What You Can Do With a BOSU Ball

Anything from cardio to strength training

Whether you’re wondering about strength or balance training, weight loss or improved flexibility, the answer is you can do almost anything with a BOSU ball - depending on how it’s used.

No matter what your fitness level or background, as long as you can stand on two feet there will be BOSU ball moves you can do that will help you reach your personal goals, be they strengthening weak ankles or losing a few inches. Good balance is the key to avoiding injuries as we age, but it can also be beneficial for athletes and fitness enthusiasts who want to increase their skills and competitiveness.

The best thing about the BOSU ball, aside from the fact it helps build core muscles, has to be squats. BOSUs make these metabolism-boosting moves easier and harder at the same time and provide a number of new ways to target your legs and butt.

Whatever moves you choose to perform, it’s a good idea to invest in a manual or video that’ll show you the right technique and introduce you to exercises you won’t likely discover on your own.

Suitable for:

People of all ages and fitness levels. Just standing on a BOSU or dome ball works stabilizing muscles as the body adapts to an uneven surface. Lift a leg to the side or back and you’ve entered a whole new level of difficulty. When one move is mastered or becomes less challenging there will always be another variation to move on to.

Flip the BOSU over and it’s great for doing push-ups, planks and other strength training moves. Even cardio can be done on a BOSU ball if you use it in place of a step.

• Ab and core workouts
• Cardio
• Strength training
• Balance training
• Increasing flexibility
• Pilates (A number of Pilates videos focus on performing moves with a BOSU)
• Athletics training - (There are a number of sport-specific BOSU workout videos - everything from basketball and football to golf and skiing).
  

Common user mistakes

Dome balls can rest on a platform instead of rolling around like a stability ball, but they still take some time and practice getting used to. Even experts aren’t immune to wiping out when they get overconfident and think they’ve mastered the BOSU.