<![CDATA[Background Supplementary strength and power training may support shot put performance in university students. However, comparative evidence regarding medicine ball overhead throw and push-up training in university-based physical education settings remains limited. Objectives This study aimed to compare changes in shot put performance following medicine ball overhead throw and push-up training in university students. Methods A two-group pretest–posttest study was conducted involving 40 students at Universitas Tadulako, Indonesia, with 20 participants in each group. Shot put performance was assessed before and after the training programs using the best distance achieved across three attempts. Within-group changes were analyzed using paired-samples t-tests, while between-group differences were evaluated using independent-samples t-tests. Confidence intervals and standardized effect sizes were also considered. Results Mean shot put distance increased from 7.38 to 8.93 m in the medicine ball overhead throw group and from 8.23 to 9.67 m in the push-up group. Both groups demonstrated statistically significant pretest–posttest improvements (p < .001). However, the between-group difference in improvement was 0.10 m (95% CI [−0.14, 0.35]), which was not statistically significant (p = .401). Conclusion Both training programs were associated with improved shot put performance, with no statistically significant difference in improvement between groups. These findings suggest that medicine ball overhead throws and push-ups may be considered supplementary exercises in university shot put instruction. However, the absence of an untreated control group and insufficient information regarding participant allocation limit causal interpretation and do not establish the equivalence of the two training programs.]]>
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