Are you interested in learning how to include a Bosu ball into your training routine? We’ve got you covered!
Don’t worry if you’ve never seen a Bosu ball before; we’ll teach you all you need to know about them.
On one side of a Bosu ball, which appears like an exercise ball that has been sliced in half, is an inflated platform; on the other side is a flat platform. They are available at most gyms, sporting goods shops, and online.
Essentially, it is a balance trainer, since it provides the user with an unstable surface on which to conduct exercises that activate a wide range of muscles. With the use of the Bosu ball, you can make your exercise more hard, and it’s a terrific tool for keeping things interesting.
Another advantage of the Bosu ball is that it may be used in a variety of ways. We’ve put up a list of 11 exercises that you can perform on a Bosu ball to get your whole body moving. Let’s start the celebration with one.
1. Single-leg hold
When you first start using a Bosu ball, mastering your balance is the most crucial thing you can learn. When you are on an unstable surface, these single-leg holds challenge you to locate and maintain your centre of gravity.
Directions
- Place the Bosu so that the flat side is facing down.
- Placing one foot in the centre of the Bosu, step up onto it while maintaining balance with the other leg.
- Maintain your balance for 30 seconds, making sure that your other foot does not come into contact with the Bosu or the ground.
- Repeat the process on the opposite side.
2. Bird dog
When doing a bird dog on a Bosu ball, the motion becomes a bit more difficult.
Directions
- Place the Bosu so that the flat side is facing down.
- Get down on your hands and knees on the Bosu. With your knees slightly below the centre, your hands should be near the top of the position chart. Your toes will be lying on the surface of the water.
- Lift your right arm and left leg off the Bosu ball at the same time until they’re parallel to the ground. Repeat on the other side. Maintain a square alignment of your hips to the ball and a neutral neck.
- Lower your arm and leg all the way down to the ball, then raise the opposing arm and leg all the way up.
3. Bridge
With a bridge off of a Bosu, you may concentrate on your posterior chain.
Directions
- Place the Bosu so that the flat side is facing down.
- Lay on your back with your legs bent and your feet flat on the Bosu ball, as if you were sleeping.
- Lift your bottom off the ground, bracing your core and pushing through your feet, until your hips are completely extended, squeezing your glutes at the peak of the movement.
- Slowly descend your hips back to the ground to complete the movement.
4. Mountain climber
This workout, which will also work your core, will provide you with a good dose of cardio.
Directions
- Flatten the Bosu ball.
- Assume a high plank posture with your hands on each edge of the flat side of the Bosu, and your feet on the floor.
- While maintaining a straight back and bracing your core, proceed to push your knees one at a time toward your chest, keeping your back straight. As quickly as you can while keeping perfect form is the goal here!
5. Burpee
Burpees may be the workout that you despise the most, but they are well worth the effort. Incorporate a Bosu ball into the mix to make it more difficult.
Directions
- Flatten the Bosu ball.
- Assume a high plank posture with your hands on each side of the Bosu, with your arms extended.
- Jump your feet up toward the ball, and as soon as they touch the ground, hoist the Bosu ball up to your shoulders and above.
- When your arms are completely stretched, drop the Bosu down to the ground and leap your feet back into the high plank position to complete the exercise.
6. Lunge
Executing a forward lunge onto an unstable surface, such as a Bosu ball, will need a significant increase in stability and balance. Keep your pace modest to ensure that you keep proper form.
Directions
- Place the Bosu so that the flat side is facing down.
- Position yourself around two feet behind the Bosu, or at a comfortable distance from the Bosu that allows you to step forward onto the centre of the ball.
- As you step forward onto the Bosu, keep your chest up and put your foot in the centre of the platform, bringing your body into a lunge while trying hard to maintain your balance.
- As you stand up, take a step back to the starting point and repeat with the other leg.
7. V squat
This motion, which is a variant on the squat, will place the focus on your quadriceps. Take caution while mounting the Bosu ball, since it might be difficult to do so.
Directions
- Place the Bosu so that the flat side is facing down.
- Mount the Bosu ball by standing with your heels in the centre of the ball and your toes pointing away from you.
- Squat down and stretch your arms out in front of you to complete the movement.
- Return to the starting point by standing up.
8. Side-to-side squat
In one motion, you’ll get both strength and cardio by jumping up and over the Bosu ball on your feet.
Directions
- Place the Bosu so that the flat side is facing down.
- Begin by assuming a standing position with your right side towards the Bosu ball. Maintain your direction by stepping your right foot up into the centre of the ball with your left foot.
- Start by crouching, then, on the ascent, hop your left foot onto the ball and your right leg to opposite side of the ball, stooping down once again.
- As you get up, leap over the opposite side of the bridge.
9. Pushup
Pushups get more difficult when you use a Bosu, so don’t be scared to drop to your knees to finish the sets.
Directions
- Flatten the Bosu ball.
- Assume a high plank posture with your hands on each side of the Bosu, with your arms extended.
- Push yourself up, making sure that your elbows are at a 45-degree angle and that your back remains straight during the exercise.
10. Triceps dip
Triceps are a tiny muscle that is often overlooked when it comes to training routines. Bosu dips, on the other hand, will work the backs of your arms and shoulders. The greater the distance between your feet and the ball, the more difficult this exercise will be.
Directions
- Place the Bosu so that the flat side is facing down.
- Place your hands on the ball, shoulder-width apart, in front of you as you sit down. Your fingers should be pointing downward toward your bottom. Bend your knees and lift your lower body off the ground with your hands.
- Continue to keep your elbows tucked in while bending your arms and lowering your body to the ground.
- When your bottom contacts the ground, push up through your hands to return to the starting position, feeling your triceps engage.
11. Seated oblique twist
Beginners should be cautious while attempting this manoeuvre. To maintain proper form, make sure that your core muscles are fully engaged – imagine your ab muscles wrapping securely around your torso and out to the front of your body.
Directions
- Place the Bosu so that the flat side is facing down.
- Assume a V posture on the Bosu with your legs elevated and your arms stretched out in front of you while sitting on the Bosu.
- After you’ve gotten yourself balanced, begin rotating your arms from side to side, twisting your core as you do so. If this is too tough, you may drop one leg while twisting instead.
The main thing to remember
Combine and match five of these exercises for a Bosu ball workout that is guaranteed to be a test for your endurance. As a general rule, aim for three sets of 12 repetitions for each exercise, and do the programme once a week to keep your strength regimen fresh.