A ball is a piece of a fitness training equipment that is known by Swiss ball, exercise ball, stability ball and fitness ball. Balls get inflated with air to dimensions that range from 55 centimeters (cm) to 75cm in 10cm increments. You can use the ball by itself, or with added resistance to work every muscle group in your body. A push-up with the ball is a body weight exercise that targets your chest, shoulders, triceps and core. To perform this exercise properly, you need to pay strict attention to your form.
Step 1
Align your body in the proper starting position. Lie across the ball on your stomach. Place your hands on the floor and walk your body forward until your hands are directly under your shoulders and your lower shins are on top of the ball. Lift your hips up to form a straight line from your shoulders to your heels. Do this by tightening your core.
Step 2
Execute the push up. Lower your body toward the floor until you feel a strong contraction in your chest muscles. Your chest should be within 2 to 4 inches from the floor at this point. Push yourself back up and stop just short of locking out your elbows. This will keep resistance on your chest muscles, and it will protect your joints. Repeat for a set of reps. Make sure you keep your back perfectly straight throughout the whole exercise.
Step 3
Reverse your position to put more emphasis on your lower chest. Place your hands on the ball shoulder-width apart and place your feet hip-width apart on the floor. Push yourself up and straighten your back by contracting your core. Your body should now be at an angle to the floor. Slowly lower your body toward the ball until your stomach lightly touches it. Push back up just short of locking out your arms and repeat.
Tips and Warnings
- When you perform the push up with your hands on the floor, you can intensify the exercise by placing your toes on the ball. If you want to make the push up easier, place your legs higher up on the ball. Aim for 10 to 12 reps when you first start doing ball push-ups.
Things You'll Need
- Stability ball
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