How to do an Alternating Medicine Ball Push Up
Reviewed by JP Michelsen, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About Alternating Medicine Ball Push Up
Instructions for Proper Form
Alternating Medicine Ball Push Up is a more challenging variation on the standard Push Up. This compound movement primarily targets your chest, shoulders and triceps. The use of a medicine ball forces you to shift most of your weight to one side or the other, this can help you address strength imbalances between sides. Balancing on the medicine ball can also help you develop more stability for this and other pushing exercises.
- Position your extended arms just outside shoulder-width apart with your right palm on top of a medicine ball.
- Elevate your knees to straighten your body from your heels to your shoulders and maintain this straight alignment throughout the exercise.
- Flex your elbows to descend your chest keeping your elbows 45 degrees from your torso and chest parallel with the floor.
- Once your chest has reached just above the floor, extend your elbows to return to the the starting position and roll the ball to the left hand.
- Repeat for allotted repetitions.
Common Form Mistakes
Resisting Rotation
Your core is responsible for stabilizing your upper body during this exercise. Because the resistance isn’t balanced between both sides, you’ll naturally engage your core to resist this rotation. Ensure that you’re only resisting the rotation, and keeping your upper body stable. Don’t use your core to assist in performing the exercise.
Flat Back
Don’t allow your hips to sag or raise up during this exercise. It’s very common to see this especially as you become fatigued during your set. Keeping your core engaged will help you keep your spine in a neutral position. It can also help to think of this exercise as a plank first, and the movement as a secondary piece to this exercise.
Don’t Twist
Twisting can help you perform more reps of this exercise by allowing your arm on the ground to extend. Focus on keeping your shoulders level and extend your arms by engaging your chest, not by rotating. It’s OK to twist slightly as you roll the ball from one side to the other.
Sets & Reps Calculator
Average Alternating Medicine Ball Push Up standards by male, female, gender, weight, age and height
Use this calculator to see Fitbod's possible first recommendations for you. This would be your starting line, based on more than 4.5 billion logged sets from 1.1 million users.
- beginner3sets5reps1 Set Max6reps
- intermediate4sets6reps7reps
- advanced4sets7reps9reps
Enter your stats to calculate your Sets & Reps
Alternative Exercises to Alternating Medicine Ball Push Up
1. Dumbbell Bench Press
99.7 mSCORESWAPPED 9,592 TIMESDumbbell Bench Press is a variation on the standard Bench Press. Like Bench Press, this compound exercise primarily targets the chest, while also training the triceps and shoulders. The use of dumbbells allows for greater instability which can help you become more stable on pushing movements in general, while also isolating each side of the body to prevent you from compensating for any weaknesses between sides.
2. Machine Fly
98.2 mSCORESWAPPED 6,323 TIMESMachine Fly is a variation on the more standard Dumbbell Fly. This isolation chest exercise primarily targets the chest, but also recruits the shoulders. The use of a machine makes the exercise more stable allowing you to focus on exertion or learn the movement with minimal risk of injury. This is a great exercise for beginners looking to learn the movement, or advanced lifters looking to push this movement to it’s limit.
- Beginner
- Chest
- Fly Machine
3. Machine Bench Press
93.5 mSCORESWAPPED 5,751 TIMESMachine Bench Press is a compound exercise the primarily targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps. The use of a machine forces you to use a fixed range of motion which can be a great way to learn the movement, or to focus your effort on exertion rather than stability.
- Beginner
- Chest
- Bench Press Machine
4. Dumbbell Fly
98.3 mSCORESWAPPED 5,584 TIMESDumbbell Fly’s are one of the most common isolation chest exercises, and for good. It primarily targets the muscles in the chest, but also recruits the shoulders for stability. The use of dumbbells ensures that you’re targeting each side of the body independently, and prevents compensating for any weaknesses between sides. In addition the isolated nature of this exercise is a great way to fatigue your chest, and focus on building both muscle mass and increasing strength in your chest.
5. Barbell Bench Press
99.2 mSCORESWAPPED 4,196 TIMESBench Press is one of the three Powerlifting movements, and one of the most common upper body exercises. It’s a fantastic compound exercise that can help you build strength in your chest, shoulders, and triceps. It’s a staple in most fitness programs, and is often used as a metric for tracking upper body strength in general.
6. Dumbbell Incline Bench Press
99 mSCORESWAPPED 3,909 TIMESDumbbell Incline Bench Press is a variation on the more standard Barbell Incline Bench Press. This compound exercise primarily targets the chest, but the incline also places more emphasis on the shoulders. The use of dumbbells makes this exercise more unstable than its barbell counterpart, while also forcing you to address any strength discrepancies between sides.
7. Push Up
94.5 mSCORESWAPPED 3,640 TIMESPush Ups may be the most recognizable exercises out there. It’s one of the best bodyweight exercises you can do, and is a great way to develop functional strength in your upper body for pushing movements. It’s fantastic for beginners, or anyone with limited equipment, while still being a great addition for even the most seasoned lifters.
- Intermediate
- Chest
8. Push Up on Knees
83.4 mSCORESWAPPED 3,426 TIMESPush Up on Knees is a beginner-friendly variation of the standard Push Up. This compound, bodyweight exercise primarily targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps. By performing the exercise on your knees, you reduce the overall resistance, making it easier to execute. This is a great exercise for building the foundational strength needed to progress to full Push Ups.
- Beginner
- Chest
9. Incline Push Up
77.2 mSCORESWAPPED 3,138 TIMESTargets the lower chest and shoulders by elevating the feet, decreasing the difficulty level compared to traditional push-ups. This variation is beneficial for beginners or those focusing on lower chest development.
- Beginner
- Chest
- Flat Bench
10. Alternating Dumbbell Bench Press
82 mSCORESWAPPED 2,656 TIMESAlternating Dumbbell Bench Press is a variation on the more standard Dumbbell Bench Press. Like other Bench Press variations, this compound exercise primarily targets your chest, shoulders, and triceps. By alternating arms, you add instability and a greater need for core stabilization, helping to address any strength discrepancies between sides. This variation can also increase time under tension, making it an excellent exercise for muscle endurance.