Exercise description of the stability ball pushup.  Learn about the stability ball pushup with video and pictures.  Also learn how the stability ball pushup can improve your sports performance.

Primary muscles worked:  Pecs

Synergist Muscles:  Triceps, Shoulders

Mechanics:  Compound

Equipment:  Stability Ball and Open Space

How to perform the exercise:  To perform the stability ball pushup, the athlete should place their hands on the stability ball about shoulder width apart. The athlete's body should be in a straight line with feet spread past shoulderwidth apart. If you are more advanced, you may place your feet together. This will require more core stabilization. Once in the initial position is obtained, the athlete will bend at the elbows towards the ball. The elbows will come out wide and when your chest touches the ball, begin to push back up so that the arms again reach full extension. This is one full rep of the stability ball pushup.

Spotting the exercise:  The spotter for the stability ball pushup should kneel beside the stability ball. If the athlete begins to lose stabilization or can not longer push back up, the spotter can place their hands around the stability ball to offer a more stable surface for the athlete to push off of. This increased stabilization should allow the athlete to continue with more repetitions of the exercise.

Sport specific application:  The stability ball pushup is a great exercise for strengthening the stability abilities of the upper body. This is important in a wide array of sports. By being more stable in the upper body, athlete's may be able to throw further, hit harder, and being more powerful in general. Sports such as baseball, volleyball, and tennis, just to name a few, can all benefit by adding the stability ball pushup as part of a routine.