BOSU Ball Exercises To Increase Strength and Balance

BOSU ball exercises can be a great way to enjoy a chance of pace, increase muscle engagement, and promote cardiovascular health. Incorporating this unique tool into your fitness arsenal helps keep your workouts fun and challenging.

Burpees

This exercise works the core and provides a solid cardiovascular workout. With the BOSU ball-side down, grab the handles and hop or step into a straight-arm plank, then hop back to a standing position with the BOSU at the chest. For people newer to the exercise, stepping back into the plank instead of jumping will ensure you stay stable and don’t fall. Modify the exercise further by coming to a squat or skipping the standing portion altogether.

Hip Raise

Lie on the floor with the feet on the BOSU ball — flat side down. Push the hips upward to engage the glutes, lower back, and abs. For an advanced variation, raise one leg during the hip-lift movement, alternating with each raise.To ensure proper form, keep both hips pointing up at all times: avoid tilting or dropping the pelvis to either side.

Mountain Climbers

Mountain climbers are a good exercise for building abdominal strength. To get the most out of this move, maintain a flat back and engage the full body. This move should be done with the ball side of the BOSU facing down while the hands are gripping the handles. Start moving slowly until you are used to the balance this tricky exercise requires.

Side Forearm Plank

Add extra intensity to the traditional side forearm plank. Keep your body in a straight line from the head to the ankles — keep the lower hip from dropping — while balancing your forearm on the BOSU ball. This move engages the core even more than a traditional side plank.

Split Squat

Split squats engage the core and legs Start standing behind the BOSU, then step forward to place one foot on the ball. Bend into both knees into a split squat or lunge. For added intensity, hold dumbbells in each hand during the move.

Hip Flexor Stretch

This is a good beginner BOSU exercise that works the hamstrings, adductors, hip flexors, and glutes. Start in a forearm plank with the arms on the BOSU. Bring one leg forward into a low lunge, lifting that same arm and slightly twisting the body toward the bent leg if necessary. This move stretches the leg while also challenging balance on the unstable ball.

Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift

Start standing on the BOSU, then lean the torso forward and one leg back, keeping the moving parts in one straight line. Go no further than parallel to the ground, then return to standing, with the moving leg on the ground or the ball. To ensure proper form during this exercise, maintain a flat back and keep the hips steady. You can hold a weight in the hand on the moving leg’s side if you want to make this move more challenging to balance.

Push-Up

This take on the classic push-up engages the arms and encourages better stability. The BOSU should be placed ball-side down while the hands grip the handles. For more intensity, try lifting one leg during the move, then alternate sides.

Crunch

Crunches target the abs and back. Start with the low and mid-back against the BOSU. Cross the arms at the chest or hold them up by the ears to increase the challenge.By doing the crunch against the BOSU ball’s unstable surface, you are making your stabilizing core muscles work a little harder, and providing some support for the low back.

One-Arm or Uneven Push-Up

Challenge yourself with one-arm push-ups if you’re well versed in the traditional style and want to make them harder. Place one hand on the BOSU ball and the other on the floor. Come into a plank position and perform your push-ups. Switch arms and repeat on the other side.