Medicine Ball Push-Up
A push-up variation performed with one hand on a medicine ball to add an instability challenge.
Equipment: Medicine ball
How to do it
- 1Place one hand on top of a medicine ball and the other on the floor, feet set wide for stability.
- 2Lower your chest toward the ball, keeping your body in a straight line.
- 3Press back up, then perform your reps before switching hand positions.
Common mistakes
- Letting the ball roll out from under your hand due to poor wrist positioning.
- Twisting the torso instead of keeping both shoulders square to the floor.
Sets & reps by goal
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3-4 | 6-10 | 90-120 sec |
| Build muscle | 3-4 | 8-12 | 90-120 sec |
| General fitness | 3-4 | 12-15 | 45-60 sec |
Ranges reflect the same goal-based logic used by the workout plan tool. These are practical starting ranges rather than exact requirements; actual set count in a generated plan also depends on how often this muscle group appears elsewhere in your week.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Medicine Ball Push-Up safe for beginners?
The Medicine Ball Push-Up is tagged advanced, meaning it generally works best once you already have some push training experience. If you're new to training, the Barbell Bench Press builds the same kind of movement with less demand, which makes it a reasonable place to start.
See the Barbell Bench PressWhat muscles does the Medicine Ball Push-Up work?
The primary mover is your chest. As a push movement, it also involves your shoulders and triceps.
What can I substitute if I don't have a medicine ball for the Medicine Ball Push-Up?
The Archer Push-Up trains the same muscle with a similar movement, so it's a reasonable swap if you don't have a medicine ball available. The loading won't match exactly, so expect to adjust the weight or reps.
See the Archer Push-UpRelated exercises
Learn more
Want a full plan built around exercises like this one? Try the workout plan tool.