Training Technique of the Week: Hands-on-Ball Push-up

By Scott Goodpaster

At Cincinnati Functional Fitness, HOB (Hands-on-Ball) Push-ups are one of our popular exercises, when it comes to functional upper-body pushing.

Stability balls do an excellent job at tackling balance and stability components for performance.  If you can’t stabilize your core, you can’t produce optimal force at your extremities.  Stability is the guiding system of force production.

By incorporating stability balls into a wrestler’s program, the athlete will develop a solid core, thereby reducing injury and increasing performance.  The wrestler will become more explosive, faster on takedowns and pick up their opponents with greater ease.

• Notice how CFF wrestler Patrick Kearney lowers chest to ball, then presses his arms to a lockout.

• Make sure to keep good alignment through the entire body.

• Keep hands oriented down.

• Perform three sets of 10-20 repetitions.

• By elevating the feet this increases the lever arm and will put more demands on the core and upper body.

(Scott Goodpaster, CSCS, is the Director of Cincinnati Functional Fitness, an MMA Certified Strength & Conditioning coach and nationally recognized in the field of strength & conditioning for wrestlers.)