN MOTION:  When the athlete is moving it’s harder to hold the balance-point. Being able to do this is fundamental to achieving the precision required in sports performance. The more in balance the athlete’s body is, the more likely precision is to follow. Applying drills using D-Ball equipment can help the athlete increase his or her capacity to balance while in motion. Carrying a ball is like moving in a crowd. Adding apparatus is like moving through traffic.  

Soft Hurdles, 4 and 12inches high- can be set in a row or stacked as barriers. The athlete then clears the hurdle(s) by stepping, striding, running or jumping over the hurdles. This raises the leg up, out and down to increase the distance traveled by the hip. Carrying a medicine ball while hurdling further increases the intensity of the exercise.

An additional drill includes completing leg pop-ups (tosses) over the hurdle(s).

Hai Box - Use of the Hai boxes, 6 and 12 inches high, increases intensity in a vertical plane, either by stepping up or down or by jumping on or off the boxes. Landing in balance with the head over the balance point, chest over knee and knee over the ball of the foot requires more effort in the vertical plane, than exercising on a level field. It also increases the athlete’s ability to balance while in motion.

Application:  Net play in volleyball - Like roofing again, again and again, jump down from the box with the ball, up and over a soft hurdle, and then, immediately spring up, turn and toss the ball. Next, do a blocking skill drill.

Balance Board - Bi-lateral rocker-movement, allows motion one direction at a time. Standing straight and motionless requires a great deal of trunk strength. Slowly rocking, without touching the ground, builds strength in performance.

Balance Beam, 4inches high- the narrow beam places both feet in line for the lunge and requires using just the balls of the feet for squats.

Application:  Square feet for a basketball shot- push press drill standing on a Balance Board, jump to a Balance Beam and shoot the ball. Next with a basketball, step, square, jump and shoot.