Lacrosse Training: Stability Ball Push Ups (Video)

-August 22nd, 2012-

The Stability Ball Push Up is a great exercise that I find myself prescribing much more lately for my athletes.

I got away from it for awhile but have since returned to using it more frequently and am wondering why I ever stopped.

I may make it look easy in the video below but it is actually a very challenging exercise and is great for helping keep your shoulders healthy and you injury free.

It works a lot of your stabilizing muscles in your upper body, specifically your shoulders and core, as well as improving your Pushing strength.

How you can include it in your lacrosse training program depends on your current level of fitness.

For high school aged athletes I find it is a very challenging strength exercise (and of course I don’t prescribe it for anyone who can’t do 15 perfect regular push ups! Progressions are key).

For older/stronger athletes I would include it as part of a warm up to activate the stabilizers and prepare them for the heavier lifts to follow.

However even for the strongest athlete it can be included in a Strength circuit and made much more difficult by the exercises that precede it.

Here’s a sample: 8 Chin Ups, 12 Curl to Presses, 12 Pullover Extensions, 12 Stability Ball Push Ups.

Use that circuit at the end of an Upper Body training day and you will see just how strong you have to be to get 12 Stability ball Push Ups in (and just how swole you are after doing 2-3 rounds of that circuit!!).

Tags: core training, injury prevention, lacrosse training, muscle activation, Stability Ball Push Ups, Strength Training