10 Best Medicine Ball Close Grip Push Up Alternatives for Home Gyms
If you can’t perform Medicine Ball Close Grip Push Ups, use close-grip barbell bench presses, diamond push-ups, bench dips, weighted triceps extensions, or decline close-grip push-ups. Keep elbows tucked, scapula depressed, and core braced to maximize triceps loading while preserving the horizontal press mechanics.
Original Exercise: Medicine Ball Close Grip Push Up
How to Perform Medicine Ball Close Grip Push Up
- Start in a high plank position with your hands on the medicine ball, shoulder-width apart.
- Lower your body towards the ground by bending your elbows, keeping them close to your sides.
- Push back up to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Best Medicine Ball Close Grip Push Up Alternatives
1. Close-Grip Push-Up Off Of A Dumbbell
97.3% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie on the floor and place your hands on an upright dumbbell. Supporting your weight on your toes and hands, keep your torso rigid and your elbows in with your arms straight. This will be your starting position.
- Lower your body, allowing the elbows to flex while you inhale. Keep your body straight, not allowing your hips to rise or sag.
- Press yourself back up to the starting position by extending the elbows. Breathe out as you perform this step.
- After a pause at the contracted position, repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
2. Body-up
92.6% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Start by placing your hands on a raised surface, such as a bench or parallel bars, with your palms facing down and fingers pointing forward.
- Extend your legs out in front of you, keeping your heels on the ground and your body straight.
- Lower your body by bending your elbows, keeping them close to your sides, until your upper arms are parallel to the ground.
- Pause for a moment, then push through your palms to straighten your arms and lift your body back up to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
3. Close-grip Push-up
92.3% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Start in a high plank position with your hands placed close together, directly under your shoulders.
- Engage your core and lower your body towards the ground, keeping your elbows close to your sides.
- Push through your palms to extend your arms and return to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
4. Close-grip Push-up (on Knees)
91% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Start by getting on your hands and knees, with your hands shoulder-width apart and your knees hip-width apart.
- Lower your upper body towards the ground by bending your elbows, keeping them close to your sides.
- Pause for a moment when your chest is just above the ground.
- Push through your palms to straighten your arms and return to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
5. Diamond Push-up
88.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Start in a high plank position with your hands close together, forming a diamond shape with your thumbs and index fingers.
- Keep your body in a straight line from head to toe, engaging your core and glutes.
- Lower your chest towards the diamond shape formed by your hands, keeping your elbows close to your body.
- Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push yourself back up to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
6. Exercise Ball Dip
87.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on the stability ball with your feet flat on the ground and your knees bent at a 90-degree angle.
- Place your hands on the ball beside your hips, fingers pointing forward.
- Engage your triceps and push through your hands to lift your body off the ball, straightening your arms.
- Lower your body back down by bending your elbows, keeping them close to your sides.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
7. Band Close-grip Push-up
86.6% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Place a band around your upper arms, just above the elbows.
- Assume a push-up position with your hands directly under your shoulders and your body in a straight line from head to heels.
- Bend your elbows and lower your chest towards the ground, keeping your elbows close to your sides.
- Push through your palms to extend your arms and return to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
8. Body Tricep Press
86.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Position a bar in a rack at chest height.
- Standing, take a shoulder width grip on the bar and step a yard or two back, feet together and arms extended so that you are leaning on the bar. This will be your starting position.
- Begin by flexing the elbow, lowering yourself towards the bar.
- Pause, and then reverse the motion by extending the elbows.
- Progress from bodyweight by adding chains over your shoulders.
9. Bench Dip (knees Bent)
85.3% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on the edge of a bench or chair with your hands gripping the edge next to your hips.
- Slide your butt off the bench and straighten your legs in front of you, keeping your heels on the ground.
- Bend your elbows and lower your body towards the ground, keeping your back close to the bench.
- Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push yourself back up to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
10. Bench Dip On Floor
84.8% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on the edge of a bench or chair with your hands gripping the edge, fingers pointing forward.
- Slide your butt off the bench, supporting your weight with your hands.
- Lower your body by bending your elbows until your upper arms are parallel to the floor.
- Push yourself back up to the starting position by straightening your arms.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Why You Might Need a Medicine Ball Close Grip Push Up Alternative
You may need substitutes for wrist pain on an unstable ball, lack of a medicine ball, or to vary stimulus for growth. Some lifters swap the move when shoulder impingement or elbow irritation flares; alternatives let you maintain elbow-extension emphasis while reducing joint shear. Choose exercises that preserve a narrow hand position and horizontal pressing line to target the triceps. Cue: keep elbows close to your torso and drive through the palm to shift load onto the triceps and limit clavicular pec recruitment. Proper alternatives maintain similar scapulothoracic control and triceps activation via elbow extension.
How to Choose the Right Substitute
Match the substitute to your goal and constraints: pick close-grip bench presses or weighted dips to increase load for hypertrophy; use diamond push-ups or bench dips for bodyweight progressions. Prioritize exercises that keep the elbows under or near the hands to bias triceps over chest. If you have wrist or shoulder pain, choose dumbbell or machine variations that allow neutral grip and controlled scapular movement. Cue: maintain a braced core and full elbow extension on each rep to ensure consistent triceps activation and safe biomechanics.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does Medicine Ball Close Grip Push Up work?
The exercise primarily targets the triceps via elbow extension. It also recruits the sternal pecs and anterior deltoids for horizontal press power, plus serratus anterior and core muscles for scapular control and body stability.
What is the best bodyweight alternative to Medicine Ball Close Grip Push Up?
Diamond push-ups are the top bodyweight substitute because they keep the hands narrow to bias triceps. Set your hands under your sternum in a diamond shape, tuck the elbows close, and lower with control to maximize triceps activation.
Can I build muscle without doing Medicine Ball Close Grip Push Up?
Yes. You can build triceps and pressing strength with progressive overload using close-grip bench press, weighted dips, or triceps extensions. Focus on increasing load or reps and maintain full elbow extension and controlled tempo to stimulate hypertrophy.
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