Push-ups are one of the best exercises out there. The reason pushups are one of the best exercises is the myriad variations of the exercise available. One such variation of the classic pushup is the soccer ball pushup. Some people advocate using a medicine ball, but I think more people have a soccer ball in the house than a medicine ball. Either way, use a ball (even a basketball) that you keep around the house. Place both hands on the ball and keep your feet together. Perform push-ups as you would in classic mode. You will notice that your core must really engage in order to maintain balance. This works a good part of your body with a single exercise.

You can also vary the difficulty of the exercise depending on the distance between the feet and the position. Wide-spread feet create a more stable base, making it easier to exercise. The feet together destabilize the base and more muscles are involved to maintain balance. Once you’ve mastered your feet together, lift one foot off the ground to make it even more difficult.

You could even change the way you place your hands. Start with your thumbs inward, fingers forward. You can also try thumbs back and fingers in. These variations will target your chest and shoulders differently.

Another variation is to have one hand on the ground and the other on the ball. Do two reps and then switch hands while on the floor. Combine these various positions to get many different combinations. Use your imagination and create some new variations on your own. You will soon come up with your own soccer ball push-up exercise. Hope this helps you reach your fitness goals!