For hybrid & fitness racing
For hybrid & fitness racing, SkiErg and wall ball score the same on every criterion, so use whichever is free, or both.
Both are good choices that work the same way, so they swap freely. Rotating between them every few weeks is an easy way to vary your training.
The research score comes from these, scored by hand from the studies. Lifter scores appear once an exercise has 10 ratings. How scores work
SkiErg. A race station. Train it at race pace.
Wall Ball. The final race station. Practise the full volume while tired.
For functional fitness, the two are close. Wall ball rates slightly higher: more carry-over to functional fitness. SkiErg does more to prevent injuries.
For hybrid & fitness racing, SkiErg and wall ball score the same on every criterion, so use whichever is free, or both. Both are good choices that work the same way, so they swap freely. Rotating between them every few weeks is an easy way to vary your training.
About the same: both are easy to learn.
SkiErg needs a rower or SkiErg, so for most people it’s a gym exercise. Wall ball needs a medicine ball and a wall, so for most people it’s a gym exercise.
About the same: both rate Fair for injury protection in our research rubric.