BOSU Balance Trainer

Breathe new life into your workout with the BOSU balance trainer! 

With a multitude of new fitness products constantly bombarding the market, it is challenging for the consumer to determine which products really "walk their talk" and which ones are a flash in the pan only to end up in next years yard sale. The BOSU Balance trainer however, definitely makes the grade. The BOSU, which is an acronym for Both Sides Up, is a dome shaped ½ ball sitting on a 25 inch platform. The BOSU Ball Balance Trainer is the invention of David Weck. Weck introduced his first prototype of the BOSU in 1999. His objective was to design a balance trainer that was both challenging to athletes as well as being a safe and effective workout for the general public. It proved an instant hit with professional and Olympic Sports Teams who benefited from this unique device which gave them that competitive edge by improving their balance, core stability and proprioception. Doing exercises on the BOSU requires you to maintain your center of gravity over a surface that is constantly changing. Just standing on it is challenging as your body moves and shifts into and out of balance. As a result, the BOSU is now used by Elite Athletes, sports teams and in health clubs around the globe.

The BOSU is the perfect functional conditioning tool improving cardiovascular fitness, muscle endurance, postural alignment, core conditioning, overall fitness and of course balance. Balance is an often overlooked aspect of fitness which, in reality, is the foundation for all movement. Because of its versatility, the BOSU provides a safe, yet highly unstable surface for the rehabilitation and training of both upper and lower extremities as well as core. The BOSU Ball challenges all abilities from beginner to advanced athlete. It can be used on the inflated side or flipped over onto the platform side for different types of balance challenges and exercises.

The BOSU can also be used to greatly enhance your cardio workouts and maximize caloric expenditure thereby making it an effective weight loss tool. Cardiovascular moves on the BOSU include stepping, hopping, jumping, walking or leaping depending on the intensity that you’re after. The BOSU provides a high-energy, cardiovascular workout while improving coordination, balance, agility, and strength at the same time, so you get more "bang for your buck"! The BOSU also lends itself quite well to pure strength workouts when you utilize dynamic squats, lunges, pushups or balancing on it while lifting weights. Flexibility is another fitness component that can be addressed using the BOSU, with many people now using it to enhance their Yoga and Pilates workouts. 

Researchers in the Department of Exercise & Nutritional Sciences at San Diego State University conducted a pilot study to determine the efficacy of the BOSU Balance Trainer for improving muscular strength and balance in adults of various ages. Field measurements of static and dynamic balance, as well as abdominal strength, showed improvements ranging up to 31% after just a four-week program. A randomized, and larger controlled study is now underway to provide even more clinically meaningful information regarding the potential benefit of the BOSU Balance Trainer for strengthening the core musculature and improving balance.

What I have found after incorporating the BOSU into both my group Cardio Kick and Pilates classes as well as in the Private Pilates training I do, is that my clients report remarkable results in terms of muscle tone and strength, balance, co-ordination and cardiovascular benefits. Personally, I have used the BOSU in my own program to successfully rehabilitate a recent ankle sprain. The BOSU is an integral part of any conditioning program and it is easy to understand after using it why the US Ski Team has endorsed it. It is truly a remarkable new training device. Give it a try!

Debbie Ross is the owner of Ross Pilates and Conditioning. She is a certified Medical Exercise Specialist and Post-Rehab Conditioning Specialist, C.H.E.K. Certified Exercise Coach and Nutrition and Lifestyle Coach, and a STOTT certified Pilates instructor specializing in Therapeutic Pilates and Medical Exercise.

Services

• Private, Semi-Private Pilates
• Therapeutic Pilates
• Personal Training/C.H.E.K.
• Program Design
• Group Classes
• C.H.E.K. Nutrition & Lifestyle
• Metabolic Typing
• Golf Conditioning
• Corporate Fitness

807 476-0352
info@rosspilates.ca

947 Memorial Ave.