BOSU-ing around

Are you bored of your regular gym routine and still not getting those toned abs? Well, then it’s time to introduce this fun equipment called BOSU to make your workouts more exciting and challenging. Bosu is a balance trainer consisting of an inflated rubber hemisphere attached to a rigid platform.  The name is an acronym for “Both Sides Up”. Hence the Bosu can be used both ways, the rubber hemisphere facing up or the base facing up, for a wide variety of workouts like planks, crunches and squats, just to name a few. Bosu ball exercises can help gaining balance, endurance, strength and stability. The user has to constantly find his centre of gravity in order to keep his balance and avoid falling off the ball. In the process, muscles of the lower as well upper body are continuously at work. It also improves proprioception, which refers to the body’s response to external forces. Bosu thus proves to be a very versatile tool for static and dynamic balance, as well as postural stability. 

Planks activate your abdominal more than exercises like crunches that involve flexing. These planks when done on the unsteady surface of Bosu, the same group of muscles are challenged to the next level. Each exercise done with the ball engages the deeper stabilising muscles throughout your body helping to keep your spine in proper alignment, thus building tight and strong abdominal and a better posture.  The Bosu ball can also be used effectively in increasing stability and mobility in older adults. So go ahead and try these exercises for a fun new way to challenge your core!  

A. BOSU Dome side down  

1. Squats
Stand on the platform side and start bending your knees to come into a squat while keeping yourself balanced. Remember to keep your knees in line with your ankles.

2. Planks
Keep your hands on platform, shoulder-width apart and lift yourself in a plank. Keeping your head, hips and heels in a straight line, draw your abs in. To add a variation to this you can lift your legs up alternately. 

 

3. Single leg hip bridge
Keeping right foot on the platform side of the Bosu, lift the left leg up and hold. Next, lift your hips off the ground. Maintaining a firm left leg up, slowly bring the hip back to the floor and up again. Once you are done, change side.   

Single leg hip bridge

B. Platform side down  

1. BOSU side plank
Lying sideways, keep your elbow on the Bosu and lift yourself in a side plank. Make sure your shoulders are stacked on top of each other and your back is scale straight. Keeping your feet stacked, engage your core by pulling your naval towards the spine. To challenge the core further, you can dip your hip towards the floor and lift it back to starting position. 

BOSU side plank

2. Bird dog
Keep both your knees and hands on the ball. Lifting your left arm and right leg up, slowly straighten your knee till your leg is parallel to the ground. Next, bend your knee slowly drawing it towards your chest. Simultaneously pull your elbow to the knee. Once you finish desired number of repetitions, change side.   

Bird dog

3. V-ups
Sit on the centre of the hemisphere with your arms at your sides and feet on the floor. Lift your feet from the floor until your body forms a tight “V” with your knees bent. Keeping your abs tight, carefully straighten your legs. Straighten up your arms so that your hands reach past your hips during this movement. Next, lean backward as much as you can, keeping your balance. Reverse the movement and pull yourself back to the “V” as you draw your legs up again 

Target Muscle groups
Rectus Abdominus, Obliques, Gluteus, Hamstrings, Quads, and all the muscles in the posterior chain.  
Benefits: Stronger core, better posture, improved stability, tones muscles.    

— The writer is a fitness instructor, health coach and a certified hypnotherapist.