How to Do a Medicine Ball Push-up in Functional Fitness Training

Push-ups help strengthen your upper bodyby working your arms, shoulders, chest and back. Your core is engaged and working during push-ups as well. Add a medicine ball to make this workout more challenging and it will work your stablizing muscles harder and help increase your flexibility and range of motion.

Instructions

1. Place two medicine balls on the floor. Place them shoulder width apart so that when you put your hands down on them, you're in proper push-up position.

2. Get yourself into a regular push-up position. Put the weight of your legs onto on the balls of your feet rather than your toes. Pull your abs tight in toward your spine to protect your back. Picture a board laying across the top of your back as you begin your push-ups. Keep your body straight.

3. Lower yourself down as far as you can go without allowing your chest to stop and rest on the floor. Inhale on your way down. Exhale as you push back up to your starting position. Do not lock your elbows.

4. Vary this exercise by using only one medicine ball. Place one hand on the ball and the other hand on the floor. Perform a push-up, focusing on pushing through your chest on the side that the ball is supporting.

5. Challenge yourself further by doing explosive medicine ball push-ups. Begin push-ups as you would when using one medicine ball. Push up explosively and land with your other hand on the ball as your body is in the up position. Repeat the motion, switching sides during each push-up.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep the ball stable and place a mat underneath you before performing the exercise.