Exercise guide · Advanced · Compound

Medicine Ball Close Grip Push Up: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

A push-up variation performed with hands close together on a medicine ball, targeting the triceps and engaging the chest and shoulders.

Primary muscles
Triceps
Secondary muscles
Shoulders , Chest
Equipment
Medicine Ball
Level · type
Advanced · Compound
Demonstration of the medicine ball close grip push up
Front view: muscles worked by the medicine ball close grip push up. Primary: triceps. Secondary: shoulders and chest.
Back view: muscles worked by the medicine ball close grip push up. Primary: triceps. Secondary: shoulders and chest.
Primary Secondary

How to do the medicine ball close grip push up

  1. Step 1: Start in a high plank position with your hands on the medicine ball, shoulder-width apart.
  2. Step 2: Lower your body towards the ground by bending your elbows, keeping them close to your sides.
  3. Step 3: Push back up to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
  4. Step 4: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the medicine ball close grip 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.

Medicine Ball Close Grip Push Up alternatives

More exercises that train the triceps as their main target:

More triceps 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.