How to Do Medicine Ball Push Ups (Form & Benefits)

If you are looking for a new way to build a stronger chest and arms, medicine ball push-ups might be the perfect workout for you.

These workouts are done with a medicine ball which is great if you're at home or somewhere where exercise machines might not be available. If you're looking for some solid advice on how to do proper medicine ball push-ups, read on because we've got you covered.

What is a Medicine Ball Push-Up?

A medicine ball push-up is an advanced bodyweight exercise that is performed using a medicine ball or stability ball. 

Medicine balls come in many different sizes with weights up to 36 pounds, so there is one for everyone's strength level. Some even have adjustable weight settings which allow you to increase/decrease the amount each time depending on how much you want to work out that day. With all these benefits and such an inexpensive price tag, why not try medicine ball exercises today?

This type of exercise has been shown to help people suffering from chronic back pain because it strengthens core muscles. In addition, medicine balls are a great workout tool that you can do at home any time of the day!

How to Do Medicine Ball Push-Ups

Medicine balls are great for training your core muscles as well as improving stability throughout your body.

You can typically find medicine balls at any sporting goods store or even online on sites like Amazon.

Medicine ball push-ups will work almost every muscle in your upper body, including chest, anterior deltoids, triceps, biceps, serratus anterior (muscles running along the side of your ribs), abs/obliques/lower back, glutes, and hamstrings.

The form for this exercise is simple, but you must make sure you're doing everything correctly.

Medicine ball push-ups should be performed the same as traditional push-ups except that your feet are off the floor.

Medicine balls will help build strength and stability throughout your entire upper body. It is excellent for athletes who want to increase their explosiveness, work on their speed or improve overall fitness levels!

These exercises can be modified by doing it on an elevated surface (such as a bench), which places a performance emphasis on the chest muscles, or by balancing one hand on a medicine ball rather than using both hands directly beneath you. But, again, focus on specific areas depending on where you place them. When performing medicine ball push-ups, you must keep your legs close together.

It helps maintain stability throughout the exercise and prevents any unnecessary strain on your lower back.

Also, toe medicine ball push-ups are performed with your toes off the floor, so make sure not to push yourself up by pushing off of them as this can cause damage to the ankle joint/tendon, which will inevitably lead to knee issues down the line! If you're making these mistakes, then no need to worry.

Just check out the below video for a detailed explanation of how medicine ball push-ups should be executed appropriately. And don't forget about all of those benefits we discussed earlier in this post. They outweigh any common mistake you could make during Medicine Ball Push-Ups.

Proper Form for Medicine Ball Push-Ups

The proper form of medicine ball push-ups is a very important thing to know. If you are not doing them correctly, then it could be hurting your back. On the other hand, if you are looking to do this exercise correctly, don't worry!

Medicine ball pushups are one of the more advanced exercises.

They can help to build up your overall body strength and endurance, which is why they are recommended for intermediate or advanced fitness buffs.

Here's how to do it:

• Warm-up activities for medicine ball push-ups include five minutes of jogging or jumping jacks (jumping jacks are advised). Three sets of these two exercises as a warm-up before attempting medicine ball pushups.
• When performing medicine ball pushups, ensure that your elbows stay close to your ribs and don't flare them out like a chicken wing motion. In addition, maintain proper form by keeping proper alignment with good posture throughout the entire movement. Keep in mind that it's the proper form that is necessary when doing proper medicine ball pushups!
• Always keep your head and neck in a neutral position (looking straight ahead at all times). In addition, keep proper alignment by not allowing the back to arch or go into extension during this exercise.
• When you are going down for your first rep, make sure you bend through the hips and knees until they create 90-degree angles.
• From here, hands should be placed on either side of the medal along with arms being extended as well, so it's almost like performing a plank sort of motion except without placing feet on the ground - only knees are touching the ground. At the same time, the chest remains pressed against the floor/medicine ball throughout the exercise.
• When you reach the bottom position, make sure that your elbows are close to your ribs, and when going up from here, it's proper to do so by squeezing shoulder blades together while exhaling throughout this movement. Remember that proper form is needed when doing medicine ball pushups which means keeping proper alignment with good posture throughout the entire range of motion. For example, only hips should be moving forward/backward during an exercise like this one. 

