10 Best Exercise Ball Pike Push Up Alternatives for Home Gyms

Ranked Exercise Ball Pike Push Up Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Exercise Ball Pike Push Up on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Open "How to perform this exercise" on a card for the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page.

1. 

   1. Handstand Push-ups

   82% match

   • Delts
   • Bodyweight
   • Advanced
   • Compound

   A looser match: it works the delts rather than the pectorals.

   How to perform this exercise

   1. With your back to the wall bend at the waist and place both hands on the floor at shoulder width.
   2. Kick yourself up against the wall with your arms straight. Your body should be upside down with the arms and legs fully extended. Keep your whole body as straight as possible. Tip: If doing this for the first time, have a spotter help you. Also, make sure that you keep facing the wall with your head, rather than looking down.
   3. Slowly lower yourself to the ground as you inhale until your head almost touches the floor. Tip: It is of utmost importance that you come down slow in order to avoid head injury.
   4. Push yourself back up slowly as you exhale until your elbows are nearly locked.
   5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: delts, not pectorals
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Exercise Ball Pike Push Up
   • Body position: inverted, the same as the Exercise Ball Pike Push Up
   • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Exercise Ball Pike Push Up
2. Play demonstration

   2. Handstand Push-up

   79% match

   • Delts
   • Bodyweight
   • Advanced
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Find a wall and face away from it, standing a few feet away.
   2. Place your hands on the ground shoulder-width apart and kick your feet up against the wall, coming into a handstand position.
   3. Bend your elbows and lower your head towards the ground, keeping your body in a straight line.
   4. Push through your hands and extend your arms to return to the starting position.
   5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: delts, not pectorals
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Exercise Ball Pike Push Up
   • Body position: inverted, the same as the Exercise Ball Pike Push Up
3. Play demonstration

   3. Handstand

   76% match

   • Triceps
   • Bodyweight
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   A looser match: it works the triceps rather than the pectorals.

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Find an open space with enough room to perform a handstand.
   2. Place your hands on the ground shoulder-width apart, fingers pointing forward.
   3. Kick your legs up towards the wall, using your core and shoulders to maintain balance.
   4. Once in a handstand position, engage your triceps to support your body weight.
   5. Hold the handstand for as long as you can maintain balance.
   6. To come down, slowly lower your legs back to the ground.
   7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: Hold for 20 to 30 seconds, 3 sets.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: triceps, not pectorals
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Exercise Ball Pike Push Up
   • Body position: inverted, the same as the Exercise Ball Pike Push Up
4. Best match

   Play demonstration

   4. Drop Push Up

   70% match

   • Pectorals
   • Bodyweight
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   Use this when you have nothing to train with, because it works the pectorals with bodyweight alone.

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Start in a high plank position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
   2. Lower your chest towards the ground, keeping your elbows close to your body.
   3. Once your chest is just above the ground, quickly drop your knees to the ground.
   4. Push yourself back up to the starting position by extending your arms.
   5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Exercise Ball Pike Push Up
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Exercise Ball Pike Push Up
   • Body position: lying face down, not inverted
5. Play demonstration

   5. Pike-to-cobra Push-up

   70% match

   • Pectorals
   • Bodyweight
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Start in a push-up position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and your feet together.
   2. Engage your core and lift your hips up towards the ceiling, forming an inverted V shape with your body.
   3. Lower your upper body towards the ground by bending your elbows, keeping them close to your body.
   4. As you lower down, shift your weight forward and transition into a cobra pose by straightening your arms and lifting your chest up.
   5. Reverse the movement by bending your elbows and lowering your chest back down towards the ground.
   6. Push through your hands to return to the inverted V position.
   7. Continue the movement by lowering your hips back down towards the ground, returning to the starting push-up position.
   8. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Exercise Ball Pike Push Up
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Exercise Ball Pike Push Up
   • Body position: lying face down, not inverted
   • Balance: easier to stay steady on than the Exercise Ball Pike Push Up
6. Play demonstration

   6. Chest Dip On Straight Bar

   70% match

   • Pectorals
   • Bodyweight
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Grab the parallel bars with your palms facing down and your arms fully extended.
   2. Bend your knees and cross your ankles.
   3. Lower your body by bending your arms until your shoulders are below your elbows.
   4. Push yourself back up to the starting position by straightening your arms.
   5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Exercise Ball Pike Push Up
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Exercise Ball Pike Push Up
   • Body position: hanging, not inverted
   • Balance: easier to stay steady on than the Exercise Ball Pike Push Up
7. Play demonstration

   7. Push And Pull Bodyweight

   70% match

   • Pectorals
   • Bodyweight
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Start in a push-up position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and your body in a straight line.
   2. Lower your chest towards the ground by bending your elbows, keeping your body straight.
   3. Push through your palms to extend your arms and return to the starting position.
   4. From the push-up position, pull your chest towards the ground by bending your elbows, keeping your body straight.
   5. Push through your palms to extend your arms and return to the starting position.
   6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Exercise Ball Pike Push Up
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Exercise Ball Pike Push Up
   • Body position: lying face down, not inverted
   • Balance: easier to stay steady on than the Exercise Ball Pike Push Up
8. Play demonstration

   8. Push-up Plus

   70% match

   • Pectorals
   • Bodyweight
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Start in a high plank position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and your body in a straight line from head to heels.
   2. Lower your body towards the ground by bending your elbows, keeping them close to your sides.
   3. Once your chest is just above the ground, push through your hands to extend your arms and lift your upper body up.
   4. At the top of the movement, protract your shoulder blades by pushing your upper back towards the ceiling.
   5. Pause for a moment, then reverse the movement by retracting your shoulder blades and lowering your body back down to the starting position.
   6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Exercise Ball Pike Push Up
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Exercise Ball Pike Push Up
   • Body position: lying face down, not inverted
9. Play demonstration

   9. Modified Hindu Push-up

   69% match

   • Pectorals
   • Bodyweight
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Start in a push-up position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and your feet hip-width apart.
   2. Lower your body towards the ground, bending your elbows and keeping your core engaged.
   3. As you lower your body, shift your weight back and lift your hips up towards the ceiling, creating an inverted V shape with your body.
   4. Continue to lower your body until your chest is just above the ground, then reverse the movement, pushing your hips back down and extending your arms to return to the starting position.
   5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Exercise Ball Pike Push Up
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Exercise Ball Pike Push Up
   • Body position: standing, not inverted
   • Balance: easier to stay steady on than the Exercise Ball Pike Push Up
10. 

    10. Push-ups With Feet Elevated

    69% match

    • Pectorals
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Compound

    How to perform this exercise

    1. Lie on the floor face down and place your hands about 36 inches apart from each other holding your torso up at arms length.
    2. Place your toes on top of a flat bench. This will allow your body to be elevated. Note: The higher the elevation of the flat bench, the higher the resistance of the exercise is.
    3. Lower yourself until your chest almost touches the floor as you inhale.
    4. Using your pectoral muscles, press your upper body back up to the starting position and squeeze your chest. Breathe out as you perform this step.
    5. After a second pause at the contracted position, repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches

    • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Exercise Ball Pike Push Up
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Exercise Ball Pike Push Up
    • Body position: lying face down, not inverted