Exercise guide · Intermediate · Compound

Medicine Ball Chest Push from 3 Point Stance: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The medicine ball chest push from a 3 point stance is a dynamic exercise targeting the pectoral muscles, with additional engagement of the shoulders and triceps. It involves starting in a 3 point stance, lowering the chest towards the ground, and explosively pushing the medicine ball away from the body.

Primary muscles
Chest
Secondary muscles
Shoulders , Triceps
Equipment
Medicine Ball
Level · type
Intermediate · Compound
Demonstration of the medicine ball chest push from 3 point stance
Front view: muscles worked by the medicine ball chest push from 3 point stance. Primary: chest. Secondary: shoulders and triceps.
Back view: muscles worked by the medicine ball chest push from 3 point stance. Primary: chest. Secondary: shoulders and triceps.
Primary Secondary

How to do the medicine ball chest push from 3 point stance

  1. Step 1: Start in a 3 point stance with one hand on the medicine ball and the other hand on the ground.
  2. Step 2: Extend your legs and position your body in a straight line.
  3. Step 3: Lower your chest towards the ground while keeping your back straight.
  4. Step 4: Push the medicine ball away from your body, extending your arm fully.
  5. Step 5: Return to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the medicine ball chest push from 3 point stance 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.

Medicine Ball Chest Push from 3 Point Stance alternatives

More exercises that train the chest as their main target:

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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.