Exercise Ball Pike Push Up

Setup

1. 01Start in a push-up position with the shins or toes on the ball.
2. 02Walk the hands back and lift the hips into a tall pike, torso near vertical.
3. 03Place the hands slightly wider than shoulder width, fingers spread.
4. 04Brace the trunk so the ball stays quiet under the feet.

Execution

1. 01Bend the elbows and lower the top of the head toward the floor.
2. 02Keep the hips stacked high over the shoulders as you descend.
3. 03Stop just before the head touches down.
4. 04Press back up to full elbow extension without dropping the pike.

Checkpoints

• -Hips stay high; the body forms an inverted V, not a flat plank.
• -The ball stays still, with no rolling between reps.
• -Head travels toward the floor in front of the hands, not between them.
• -Elbows track roughly 45 degrees from the torso.

Common mistakes

• -Letting the hips drift forward into an ordinary push-up.
• -Allowing the ball to roll and jerking the body to recover.
• -Cutting depth so the head never approaches the floor.
• -Flaring the elbows fully sideways and stressing the shoulders.