Exercise Ball Push Up 101 Video Tutorial
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Overview
The Exercise Ball Push-Up is an effective variation of the traditional push-up that targets the chest muscles while also engaging the abs, shoulders, and triceps. This exercise involves placing the hands on an exercise ball, which increases the instability and challenges the core for better muscle activation. The instability forces the stabilizing muscles, particularly in the shoulders and core, to work harder, making this exercise a great way to improve strength and stability. It requires an exercise ball and is suitable for individuals looking to enhance their upper body strength and core control simultaneously.
How to Perform
Start in a quadruped position: Place your hands on the exercise ball, keeping your knees under your hips and your toes tucked for stability.
Extend your legs: One leg at a time, straighten your legs so your body forms a straight line from your heels to your head, similar to a traditional push-up position. Ensure your elbows are fully extended, and your head is neutral, looking directly at the floor.
Lower your body: Slowly bend your elbows and retract your shoulder blades, lowering your chest toward the ball. Keep your body in a straight line, engaging your core and maintaining control throughout the movement.
Reach the lowest point: Continue descending until your chest either lightly touches the ball or your upper arms become parallel to the floor.
Push back up: To return to the starting position, press through your palms and extend your elbows, while engaging your chest and triceps to drive your body upward.
Repeat: Perform the desired number of repetitions, maintaining a steady tempo and proper form throughout the set to avoid injury and maximize muscle activation in the chest, abs, shoulders, and triceps.
★ Bonus: For exercises that involve external weights (such as dumbbells, barbells, or machines), the One Rep Max (1RM) calculator can help you estimate your maximum lifting capacity. Use it to track your strength progress and adjust your training for optimal results.
Tips
Maintain proper arm positioning: At the bottom of the push-up, your arms should form a straight line resembling an arrow rather than a "T" shape. This ensures optimal shoulder alignment and muscle engagement.
Keep your spine aligned: Throughout the movement, think of the push-up as a moving plank. Your spine should stay rigid and neutral, avoiding any sagging or arching.
Activate your core and glutes: Before lowering your body, tighten your glutes and brace your abs to keep your ribcage stable and neutral, supporting your lower back.
Focus your gaze: Keep your chin tucked in, avoiding the temptation to look forward. This will help maintain proper neck alignment throughout the exercise.
Engage your chest muscles: Visualize pressing your thumbs toward each other during the push-up. This will help target your chest muscles (pecs) more effectively.
Avoid head movement: Your head should not move forward during the descent. Make sure your chest touches the exercise ball simultaneously with your nose, keeping your head in a neutral position.
Push away from the floor: As you press back up, think about pushing yourself as far away from the floor as possible. This mindset can help you engage more muscles and perform a more controlled movement.
Complete the full range of motion: At the top of the push-up, make sure you extend your arms fully, allowing your shoulder blades to move freely around your ribcage. This ensures you get the full benefit of the exercise.
Don’t cut the reps short: Many people stop before completing the full range of motion. To maximize the effectiveness of this exercise, always lower your chest until it touches the ball and fully extend your arms at the top.
How Not to Perform
Avoid letting your lower back sag: Do not allow your hips to drop toward the floor as this can strain your lower back and reduce core engagement. Keep your spine aligned and maintain a straight line from head to heels, like a moving plank.
Don’t arch your back excessively: On the flip side, avoid over-arching your back by pushing your hips up too high. This reduces the effectiveness of the exercise and takes away from the core and chest activation. Keep your body neutral from head to heels.
Don’t let your head jut forward: Looking ahead or tilting your head up can lead to neck strain and misalignment. Keep your neck neutral, and avoid letting your head move forward of your body. Your head should remain in line with your spine, and your gaze should be downward.
Avoid letting your elbows flare out: Do not let your elbows move out too far to the sides like a "T". This can stress the shoulder joints. Keep your elbows at about a 45-degree angle relative to your torso to protect the shoulders and effectively target the chest.
Don’t collapse your chest at the bottom: Don’t let your chest fall or rest onto the ball too quickly. Instead, lower your body with control and focus on engaging your chest, abs, and triceps. Your chest should hover just above the ball until you reach the lowest point in the push-up.
Don’t rush through the movement: Performing the push-up too quickly will waste energy and prevent you from fully engaging the target muscles. Focus on a slow, controlled descent and push-up, aiming for muscle activation rather than speed.
Avoid locking your elbows at the top: While pressing back up, don’t fully lock your elbows. Keep a slight bend in your arms to maintain tension in the chest and triceps throughout the movement. Locking the elbows reduces muscle activation and could strain your joints.
Don’t forget to engage your core and glutes: Failing to activate your core and glutes will cause instability, leading to unnecessary strain on your lower back and reducing the efficiency of the exercise. Tighten your core and glutes before you begin the movement and maintain that tension throughout.
Avoid bouncing off the ball: Don’t allow your chest to bounce off the ball when you descend. This can cause injury and takes away from the muscle engagement. Lower yourself slowly and steadily, then push up with control.Don’t use momentum: Avoid using momentum to perform the push-up, such as quickly dropping your body toward the ball and using a jerking motion to push yourself back up. Focus on steady, controlled movements that fully engage the chest, shoulders, abs, and triceps.
Variations
Variations of fitness exercises refer to different ways of performing a specific exercise or movement to target various muscle groups, intensities, or goals. These variations aim to challenge the body differently, prevent plateaus, and cater to individuals with varying fitness levels.
Alternatives
Alternative exercises in fitness refer to different movements or activities that target similar muscle groups or serve the same training purpose as the primary exercise. These alternative exercises can be used as substitutes when the original exercise is unavailable or challenging to perform due to various reasons such as equipment limitations, injuries, or personal preferences.
