What Is A BOSU Ball And How Does It Work?
BOSU (stands for BOth Sides Utilized) is a gym tool for improved mobility and building strength and stability. It is an optimal bodyweight training equipment. The ball has a flat surface and a hemisphere. The hemisphere is half-filled with air, which provides enough instability that prompts the recruitment of all the core muscles, helping improve your abdominal strength. And the flat surface provides stability to do the exercises with maximum precision. You can use both the flat surface and the hemisphere to strengthen the core and for improved balance. This engagement of your muscles can give you improved overall body awareness and enhance neuromuscular coordination. Use it to do whole body exercises or just target specific problem areas. In fact, anyone can use it – beginners or pros. So, gear up and do some fun and effective exercises with the BOSU ball.
16 BOSU Ball Exercises To Rev Up Your Workout Routine
These 16 best BOSU ball exercises are going to change the way you look at exercise. But before you start exercising, you must warm up for at least 10 minutes for injury prevention. Here’s how you can have an effective warm-up.
Warm-up
Neck tilt – 1 set of 10 reps Neck rotations – 1 set of 10 reps Shoulder rotations – 1 set of 10 reps Arm rotations – 1 set of 10 reps Wrist rotations – 1 set of 10 reps Waist rotations – 1 set of 10 reps Side lunges – 1 set of 10 reps Spot jogging – 2 mins Jumping jacks – 1 set of 20 reps Calf stretch – 1 set of 2 reps Ankle rotation – 1 set 10 reps March on the BOSU ball – 1 set of 25 reps (hold the back of a chair for balance)
John Ginex, a personal trainer and blogger, shares how he adds a bosu ball in his workout. He used the BOSU ball to perform exercises that improved his balance, like shoulder scaption exercises and internal and external rotations. However, he adds, “I remained careful not to over train, especially as I felt better and wanted to do more. I followed a periodization schedule, which is a weekly increase in intensity and decrease in volume. I kept the workouts fairly short, no more than an hour (i).” Your muscles are prepped for the exercise now. Let’s get started!
BOSU Ball Lower Body Exercises
If you tend to accumulate fat on your lower body, these BOSU ball lower body exercises will help you. It can also be a useful tool for improving flexibility, particularly of the lower body.
1. Hip Raise
Target – Glutes, lower back, hamstrings, abs, and quads. Difficulty Level – Beginner Sets And Reps – 2 sets of 15 reps To take this exercise to the advanced level, do the BOSU ball hip raises with one raised leg. Keep the knee of the raised leg slightly bent, push your hips up toward the ceiling, and lower the glutes. Do it with both legs raised.
2. Squat
Target – Glutes, quads, hamstrings, and lower back. Difficulty Level – Intermediate Sets And Reps – 2 sets of 12 reps
3. Jump Squats
Target – Glutes, quads, hamstrings, and lower back. Difficulty Level – Intermediate Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 15 reps
4. Lunge
Target – Quads, hamstrings, calves, and glutes. Difficulty Level – Beginner Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 12 reps These are similar to side lunges and BOSU ball lunges. Stand beside the BOSU ball and put your right foot on the dome. Make sure your feet are at least 2-3 feet apart. Now, lunge to the right, get up, and lift your right leg off the BOSU ball dome and place it close to your left leg. Again, place your right leg on the dome and lunge.
5. Hip Flexor Stretch
Target – Hip flexors, hamstrings, adductors, and glutes. Difficulty Level – Beginner Sets And Reps – 1 set of 2 reps
6. Lateral Toe Taps
Target – Glutes, quads, and calves Difficulty Level – Beginner to intermediate How To Do Sets And Reps – 3 to 4 sets of 15 to 20 reps on each leg, gradually increasing the intensity as your strength and balance improve. These exercises will help you tone your lower body. Now, let’s talk about one of the most problematic areas – the core.
BOSU Ball Core Exercises
BOSU ball core strengthening and toning exercises help you get rid of the tummy pooch, love handles, and back fat and tone your shoulders, chest, and abs. Let’s get toning!
