How To: Do alternate lockout push ups on dumbbells

Learn how to do alternate lockout push ups on dumbbells or a medicine ball. Presented by Real Jock Gay Fitness Health & Life.

Starting Position
Place two flat-sided dumbbells or medicine balls on the floor. Use a heavy weight so that they will be steady and still throughout the entire exercise. For dumbbells, use 40-pound weights minimum and position them so that they are standing on one end. Position yourself on the floor in a prone position (face down) with your legs in a wide-legged stance and extended behind you and your arms slightly more than shoulder-width apart, with your hands palming the top of the dumbbells or medicine balls. Your arms should be straight but without locked elbows. If you're finding it too hard to balance, widen your leg stance further. Keep your hips, abs, and core engaged and your spine neutral with no arch. The dumbbells are easier than the medicine balls, so start with dumbbells and eventually work your way up to the medicine balls pictured here.

Exercise
1. From the starting position, slowly bend your arms and descend toward the floor. Keep your neck in line with your spine throughout the movement; do not jut your chin out towards the floor at the bottom of the movement. Stop when your elbows are at a 90-degree angle.
2. Reverse position and push back up to the starting position. Do not lock your elbows at the top of the movement.
3. When you are back in plank position, contract your abs as you slowly and deliberately raise your right arm up so that it is parallel to your side, keeping your elbow straight.
4. Lower the right arm back to the dumbbell or medicine ball and immediately go down into your next push-up.
5. At the top of your next push-up, contract your abs as you slowly and deliberately raise your left arm up so that it is parallel to your side, keeping your elbow straight.
6. Do as many push-ups as you can, alternating arms for the lockout at the top.