What Is A BOSU Ball And How Does It Work?

BOSU (stands for BOth Sides Utilized) is a gym tool for building strength and stability. It has a flat surface and a hemisphere. The hemisphere is half-filled with air, which provides enough instability that prompts the recruitment of all the core muscles. And the flat surface provides stability to do the exercises with maximum precision. You can use both the flat surface and the hemisphere to strengthen the core and improve balance. Use it to do whole body exercises or just target specific problem areas. In fact, anyone can use it – beginners or pros. So, gear up and do some fun and effective exercises with the BOSU ball.

15 BOSU Ball Exercises To Rev Up Your Workout Routine

These 15 best BOSU ball exercises are going to change the way you look at exercise. But before you start exercising, you must warm up for at least 10 minutes. Here’s how you can do an effective warm-up.

Warm-up

Neck tilt – 1 set of 10 reps Neck rotations – 1 set of 10 reps Shoulder rotations – 1 set of 10 reps Arm rotations – 1 set of 10 reps Wrist rotations – 1 set of 10 reps Waist rotations – 1 set of 10 reps Side lunges – 1 set of 10 reps Spot jogging – 2 mins Jumping jacks – 1 set of 20 reps Calf stretch – 1 set of 2 reps Ankle rotation – 1 set 10 reps March on the BOSU ball – 1 set of 25 reps (hold the back of a chair for balance)

Your muscles are prepped for the exercise now. Let’s get started!

BOSU Ball Lower Body Exercises

If you tend to accumulate fat on your lower body, these BOSU ball lower body exercises will help you.

1. Hip Raise

Target – Glutes, lower back, hamstrings, abs, and quads. Difficulty Level – Beginner Sets And Reps – 2 sets of 15 reps To take this exercise to the advanced level, do the BOSU ball hip raises with one raised leg. Keep the knee of the raised leg slightly bent, push your hips up toward the ceiling, and lower the glutes. Do it with both legs raised. [ Read: 30 Swiss Ball Exercises ]

2. Squat

Target – Glutes, quads, hamstrings, and lower back. Difficulty Level – Intermediate Sets And Reps – 2 sets of 12 reps

3. Jump Squats

Target – Glutes, quads, hamstrings, and lower back. Difficulty Level – Intermediate Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 15 reps [ Read: Squats 101 – How To Do Squats Properly ]

4. Lunge

Target – Quads, hamstrings, calves, and glutes. Difficulty Level – Beginner Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 12 reps These are similar to side lunges and BOSU ball lunges. Stand beside the BOSU ball and put your right foot on the dome. Make sure your feet are at least 2-3 feet apart. Now, lunge to the right, get up, and lift your right leg off the BOSU ball dome and place it close to your left leg. Again, place your right leg on the dome and lunge.

5. Hip Flexor Stretch

Target – Hip flexors, hamstrings, adductors, and glutes. Difficulty Level – Beginner Sets And Reps – 1 set of 2 reps These exercises will help you tone your lower body. Now, let’s talk about one of the most problematic areas – the core. [ Read: 5 Hip Thrust Exercises ]

BOSU Ball Core Exercises

BOSU ball core strengthening and toning exercises help you get rid of the tummy pooch, love handles, and back fat and tone your shoulders, chest, and abs. Let’s get toning!

6. Crunch

Target – Upper abs, lower abs, and back. Difficulty Level – Beginner Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 15 reps

7. Crunch Oblique

Target – Obliques, upper back, and abs. Difficulty Level – Intermediate Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 12 reps

8. Full Plank

Target – Abs, back, glutes, and shoulders. Difficulty Level – Intermediate Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 30-60 seconds hold [ Read: 21 Plank Exercises To Strengthen Your Core And Back ]

9. Forearm Plank

Target – Abs, back, glutes, and shoulders. Difficulty Level – Beginner Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 30-60 seconds hold

10. Side Plank

Target – Abs, glutes, shoulders, and upper back. Difficulty Level – Beginner Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 30 seconds hold

11. Sit-Ups

Target – Upper abs, lower abs, and back. Difficulty Level – Beginner Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 12 reps These were BOSU ball exercises for your core. Now, let us talk about losing fat and toning up the upper body. Here are the exercises that you must do. [ Read: 8 Correct Ways To Do Sit-Ups To Get A Flat Tummy ]

Upper Body

12. Tricep Dips

Target – Triceps, shoulders, and biceps. Difficulty Level – Intermediate-Advanced Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 12 reps

13. Chest Press

Target – Pectorals, lats, and shoulders. Difficulty Level – Intermediate Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 12 reps [ Read: 15 Best Chest Exercises To Firm And Lift Your Breasts ]

14. Push-ups

Target – Pectorals, deltoids, biceps, triceps, and core. Difficulty Level – Advanced Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 12 reps

15. One Arm Push-up

Target – Biceps, triceps, pectorals, lats, and deltoids. Difficulty Level – Advanced Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 12 reps What is the meaning of BOSU? BOSU means both sides utilized, meaning you can use both the dome side and the flat surface to do various types of exercises. How many pounds is a BOSU ball? BOSU ball weights can range from 4 lbs to 350 lbs. Which BOSU model should I buy? Buy a retail or pro model depending on how much you are going to use it. Talk to your trainer to know the best option. How can a BOSU ball improve my core training exercises? BOSU ball adds instability to your core training. This instability helps recruit small muscle fibers of the core and makes the exercise more effective. How to use a BOSU ball to maintain my body balance? Practice standing up on the dome of the BOSU ball and doing small jogging motions to start building balance. You can take help of your trainer, a wall, or a chair and stand on the flat surface. The more you practice, the better you will get at maintaining your body balance. What muscles does the Bosu ball work? Bosu ball helps strengthen the core and reduce fat in the lower body by targeting the glutes, quads, and hamstrings. Is a Bosu ball good for ankles? Yes, the Bosu ball helps strengthen ankles and improve their stability as it strengthens the tendons and ligaments around the ankle joint. Which side of the Bosu ball is harder? The flat side of the Bosu ball is harder, while the curvy side of the ball is usually used to perform the exercise.

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