Pike Pushup on the Exercise Ball
Starting Position
- To start this exercise ball exercise kneel on the floor in front of the ball and slide forward.
- Contract your abdominals so that your back remains straight (ie neutral).
- Slowly walk forward with your hands until your feet are resting on the ball. This is how you started the Ball Plank.
- Slowly raise your butt toward the ceiling as the ball moves toward your hands and maintain this position. This is called the Pike position.
Action
- Slowly bend your elbows to lower yourself toward the floor keeping your hips flexed as you lower yourself.
- Push back up to the start position.
Prime Movers
- Pectoral muscles, deltoid
Physio Tips
- Maintaining the pike position requires good shoulder strength and stability.
- If you have any pain or instability, stop.
- You need to master the Pushups 2, and Pike prior to attempting this exercise.
Progression
- Add air to your exercise ball. Making your stability ball firmer decreases the area of contact with the floor making it less stable.
- Try the Pike Pushup on the exercise ball with one leg raised toward the ceiling and only one foot on your exercise ball.
- If you're really good you can try this while holding a bosu.
The exercise ball pike pushup forces you to maintain a stable core while undergoing shifts in centre of mass relative to your base of support. This is a great advanced way to work chest and shoulders while integrating core stability.
Repeat this ball exercise 5 times.
Repeat this ball exercise 10 times.
Repeat this ball exercise 15 times.