The Medicine Ball (MB) Explosive Pushup is a plyometric exercise for advanced athletes to improve neural pathways and energy transfer for more powerful shots.
The Medicine Ball Explosive Pushup may be implemented to improve power.
The focus is on explosiveness, rather than the total amount of resistance being used.
We want to emphasize the speed of the action and control of the body.
Before you start implementing plyometric exercises into your training program you may want to learn more about tennis plyometric training and how to develop neural pathways for maximum power for better results.
Medicine Ball Explosive Push Up Description
- One hand is placed on the medicine ball under one shoulder. The other hand is placed slightly wider than shoulder width. The body is kept in a straight line.
- Lower the chest to the medicine ball and forcefully extend the arms to propel the upper body into the air.
- While in the air shift the body towards the medicine ball so that the opposite arm rests on it as the chest descends back to the floor.
- Rapidly extend the arms at the bottom of the pushup to perform another rep with minimal contact time with the medicine ball. The upper body should return to the initial position.
Common Errors
- Failing to minimize contact time with the medicine ball between reps
Medicine Ball Explosive Pushup Progression
If you use additional weights make sure you use appropriate weight. You want to make sure you can control the action throughout the entire range of motion. Otherwise you defeat the purpose of the exercise.
Very often, people use too much resistance and they become sloppy. Especially when it comes to maintaining dynamic stability and landing in the same spots repetitively.
Also, don’t just progress with adding more weight. Instead don’t look towards the ground while pushing but keep your head up and look forward.
Now maximize the speed while maintaining perfect form.
If that’s still too easy downsize the medicine ball.
Here are the progression levels:
- Beginner: look down
- Advanced: look forward & increase speed
- Professional: look forward, increase speed & use small medicine ball
Related Plyometric Exercises
- Single Leg Low-Level Tuck Jump
- Low-Level Single Leg Lateral Box Jump Rebounds
- Low-Level Abductor Box Jump Rebounds
Training Zone
We provide you with some more workouts and training tips you may be interested in to optimize your training.
Also, make sure that you warm up properly before and stretch out after your training session.
