Stability ball push ups create a neuromuscular challenge in your brain to determine where to send the signals first. Does it send the signal to stabilize your body first or send the signals to the muscles that actually do the work? As your brain tries to figure this out, your body shakes which means it is moving between stabilization and motion.
Why does the brain have a hard time with this? It really doesn’t. The brain’s challenge is how to use the weak stabilizer muscles effectively during the motion so that your motion doesn’t harm you.
The solution to stabilization is not in motion, but in stillness. Can you bring your body to a stable and still point before you do stability ball push ups? If not, that is where your focus should be.
By practicing and reaching this still point and stabilizing within it, you establish a neuromuscular pattern to include stability in motions and you develop the strength in stabilizer muscles.
Muscles Engaged in Stability Ball Push ups
The usual muscles that are engaged in your regular push ups, your chest, triceps and shoulders. Also your core and your scapula stabilizers kick into overdrive.
Steps in Stability Ball Push Ups
Kneel on a stable surface with your feet about shoulder width apart. Choose a surface that is not hurting your knees. Thick carpet is great. Slippery mats aren’t so great for the obvious reason that they could slip under you as you are trying to stabilize your body.
Place both hands on a stability ball and lift your knees up. Focus on reaching a high plank position and holding it for around 30 seconds before you begin your push ups. As you build your stability to this 30 second perfectly still high plank position, you are building both your neuromuscular pathways and your stabilizer muscles.
After you reach a 30 second stable hold on stability ball, begin lowering your body to one-quarter push up and then half and then full push up.
The next stage is to narrow your base of support which we’ll discuss in another lesson.
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