7. Crunch
Target – Upper abs, lower abs, and back. Difficulty Level – Beginner Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 15 reps These are BOSU ball exercises for your core. Now, here are some upper body exercises that you must do for fat-burning and toning the upper body.
8. Crunch Oblique
Target – Obliques, upper back, and abs. Difficulty Level – Intermediate Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 12 reps
9. Full Plank
Target – Abs, back, glutes, and shoulders. Difficulty Level – Intermediate Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 30-60 seconds hold
10. Forearm Plank
Target – Abs, back, glutes, and shoulders. Difficulty Level – Beginner Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 30-60 seconds hold
11. Side Plank
Target – Abs, glutes, shoulders, and upper back. Difficulty Level – Beginner Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 30 seconds hold
12. Sit-Ups
Target – Upper abs, lower abs, and back. Difficulty Level – Beginner Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 12 reps These were BOSU ball exercises for your core. Now, let us talk about losing fat and toning up the upper body. Here are the exercises that you must do.
Upper Body
13. Tricep Dips
Target – Triceps, shoulders, and biceps. Difficulty Level – Intermediate-Advanced Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 12 reps
14. Chest Press
Target – Pectorals, lats, and shoulders. Difficulty Level – Intermediate Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 12 reps
15. Push-ups
Target – Pectorals, deltoids, biceps, triceps, and core. Difficulty Level – Advanced Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 12 reps
16. One Arm Push-up
Target – Biceps, triceps, pectorals, lats, and deltoids. Difficulty Level – Advanced Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 12 reps BOSU ball exercises are super engaging and beneficial. However, there are some safety tips to keep in mind when performing them. Learn about them in the next section.
Safety Tips For BOSU Ball Exercises
Here are some safety tips for BOSU ball exercises:
Always start with a warm-up and finish with a cool-down routine to prevent injuries. Always wear slip-resistant footwear to avoid slipping. Also, avoid using the ball on uneven or slippery surfaces to prevent unwanted accidents. Start slow if you are a beginner. Ask your friend or trainer to assist you if you are unsure of your balance. Focus on maintaining good posture and form during exercises. Keep your core engaged and avoid leaning too far forward or backward. This will help you stay balanced and prevent injuries.
What is the meaning of BOSU? It helps strengthen the core and reduce fat in the lower body by targeting the glutes, hamstrings, quads, abs, upper and lower back, calves, hip flexors, adductors, and obliques. These core-strengthening exercises even aid in toning the rest of the body by targeting the lats, triceps, biceps, shoulders, pectorals, and deltoids. Using a BOSU ball can be helpful for posture improvement as well. Moreover, you don’t need to go to a gym to do these exercises. All you need to do is buy a BOSU ball. You may be able to witness visible results within three weeks. More importantly, remember to do warm-up exercises before doing BOSU ball exercises to avoid injuring yourself. BOSU means both sides utilized, meaning you can use both the dome side and the flat surface to do various types of stability ball exercises. How many pounds is a BOSU ball? BOSU ball weights can range from 4 lbs to 350 lbs. Which BOSU model should I buy? Buy a retail or pro model depending on how much you are going to use it. Talk to your trainer to know the best option. How can a BOSU ball improve my core training exercises? BOSU ball adds instability to your core training. This instability helps recruit small muscle fibers of the core and makes the exercise more effective. How to use a BOSU ball to maintain my body balance? The BOSU ball is an excellent tool for balance training. Practice standing up on the dome of the BOSU ball and doing small jogging motions to start building balance. You can take help of your trainer, a wall, or a chair and stand on the flat surface. The more you practice, the better you will get at maintaining your body balance. What muscles does the Bosu ball work? Bosu ball helps strengthen the core and reduce fat in the lower body by targeting the glutes, quads, and hamstrings. Is a Bosu ball good for ankles? Yes, the BOSU ball helps strengthen ankles and improve joint stability as it strengthens the tendons and ligaments around the ankle joint. Which side of the Bosu ball is harder? The flat side of the Bosu ball is harder, while the curvy side of the ball is usually used to perform the exercise. Check out this video for 10 amazing beginner exercises using a BOSU ball. Learn how to get fit and stay healthy with these easy-to-follow exercises.
