Medicine Ball Pushups

In this lesson you will learn how to do pushups on a medicine ball. This exercise trains the triceps and the shoulders in a similar manner to the triceps pushup. You can do medicine ball pushups as a normal strength exercise, instead of triceps pushups on the floor, or do them as a plyometric exercise. If you want to do them as a plyometric exercise, work with the bounciness of the ball and push yourself up explosively. Click here, to read more about medicine ball exercises. Find more reactive strength exercises at track & field main.

Description: Medicine Ball Pushups

• Start in a pushup position where both hands are on a medicine ball or a basket ball, and the arms are extended. Thumbs point straight forward. If you want to make this exercise plyometric, use a bouncy ball and do fast repetitions, where you let yourself fall and push off explosively. Contract your abs slightly and extend your knees. Before you lower your chest the first time, your shoulders should be in a comfortable position. The angle between arms and trunk should be around 75 degrees. If this angle is too small, this will be too hard for the shoulders, and if the angle is too big, you will overstrain your back and your abs.
• Lower your chest until you touch the ball. Inhale at the same time - unless you are doing fast, plyometric repetitions. Keep your abs tight and make sure your elbows pass by the sides of your waist. Keep your upper arms pretty parallel. If you open your elbows sideways, you focus on your chest muscles, but the resulting strain to the elbows and the wrists is quite controversial. I recommend you do this exercise like triceps pushup.
• Then push yourself back up and exhale at the same time. Keep your shoulders still during the entire exercise. Don't shrug your shoulders forward when you push yourself up. If you are doing plyometric repetitions, work with the bounciness of the ball.

Advice: Medicine Ball Pushups

• Do 2 or 3 sets of 6 to 15 repetitions.
• Careful !!! The ball makes this exercise quite instable. Get used to the movement before you try fast, plyometric sets. You don't wanna slip and break your wrists on the floor!
• Warm up your shoulders and your elbows before you do this exercise.
• You can do:
  • Slow concentrated repetitions - Normal exercise - 3 sec down / 2 sec up
  • Plyometric reps - Let yourself fall onto the ball and push yourself up explosively. Then rest 1 or 2 seconds and repeat.
  • Fast plyo reps - Like shown in the animations.
  • Isometric hold - See Isometric strength Training.

Related instructions: Medicine Ball Pushups

• Medicine Ball Training
• Overhead Wall Slams - Medicine Ball Exercise
• Medicine Ball Slams
• Strength Training
• Stretching

Videos: Medicine Ball Pushups

• None

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