The BOSU balance trainer, also known as a BOSU ball or simply a BOSU, is a blue hemispherical inflatable ball with a curved soft side and a hard flat side. BOSU stands for "both sides up" and can be used alone or in conjunction with medicine balls, dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells or resistance training bands. BOSU balls can make almost any workout more challenging and productive and offer a number of benefits. BOSU balls can be used with the domed side up or the flat side up. You can stand, sit or lie on a BOSU ball.
Muscle Balance
Balance is your ability to keep your center of mass over your base of support but also describes the relationship between the left and right side of your body. By performing exercises while standing on the flat side of the BOSU ball, the left and right side of your body must work equally to ensure that you do not wobble from side to side. This means that you are less likely to develop a strength imbalance from left to right.
Proprioception
You innate awareness of the location and position of your limbs is called proprioception. Proprioception, sometimes called position-sense or spacial awareness, is how you know where your limbs are and what they are doing despite not being able to see them. Exercises performed on a BOSU are inherently unstable and this constant shifting of position will improve your lower body proprioception by challenging your muscles and nervous system. Good proprioception is essential in sports and also activities of daily living. If you have poor lower body proprioception, you may find that walking on an uneven surface is difficult as your body -- specifically your feet and ankles -- does not respond very effectively to the irregular bumps and dips, and results in a hesitant or unsteady walking gait.
Coordination
Coordination is your ability to move multiple limbs at the same time. Resistance training machines guide your limbs into position and support your body, and therefore do little to develop your ability to use multiple muscle groups at the same time. BOSU exercises require multiple muscles to work simultaneously, which will enhance your coordination. Coordination, like proprioception, is essential in sports and also in many daily activities. Improved coordination may even enhance your dancing ability.
Conditioning
BOSU balls can be used for a variety of muscle conditioning exercises. A BOSU ball can be used for squats and lunges to target your legs, for pushups for upper body or a wide variety of abdominal and lower back exercises. Many BOSU exercises place an indirect load on your core muscles. Your core -- the collective term used to describe your abdominals, lower back and waist muscles -- must work hard to stabilize your spine as you workout on the unstable BOSU ball.
References
- "Balance Training: Stability Workouts for Core Strength and a Sculpted Body"; Karon Karter; 2007
- "Strength Ball Training-2nd Edition"; Lorne Goldenberg and Peter Twist; 2006
- "Get On It!: BOSU Balance Trainer Workouts for Core Strength and a Super Toned Body"; Jane Aronovitch, Miriane Taylor and Colleen Craig; 2008
- "The Great Balance and Stability Handbook"; Andre Noel Potvin and Chad Benson; 2003
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