BOSU stands for "both sides up." This unique and challenging piece of fitness equipment has a bubble side and a platform side. It's great for improving balance and working on functional and sports-specific training. beginners, fitness enthusiasts and highly trained athletes alike can benefit from workouts with the BOSU.
Turn the bubble side up and sit, stand, lie, kneel, jump and more for an incredible workout. Put the platform side up for pushups and lots of extreme fitness moves. In fact, you can perform virtually any exercise you'd do on the ground on the BOSU. Prepare yourself for a fun challenge!
Bubble Side Down:
Push-ups: Experiment with your ability. First start on your knees and work up to your toes. Works on chest muscles, arms and shoulders.
Bubble Side Up:
Squat: Stand with your feet slightly forward of center and your toes turned outward slightly. Squat down by bending your knees and pushing your glutes back as you sit into an imaginary chair. Maintain strong abdominals to hold your balance. Works your quads, glutes and core body.
Lunge: Balance one foot on bubble and other leg behind you on the floor. Keep your front knee above your ankle as you lunge. Hold arms out to sides to balance. Incorporate hand weights if you are advanced. Repeat on each side.
Spinal Balance: Get on all fours, then reach and extend your opposite hand and opposite leg. Then switch sides. Try to keep your back level with the ground and in a neutral position. Use your abdominal muscles to stabilize and keep you balanced. Works glutes, hamstrings, thighs and core body.
Ab Crunch: Place your body on the ball. Position your back to find your comfort level and ability. Do your basic ab crunch, keeping in mind the extra stabilization muscles you are using to balance. Place your feet on floor or lift up based on your ability. Always relax through the neck and shoulders, and focus on the core body doing the work.
Body Bridge: Lie on floor and place your feet onto bubble. Engaging your core body and glutes, lift your torso up like a drawbridge and balance. Repeat several times, bringing your drawbridge up and down, engaging your core body and squeezing your buns.
Oblique Side Raise: Place your forearm on the bubble side and turn body sideways, using the obliques (your waist and torso-twisting muscles). Keep your bottom leg on the floor. Lift and lower your torso in a side plank position, holding your abs tight for balance.
Down Dog Yoga: Place your hands onto the bubble and create an inverted V with your body. Dig your heels into the floor to stretch your hamstrings. Press your palms into the bubble side, opening through your back and shoulders.
Low Back Extension: Place your hands and hips onto the bubble, and drape your body over the bubble. With the support of your hands, bring your body up and extend through your back muscles, keeping your core body engaged as well. This is a great exercise and also can be held for several seconds as a stretch.
One-Leg Balance: Try this balance for core body stabilization.