The gluteus maximus, medius and minimus together form the glute musculature. When well-defined and robust, this muscle groups accents a nice body shape in both males and females. You can use a wobble board for balance training and to stand on with conventional exercises to make them more challenging. By using the board, you are forced to contract more stabilizing muscles, which boosts your overall recruitment. A squat is a good wobble board exercise to tax your glutes.
Function of Glutes
The glutes rank high on the list of large muscles in the body. You activate your glutes when you perform a motion known as hip extension, which takes place when you move your thigh backward. For exercises to be effective at building the glutes, they should involve this motion. Wobble board squats cause you to both flex and then extend your hips. You extend your hips when you rise from the squat back to your starting position.
Wobble Board Squat
A wobble board has a flat, square, wooden platform with a rounded ball attached to the center on the bottom. Begin the exercise by pinning the right side of the platform down with your feet then carefully placing your left foot on the other side. Gently press down with your left foot and balance yourself with the platform parallel to the floor. After placing your hands on your hips, slowly lower yourself down by bending your knees. As you do this, push your butt back, keep your abs tight and maintain a straight back. Stop when your thighs are parallel the floor, rise back up and repeat. If you cannot get your thighs parallel to the floor, go as far as possible and progressively try to reach this mark.
Other Muscles Worked
The wobble board squat is a compound exercise. This means it activates more than one joint and works more than one muscle. In addition to the glutes, you also work your quadriceps, hamstrings and calves. The quads run down the front of the thighs. The hamstrings sit on the back of the thighs. The calves start below the knees on the back of the lower legs and run down to the heels.
Variations
The two leg squat is not the only way to work your glutes. You also have the option of doing a single leg squat. Perform this with one foot placed in the center of the wobble board and the other leg hanging in the air behind you. You also have the option of doing a single-leg, straight-leg deadlift. Do this exercise the same way as a single leg squat, except keep your planted leg straight and bend forward at the hips.
Tips
Standing on the wobble board alone is challenging. Before you attempt to do the squat, make sure you are able to stand comfortably for an extended period of time. Once you start doing the exercise, have a spotter stand nearby and place a hand on his shoulder or place one hand lightly on a wall. As your balance improves, slowly take your hand away from the support until you can do the squat with no help. If you want to increase your resistance, hold dumbbells at your sides or a medicine ball in front of your chest. Do not attempt to add resistance until you can easily do the exercise with just your body weight.
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