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What’s this
The BOSU Balance Trainer is one fitness training tool, invented in 1999 by David Weck. It is also called BOSU ball or Both Sides Utilized, but often simply just BOSU. It is a hemisphere of rubber fixed on a rigid platform. It is used for all proprioceptive gymnastics exercises that improve the balance and general coordination of the body. On the sides there are 2 eyelets to which the rubber bands which serve to accentuate stretching and balance and strengthening work. Inside, the BOSU is hollow, but well sealed, and contains air; it has a consistency overall with a reduced elastic response (it does not throw the body back totally if you put your foot on it, not like a trampoline, so to speak). There are no details contraindications, not even in classic monopodalic exercises. Sometimes the Bosu is defined as the soft heir of the step, which further challenges the coordination and perception of the body.
The dome takes the name of “Dome”And over the years the elastic response is modified up to the recent Bosu Elite, which further stimulates the nervous system and muscle fibers. Weck has created a real system that takes the name of WeckMethod and which aims to improve the movements of the human body also through the use of new revolutionary tools including the Pro-Pulse Pulsers, which instruct the nervous system and my system. -fascial to the correct biomechanics of the movement. Very fun to use, it also takes up little space in the house compared to other tools that risk being really bulky, however useful.
Benefits
The Bosu for its conformation and materials creates a certain instability and therefore train your balance and increases the level of knowledge of one’s body. The bosu allows you to tone and train muscle strength, going to activate the abdominal area a lot. Both static and dynamic balance are improved and many exercises can be performed on the Bosu such as push ups, lunges, plank, squats, deadlifts, bench presses, squats and a whole series of exercises that require resistance which, in the case of the Bosu, is amortized. In this way, the effectiveness of these exercises is amplified, doubled. Allows you to train effectively and very invigorating both arms and buttocks and legs, as well as a great activation of the whole abdominal area. Exercises on the Bosu strengthen the paravertebral muscles and all the muscles near the joints, even delicate ones such as the ankles, wrists, knees. The important thing remains do not force too much on the support and do not go to perform traumatic movements for the whole bone structure, such as throwing weight on the soft part of the tool or pushing with excessive force.
This tool is used in crossfit as well as functional gymnastics. Absolute protagonist by now in the rehabilitation and in the posturology and clinic of the movement. The official training to learn how to use Bosu follows two levels of which the first consists of a basic level of functional training and the second in a training that allows you to follow small groups.
Exercises
Let’s see together some classic exercises that take place with the Bosu and allow you to train and tone legs, buttocks, arms or abdomen:
Squat
Compared to traditional squats obviously the support base is reduced, as both feet must be on the Bosu. Once on the dome, the pelvis moves back as the knees are flexed. You then get up by extending the legs and contracting the muscles after having levered on the heels. The back remains straight and the toes are turned slightly outwards to prevent the knees from going in the same direction. It allows you to work a lot on the buttocks and legs. They are fine 2 sets of 15 repetitions with a recovery phase between the two.
Side lunges
With legs apart, one foot goes to the surface of the Bosu. the hands are on the hips or in front of the chest crossed. The balance challenge is to start with the bent leg and then shift your weight to the other leg as you flex it (the one whose foot is on the floor) and then return to the starting position. It’s okay to run 3 sets of 10 repetitions for each leg, following with adequate breathing, inhaling when going up to exhale when going down towards the other leg. A lot of toning work on the legs but also of balance and therefore of the abdominal center.
Plank
The hands are both on the dome of the Bosu and the palms press down. The feet point towards the floor and the abdomen always remains active. The buttocks are contracted and the neck remains in line with the entire spine. To increase the level you could take one hand off and actively challenge your balance and then put it back and raise the other. Maintain the position for at least 15 seconds allows you to strengthen the whole body and then gradually rise with the duration.
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