The BOSU Balance Trainer is a great tool to add to your workouts for balance, stability, strength, and power. It challenges the stabilizing muscles of your ankle, knee, and hip.
*BOSU Rules:
- The more air you have in the BOSU, the more stable (easier) it will be.
- Always perform exercises on the floor first. Once you are successful, then try the same exercises on the BOSU.
- Make sure your shoes are tied tight. You don’t want your foot sliding around in your shoe while you are trying to balance.
- Abdominals pulled in.
- Shoulders retracted and depressed.
- Keep your knees soft.
- Keep your feet, knees, and hips as still as possible (though they will move).
- Find a focal point out in front of you and fix your eyes on that spot (it will help you to balance).
New to BOSU?
- Center your foot on top and perform Walk Overs (walk over the top). Lead with one leg for a few reps, then try the opposite leg for a few reps until you are acclimated.
- The next step is to Stand on top of the BOSU with both feet on top. Your feet will continue to move, but keep them as still as possible. Many people push their toes down to help them stabilize, see if you can keep your feet in a more neutral position.
- Now do Visual Tracking (example below). As you are standing on the BOSU with both feet, focus just on your right hand. Take your time and follow your right hand with your eyes as you take your hand behind you, up overhead, down low, and across your body. Do the same thing with the left. Note: Your feet and legs will move a lot to keep you balanced on the BOSU. You may need to lower your center of gravity a little, by bending your knees more until you get use to it. Try this exercise on the floor first, by balancing on one leg as you perform your visual tracking.
Once you are successful with those 3 exercises above, then you can try one leg balance. Center your left foot in the middle of the BOSU. As you shift your weight onto the BOSU, dig your right foot into the side of the BOSU for added stability (first picture below). Then try lifting the right foot and stay as balanced as you can (with left foot as flat as possible).
You can increase the difficulty by slowly moving your foot forward, side, back (second picture below), or across your body in front or behind.
You can also move your hands in front of you, behind you, overhead, across your body, etc. It’s really challenging – and fun!
This is part 1 of a 3 part series. Have a great weekend and I’ll show Part 2 of your BOSU training challenge on Monday!
*See your doctor before starting any new exercise program.
Joy, Fitness, & Style 
Look at you go! The Bosu is awesome to use in a workout. Sure I’ve fallen off dozens of time but that helps me get ready for my crazy races! Any videos coming of you exercising on the Bosu?
doug
I could probably get a quick vid in there too. Hope you are well, you sound busy!
I’m glad you shared this. There’s a bosu in my new gym and I always just hop on it hoping exercise ideas come to me! Now I know 😀
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Your single foot balance pics gave me the best training idea ever!! Your position reminds me of a simple inline skating pushoff move. And the top main pic makes you look like a softball pitcher (kind of….).
With the endless exercises anyone could do to improve ballance incorporating their BOSU with basic floor moves to improve their performance in their leisure or weekend warrior activities. I’m glad I invested in my own BOSU.
With Spring hitting us in the face, what better activity (besides running) to get the body moving outside in this great weather? Yup, inline skating. Or is that too ’80s ’90s for y’all?
Well, it’s time to punish my legs now. I see some single leg squats, lunges and whatever else I can think of. But first I must visit training parts 2 and 3!
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