Building Explosive Strength with a Medicine Ball

Medicine balls are ideal for building explosive strength. Explosive strength is the ability to create significant amounts of force quickly. Jumping, sprinting, throwing, and kicking all need explosive strength. Plyometric exercises help build explosive strength.

You can increase plyometric workouts' intensity and calorie expenditure while also engaging fast-twitch muscle fibers that are important for strength and power. 

To avoid injury:

1. Start with many squat leaps.
2. Hold a medicine ball while executing dynamic scissor lunges.
3. Toss the ball over your head with each lunge.

To improve powerful upper body strength, repeatedly slam the ball into the ground. Using a medicine ball to develop explosive strength and power during plyometric exercises is versatile.

Using a Medicine Ball to Work Your Core

Incorporate medicine balls into your core and abdominal routines. Deficient core muscles might affect the way your arms and legs work. That reduces the power of several of your actions. 

Strong core muscles increase power and an energized core improves  balance and stability.

In sports or other activities, it may assist in avoiding falls. The core of practically everything you do is robust and flexible.

For added resistance, try crunches with a medicine ball.

However, holding a medicine ball makes toe touch crunches harder. To do this, lay on a mat and straighten your legs. While crunching up, reach for a medicine ball. V-ups with a medicine ball provide extra core and abdominal training. A medicine ball is ideal for adding resistance to the core and abdominal activities.

Squats and lunges with a medicine ball strengthen your legs and core. Raise the medicine ball over your head after each squat or lunge. A medicine ball is better for dynamic motions than dumbbells or workout equipment. Many workouts may be done using a medicine ball instead of dumbbells or kettlebells.

Work on Balance with a Medicine Ball

Balancing with a medicine ball push-ups with a medicine ball as you lower your body, one hand on a medicine ball. Then flip sides. Make it more interesting by rolling the ball from side to side with each push-up. This will test your balancing abilities.

How often do you practice coordination? The medicine ball makes it simple.

Tossing and catching a medicine ball improves hand-eye coordination. Grab a buddy and throw it or find a wall that you can throw it against and catch it on the rebound.

Medicine Ball For Beginners

If you've never used a medicine ball, research offers some great advice. They stress having a healthy back, strong joints, and core muscles to properly use medicine balls. In addition, using the medicine ball may need strong foundations in twisting, bending, jumping, and balancing.

If this isn't for you right now, you may gradually include medicine balls into your strength and flexibility exercise. Consult your doctor or trainer to see whether softer medicine ball workouts are right for you. Your doctor or physical therapist may advise you to use small medicine balls as part of your rehabilitation.

The Optimal Size of Medicine Ball

Choosing the right medicine ball weight depends on your intended application.

The American Council on Exercise recommends a 4 to 15 pounds ball weight, depending on size and strength. According to the University of Arkansas, a recognized exercise research committee, recommends that medicine balls be heavy enough to limit movement but not so heavy as to impair control, accuracy, or range of motion. 

They suggest aiming for 30-50% of your one-rep max in a strength-training activity similar to your medicine ball routine. Then, using standard charts, you may determine your one-rep max for different exercises. If this is your first time using a medicine ball, lower the weight by half (or even less) until you get the hang of it.

Since medicine ball exercises may entail rotation, jumping, throwing, or simply a quicker rate of movement than you are accustomed to, taking the time to dial in new movements with a low weight might pay off in the long run with faster results and prevent injury.

Which Medicine Ball Weight Should You Use?

Choosing the appropriate amount of weight to use while exercising is critical to accomplishing your objectives and working out efficiently.

Additionally, selecting the most appropriate weight for you will help you prevent unneeded injury, and better prepare you for future improvements in strength and size.Medicine balls are commonly available in sizes ranging from 2 to 25 pounds, with weights typically increasing in 2-pound increments.

However, don't be shocked if your gym offers bigger weights as an alternative. Choosing the appropriate weight for your medicine ball needs taking into consideration your desired results as well as the sorts of exercises you want to do. Furthermore, you must have a clear understanding of your present physical fitness level.

Wrapping Up

Medicine ball training boasts a safe, effective, and oftentimes fun way for athletes and workout gurus to condition, train, and rehab. Many athletic practices incorporate medicine ball work into their training regimen as well including tae kwon do.

Here is  additional information about what weight medicine ball should you use? If you're interested in learning more about this topic, such as why you should use medicine balls, different sorts of workouts, and so on, keep reading.