Whether you're switching up your typical strength training routine or rehabbing after injury, introducing instability into your workouts will have you shaking and aching like never before. There are a few different tools to choose from - like vibration plates, balance boards, and wobble cushions - but our favourite has to be the brilliant Bosu ball.
A truly underrated bit of fitness kit, a Bosu ball (short for "Both Sides Up") has a dome side that's like a classic Swiss ball, and then also a flat platform base - and you can use it either way up, depending on the specific exercise you're doing. "Fitness doesn't have to be complicated to be effective," explains Pilates instructor and founder of the leading health and wellness platform BetterMe, Victoria Repa. "By creating an unstable surface, this versatile tool transforms even the simplest movements into powerful full-body exercises by forcing your muscles to work harder."
Boasting a myriad of benefits, training with a Bosu ball has been proven to help improve balance, significantly enhance core strength and stability, and even boost athletic performance in athletes — with one 2020 study on male football players revealing that incorporating Bosu ball exercises into their training over a six week period significantly increased their single-leg hop distances and vertical jump heights.
Could it be that this somewhat spaceship-shaped bit of kit is just what's missing from your training? "A highly efficient way to train, Bosu ball exercises help build strength and stability," explains personal trainer Joseph Webb. "Compared to conventional gym machines, Bosu work activates much more muscle per exercise, especially through the core and lower body."
Ready to give it a go? With the help of some brilliant personal trainers, we've covered the benefits of Bosu ball training and discussed who it would benefit, plus recommended some specific exercises to try out. Read how one staffer got on trying a Bosu ball workout every day for a week, here, or for more core-related content, don't skip our guides to the best core exercises, period, best core workouts under 10 minutes, and best core workouts under 20 minutes, here. New to ab workouts? These core strengthening exercises for beginners are a good place to start, or if you're more advanced, transverse ab moves are seriously spicy.
Bosu ball exercises promise to supercharge your core - 7 moves top experts rate
Are Bosu ball exercises effective?
"Incorporating Bosu ball exercises into your training can significantly enhance balance, coordination, and core stability," explains Penny Weston, founder of the leading wellness centre, MADE. Adding instability to an exercise forces you to engage every part of the core, which is great if you're keen to build abdominal strength and strengthen your spine.
"Even standing on a BOSU ball requires constant micro-adjustment of the abdominal muscles, obliques, and lower back," Repa explains. "Whatever the exercise, you'll need to engage your deep stabilising muscles, the ones responsible for balance, posture, and injury prevention." The result of this is a significant increase in the effectiveness of exercises like squats, lunges, planks, and push-ups."
Another key benefit? Improved proprioception, which is the body's ability to sense where it is in space. "BOSU ball workouts train the muscles and mind to work together in real time, which is crucial for better balance and orientation," Repa adds.
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What are Bosu ball exercises best for?
The strength and stability-building benefits of using a Bosu ball make it a well-suited training tool for a wide range of people, from athletes who want to enhance their balance and agility to senior individuals looking for ways to help maintain their functional mobility skills. Plus, it's also just a great tool for any fitness enthusiast who's looking to switch up their training slightly and engage. their muscles in new ways.
Designed to absorb impact, it's also a great joint-friendly tool to use in rehabilitation or physical therapy, particularly when dealing with lower body ligament issues, like ankle strains, knee injuries, and hip problems. In fact, in a comparative study involving recreational runners with chronic ankle instability, combining BOSU ball training with strength exercises led to more pronounced improvements in dynamic balance, agility, and ankle muscle strength than those who used a wobble board instead.
"It's also a really useful tool for correcting technique," explains health coach Jodi Montlake. "If you bend forward too much when squatting on a BOSU ball, you'll fall off, so it's really helpful with mastering your form."
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7 best Bosu ball exercises to try today
1. Bosu ball high plank
What? Get into a high plank position, with your hands balanced on the platform side of the Bosu ball.
Why? "This move lights up your anterior chain, which is the shoulders, chest, arms, core, hip flexors, and quads," Joseph Webb explains. "Because of the instability, it trains your deep core and shoulder stabilisers harder than a floor plank."
How long for? Start with thirty seconds, and see how you get on.
2. BOSU ball squat
What? Stand with one foot on either side of the Bosu ball platform, centre yourself, and perform a typical squat.
Why? "Performing squats on the flat side of the Bosu ball challenges your lower body muscles - particularly the glutes, quads, and calves, while also engaging your core to maintain balance," Penny Weston explains. "This variation not only strengthens your legs but also improves overall steadiness.
How long for? Three sets of 10 to 12 reps.
3. Bosu ball dead bugs
What? Lie down on the dome, bring your knees into tabletop position, and extend your arms towards the ceiling. Next, simultaneously extend the right arm and left leg away from the body, and then return them to centre and do the same on the opposite side. Keep your back flat and core engaged the whole time.
Why? "Doing dead bugs on a BOSU ball is a great movement for strengthening your deep core muscles," explains celebrity personal trainer, Michael Baah. "It's an exercise I often recommend to my postnatal clients."
How long for? Try to do 10 reps on each side.
4. BOSU ball push-ups
What? Multi-award-winning personal trainer, Martin Sharp, is a big fan of using the flat side of the BOSU ball as a platform for press-ups.
Why? "The addition of the instability makes the exercise a lot more difficult - so make sure you maintain a straight back, and engage your core," Sharp explains. "If it's too tricky, you can always drop to your knees to perform box press-ups."
How long for? It depends on your skill level, but try to aim for three sets of 8 to 10 reps.
5. Bosu ball forward lunge
What? Place the Bosu ball with the flat side down, stand two to three feet away from it and step one foot onto the dome, and lunge forward, keeping your front knee level with your ankle. Then, push back and switch legs.
Why? "This dynamic lunge challenges your balance and symmetry, activating your entire lower body, and forcing your abs to stabilise," Victoria Repa explains. "To increase the intensity, hold dumbbells in your hands while performing lunges."
How long for? Do three sets of 12 repetitions on each leg.
6. Bosu ball glute bridge
What? Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the dome, and place your arms at your sides, with your palms down. Engage your buttocks and abs, then lift your hips until your body forms a straight line. Hold for three to five seconds, then lower yourself slightly without touching the ground. If you want to make it a little more challenging, add resistance bands.
Why? According to Repa, this move is great for beginners. "This is one of those sneaky exercises that seem easy until you feel a burning sensation in your glutes on the 10th repetition," Repa explains. "A really effective movement, it strengthens the posterior chain, while also improving pelvic stability."
How long for? Do two sets of 15 repetitions.
7. Bosu ball push-ups with shoulder taps
What? Arrange yourself in a high plank position, with your hands placed on the platform side of the Bosu ball, either in a close or narrow press position. Slowly lower yourself into a press-up, and then hold your core steady as you tap each shoulder with the opposite hand.
Why? "Quite an advanced move, this exercise lights up the core and shoulder stabilisers, while also improving coordination under load," Baah explains. "To maximise muscle tension and engagement, keep the tempo nice and slow."
How long for? Try to get to eight reps if possible.
Shop MC UK's go-to Bosu ball essentials:
There are lots of imitations out there, but this Bosu ball trainer is the real deal. It's a real premium piece of kit that'll see you through plenty of different types of home workouts.
Once you've mastered your form, you can take your Bosu ball training to the next level by adding a little bit of weight to moves like lunges and squats. These ones are relatively affordable and are available up to 10kg.
Every little helps when balance training, so why not give yourself an oh-so-tiny advantage with a pair of grippy socks? This pretty pink pair will also come in handy at your next Reformer class.
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