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FITNESS UPDATES ON BOSU BALL
What is a BOSU ball and how can you use it?
The BOSU ball (BOSU is an abbreviation for “both sides up,” by the way) creates instability, which forces you to engage your core and use more muscle groups in order to keep your body in the right form and position. As a result, you can expect to improve your balance, and give your entire body an even bigger challenge.
“First of all, I must tell you that a BOSU ball is a great pick if you really want to work on your body. It looks like a stability ball cut in half. Yet, it’s such an incredible tool to help you build strength and adds the extra challenge of balance training. It essentially takes many of your favourite bodyweight and dumbbell strength moves, and dials them up a notch by adding an unstable surface,” says our fitness expert Mukul Nagpaul.
A BOSU ball workout is a great way to mix into your routine a few times a week to add intensity and variety while keeping your muscles guessing.
Nagpaul says, “Changing up your workouts is crucial for seeing results—you don’t want your body to get used to doing the same thing over and over. So incorporating the added BOSU challenge means even more muscle-popping perks!”
He recommends these 3 exciting exercises that you can do with a BOSU ball
BOSU ball plank
Mastering a high plank with a BOSU ball is a good place to start if you’re new to this strength training tool. It forces you to recruit more muscles to maintain stability on uneven ground. Aim to hold a plank for 30 seconds and build your way up from there, increasing the total amount of to one full minute.
Give your planks a boost with BOSU ball. BOSU Ball push-ups
Flipping the BOSU ball to stand on its rubbery side takes your push-ups to a whole new level. Remember, you want to keep your shoulders directly over your wrists, so if you find them moving away from your wrists to take less pressure off them, drop to your knees and do a modified push-up. The key here is to maintain proper form on an unstable surface.
How to do BOSU ball push-ups: Flip a BOSU ball and place your hands on the edges of the flat surface shoulder-width apart. Tighten your core and glutes to avoid rocking your body side to side. Lower your body toward the ball, and then lift yourself back up to the starting position. This is one rep.
BOSU ball oblique crunches
This exercise looks deceivingly easy, but holding the crunch at the top of the movement emphasises engaging those side ab muscles, aka your obliques. Form is key here, too. Be sure to keep your hips square and one leg stacked on top of the other.
How to do oblique crunches: Get into a side forearm plank position on your right arm. Rest your right hip on the ball and stack your left leg directly over your right, squaring your hips. Place your left hand behind your head, squeezing your left obliques, and lift your legs to perform a crunch. Pause for a moment at the top of the movement before bringing your legs back down. This is one rep.
