Medicine Ball Plyo Push Up

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Start in a high plank position with your right hand centered on the medicine ball and your left hand on the floor.
2. Position your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and stack your shoulders over your wrists.
3. Set your feet wider than hip-width to provide a stable base for the lateral transition.
4. Engage your core and glutes to create a rigid line from your head to your heels.

How to do it

1. Inhale as you lower your chest toward the floor, maintaining a neutral spine and keeping your elbows at a 45-degree angle.
2. Exhale and explosively drive through both hands to propel your upper body upward and off the ground.
3. While in the air, quickly shift your torso laterally so your left hand lands on the ball and your right hand lands on the floor.
4. Land softly with slightly bent elbows to absorb the impact and immediately descend into the next repetition.

Form checklist

• Keep your hips level and square to the floor during the flight phase.
• Avoid letting your lower back arch or your head drop toward the floor.
• Ensure the hand on the medicine ball is placed directly in the center to prevent it from rolling.
• Maintain a 'soft' landing to protect the wrist and elbow joints.

Pro tips

• Focus on minimizing 'ground contact time'—as soon as you land, begin the next descent to utilize the stretch-shortening cycle.
• Imagine pushing the floor away from you as hard and fast as possible to maximize fast-twitch muscle fiber recruitment.
• Keep your core braced 'tight' throughout the jump to prevent energy leaks and torso rotation.

Make it harder

• Perform a 'crossover' jump where both hands leave the floor and swap positions simultaneously over the ball.
• Increase the tempo or use a larger medicine ball to increase the vertical distance of the plyometric jump.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the medicine ball plyo push up work?

The medicine ball plyo push up primarily targets the pectorals, and also works the obliques and serratus anterior as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the medicine ball plyo push up?

The medicine ball plyo push up uses medicine ball.

Is the medicine ball plyo push up good for beginners?

The medicine ball plyo push up is rated advanced. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

Related exercises

• Air Punches MarchBeginner · calves, pectorals, and quadriceps
• Alternate Front Kick In Place With Arm CirclesBeginner · abs, calves, deltoids, and pectorals
• Archer Push-UpAdvanced · pectorals
• Aztec Push UpIntermediate · pectorals, serratus anterior, and triceps