Exercise guide · Advanced · Compound

Exercise Ball Pike Push Up: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The exercise ball pike push up is a challenging upper body and core exercise that combines a pike movement with a push-up, performed with the shins on a stability ball. This exercise targets the pectorals while also engaging the shoulders, triceps, and core for stabilization and strength.

Primary muscles
Chest
Equipment
Stability Ball
Level · type
Advanced · Compound
Demonstration of the exercise ball pike push up
Front view: muscles worked by the exercise ball pike push up. Primary: chest. Secondary: triceps, shoulders, abs and obliques.
Back view: muscles worked by the exercise ball pike push up. Primary: chest. Secondary: triceps, shoulders, abs and obliques.
Primary Secondary

How to do the exercise ball pike push up

  1. Step 1: Start in a push-up position with your hands on the floor and your shins resting on the stability ball.
  2. Step 2: Engage your core and lift your hips up towards the ceiling, rolling the ball towards your hands.
  3. Step 3: Keep your legs straight and your body in a pike position, forming an inverted V shape.
  4. Step 4: Bend your elbows and lower your upper body towards the floor, keeping your head in line with your hands.
  5. Step 5: Push through your hands and extend your arms to return to the starting position.
  6. Step 6: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the exercise ball pike push up by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Exercise Ball Pike Push Up alternatives

More exercises that train the chest as their main target:

More chest exercises

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Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.