THE BOSU … WHAT IT IS AND HOW TO USE IT
Versatile tool is for much more than just balance training, writes Helen Vanderburg.
You may have seen it in magazines, at fitness stores or even at your gym — the half ball on a platform called a BOSU balance trainer. Without instruction it may look like the only thing you can do with it is stand on top and hope for the best.
But in fact, this fitness tool is super versatile and can be used for a wide range of participants and for diverse training methods, ages and skills. Learning how to use it effectively is key to getting the most out of this equipment.
At first glance, the most obvious use of the BOSU is for balance training. This is what most people do with it.
The word BOSU stands for “both sides utilized” meaning you can train on the dome, ball side, and the platform side.
The BOSU is a highly effective tool for training cardiovascular fitness, strength, conditioning, Pilates, core and stretching while integrating balance training.
The instability of the BOSU dome stimulates the nervous system to consistently correct for balance while training.
Balanced can be described as the ability to stabilize and maintain desired body positions against the forces of gravity. This could be the entire body as in a standing single leg balance or in a dynamic movement such as lunging. It is the ability of the joints, muscles and neurological system to keep use stable and to work harmoniously to create efficient and effective movement.
One of the most important performance skills, whether it be for activities of daily living or high-performance athletics, is balance. Balance training is not just for your grandparents; this foundational skill is essential at any age.
By using the BOSU to its fullest potential you will discover multiple ways to perform exercises to give you variety in training.
For example, a plank exercise can be done with the hands on the dome, which contributes to a higher activation of the stabilizing muscles of the shoulder girdle linking into the core. Or the feet can be placed on the dome with the hands on the floor, requiring the leg and pelvic stabilizers to work hard.
By performing the same two plank exercise options on the platform side of the BOSU, the shoulder, pelvic and core stabilizing muscles work in a completely different way to maintain equilibrium. Simply by using a variety of positions on the BOSU you can quadruple the benefits of one exercise.
During exercises performed on the BOSU, there is continuous feedback through the nervous system as the body corrects itself to maintain balance.
This integrated balance occurs whether standing, kneeling, seated or lying on the BOSU as your neuromuscular system is continually adjusting to the unstable surface of the dome.
Think of any exercise you do on the floor and take it to the balance trainer to get more activation and integration of the whole body.
The BOSU Balance Trainer is an effective training tool for cardiovascular fitness. Stepping on and off the BOSU requires a constant adjustment to the unstable surface, increasing the challenge and intensity of the exercise. The perceived level of exertion when performing cardiovascular exercises on the BOSU is frequently much higher than performing the exercise of the floor. This allows for a decrease in time spent for a similar result. Plyometric exercises such as box jumps can be done on the BOSU, creating a softer landing for the joints.
The BOSU allows for core conditioning and Pilates-based exercises to be performed in a wide variety of body positions.
When standing on the dome, the core muscles work to maintain balance. The constant adjustment of the subtle movement on this unstable surface fires the core muscle to stabilize against gravity. The dome shape provides for a larger surface area to support the body in a variety of positions whether prone, supine or side lying. As well, it enables a larger range of motion in many of the traditional core conditioning exercises, allowing for increased strength gains through a fuller range.
Take a side lying lateral flexion exercise as an example. When performed on the floor, the range of motion of this exercise is limited by the structure of the hip in relationship to the shoulders.
For many people, the discomfort on the side of the hip makes this exercise impossible to perform. However, by placing the body on the soft surface of the dome, the bottom hip is comfortably supported and the lateral range of motion is increased, permitting for a better training effect and more options in the exercise design.
Probably the most underutilized benefit of the BOSU balance trainer is for flexibility training. The BOSU can add comfort to stretches by supporting the body with a softer surface than when on the floor.
When the body is in discomfort, the muscles tense to protect against pain or injury. In supporting a body part on the dome, the body can relax more deeply into a stretch. For example, when performing a kneeling quadriceps stretch, the back knee against the hardness of the floor makes this exercise uncomfortable and difficult to perform. With the softer surface of the BOSU dome, the back knee is cushioned.
As well, the dome shape can provide a deeper stretch by changing the angle of the body in relation to the floor, as in a side lying lateral stretch.
By supporting the side of the body over the dome and reaching laterally, it creates a greater arch in the stretch while allowing the body to relax into a bigger range of motion.
No matter your training goals, the BOSU Balance Trainer can provide you with versatility and progression in your fitness program.
Next time you see it, try it out!