Cardio · Beginner
Chest Push from 3-Point Stance
This exercise combines a short walking burst with an explosive chest pass using a medicine ball. Starting in a low, athletic crouch, you take two steps and release the ball forward with full force. It trains your chest, shoulders, and core to work together in a coordinated, powerful movement — the kind of full-body effort that helps you react quickly and stay steady in everyday life.
Category
Cardio
Difficulty
Beginner
Equipment
Medicine Ball
MET
4.0
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
The movement
Form cues
- 01
Start in a low crouch with your knees bent, hips back, and back flat — not rounded.
- 02
Place one hand on the floor beside the ball to support yourself in the starting position.
- 03
As you rise and take your first step forward, scoop the ball up and pull it into your chest with both hands.
- 04
Keep the ball close to your chest — elbows tucked in, not flared wide.
- 05
On your second step, plant your foot firmly and shift your weight forward into the throw.
- 06
Push the ball straight out from your chest with both hands, extending your arms fully as you release.
- 07
Aim the throw at chest height toward a wall or partner — not upward or at the floor.
- 08
Breathe out sharply as you release the ball; don't hold your breath through the push.
Dosage
How long, how many
Sets
3
Reps
8-12
Rest
60 sec
Watch for
Common mistakes
Rounding the lower back in the starting stance — if your shoulders are higher than your hips, reset and sit your hips back lower.
Rushing the steps and skipping the weight shift — if the ball barely travels, you're using only your arms; let your whole body drive the throw.
Flaring the elbows wide when pulling the ball to your chest — this weakens the push and strains the shoulders; keep elbows pointing down and in.
Throwing upward instead of straight ahead — if the ball arcs high, lower your release point and aim at a spot on the wall at chest height.
Using a ball that's too heavy — if you can't fully extend your arms on release, switch to a lighter ball.
Scale it
Easier and harder variations
Easier
Skip the stance and steps entirely. Stand facing a wall, hold the ball at your chest, and do a two-handed chest push from a stationary position.
Use this if the crouching start position is uncomfortable for your knees or lower back, or if coordinating the steps and throw at the same time feels overwhelming at first.
Harder
Increase the weight of the medicine ball by one to two pounds, or add a third step before releasing to build more momentum into the throw.
Use this once the standard version feels controlled and easy across all sets.
Note
If you have knee or hip discomfort, stay upright throughout — walk two steps normally and push the ball from a standing position without any crouching.
Use this if squatting down into the starting stance causes pain or instability in your knees, hips, or lower back.
Sources
Form descriptions and cues are sourced from wger (CC-BY-SA 4.0) and the Free Exercise DB (public domain), edited for the 60+ audience. MET value cites Ainsworth BE, et al. 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities. Med Sci Sports Exerc 43(8):1575-1581.
- free-exercise-db · Unlicense / Public Domain
- claude