Overview
How to do it
- 1
Set a stable medicine ball on the floor and place it beneath the middle of your chest.
- 2
Hold the top of the ball with both hands close together, and spread your fingers for better control.
- 3
Walk your feet back into a plank, keeping your body in a straight line and your feet shoulder-width apart for balance.
- 4
Tighten your core and glutes, and keep your spine neutral.
- 5
Lower yourself under control by bending your elbows and keeping them close to your ribs. Try to bring your chest near the ball.
- 6
Press back up with control, fully extending your elbows while keeping tension through your whole body.
Form tips & common mistakes
Keep your body aligned: Your shoulders, hips, and ankles should stay in one straight line.
Tuck your elbows: This shifts more work to the triceps and helps protect the shoulders.
Stay braced through the core: This helps prevent sagging or arching as you move.
Use a firm, non-slip ball: Stability matters to reduce tipping or rolling.
Move with control on the way down and up: Slower reps improve tension and safety.
Benefits
Builds triceps and chest size and strength: The close hand position increases the load on the triceps and inner pectorals.
Boosts wrist and core stability: The narrow, unstable base challenges wrist stabilizers and deep core muscles.
Expands your pressing range of motion: The elevated hand position lets you work the chest more deeply on each rep.
Improves shoulder joint control: Staying balanced on the ball trains your scapular stabilizers and shoulder girdle integrity.
Develops functional upper-body strength: It blends pressing power with balance and coordination, similar to real-world movement.
Muscles worked
Pectoralis Major، Sternal
Pectoralis Major، Clavicular، Anterior Deltoid، Triceps Brachii، Trapezius
Biceps Brachii
Rectus Abdominis، Pectoralis Minor، Serratus Anterior، Obliques، Quadriceps
Erector Spinae، Latissimus Dorsi
