Functional Training with the BOSU Ball

Functional training exercises on the BOSU Ball. Includes bicycle crunches, the bridge, lunges with bicep curl and side squats.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• fitness
• workouts
• Bosu
• abs

[footmotion]

I have to disagree with the comment about no person truly in pursuit of fitness having no use for this ball. Its a tool like all in the others and it's effectiveness depends on how it's used and what is is trying to achieve.

[ossinktun]

Dome side down to avoid inversion and to work propreceptive response and theta rythym contractions.

I don't rate bosu for 'functionality' because it does not mimic any situational stablity and is only relevant to a very few sports; skateboard, snow board and even then, athletes in these sport do not often swear by their bosu except for rehab. If you learn to squat on a bosu you'll be good at squating on a bosu...nothing more.

[kettlebellconvert]

@TheJeitinho

So what, they'd stand on the thing?

I honestly don't know, it could be very useful- but the shit in this video sure isn't useful to anyone wanting REAL results for any goal. For anyone.

The fact that they do a fuckin' lunge with a curl onto a bosu ball with, I'm guessing, 5# weights, not that it matters at this point, should really close the book on the whole thing by itself.

[kettlebellconvert]

@TheJeitinho

Here's the problem: you have fallen to the bodybuilding mentality that the bench press is for your chest. It is not. It is for upper body strength.

Push-ups are great, but you know what, you can't incrementally increase the resistance the way you can with the bench. You cannot develop maximal strength very fast, if at all past a certain point.

I can do 40,50 some odd push-ups- so sets of 5 will do nothing for my upper end strength. Sets of 5 at 200+ #s on the bench sure will.

[TheJeitinho]

Hopefully, we are now on more peaceful terms, KBC. Good question. Like I said, when the right person is at the right point in their training. Skiers, for example, would make good use of the BOSU. They often find themselves on pliable, uneven surfaces where their bodies' have to instantly self-correct. No weight necessary in this instance. This is just one way to stimulate the nervous system to help the muscles and joints to react to keep the body upright. This exercise would be done dome-side up

[TheJeitinho]

Well, here's my point. If you want to strengthen your chest (purpose), the bench press is great!! If you want to strengthen your upper body (purpose), then push ups are better. Why? Because they challenge more core stabilizers and carry over to a wider variety of activities. If you have a bad back you can still do a ton of bench presses because your back is supported. Pushups strengthen your chest, and helps develop core stabilization. Sorry about the "raging" reference. Truce?

[kettlebellconvert]

@TheJeitinho

so im curioius then- when would you actually use the bosu?

and in these situations, why would you use the bosu instead of, say, an overhead squat, a roman chair sit-up, etc?

[kettlebellconvert]

@TheJeitinho

im raging now? how much coffee have you had today?

i didnt say any of those things about the benchpress, or the sled. i never said, like so many people think, that it was the king of exercises, or even the best upper body exercise. i said that the bench press was one of the few core lifts that strengthen the upper body effectively. surely you dont dispute that?

[TheJeitinho]

I, actually, am NOT a big fan of the BOSU. I've seen too many people get hurt using it. That said, I'll admit that it does have its place. Too many trainers use it to show-off, including it in training routines of people who haven't progressed to the challenge. Such clients should be taught the proper deadlift, squat and lunge routines in progression. In most cases, BOSU should be reserved for skilled athletes or those with advanced balance and proprioceptive skills.

[TheJeitinho]

Okay, stop raging for a moment and think. You're pushing a heavily loaded sled. What muscles are working? Your legs (AND they're moving); your arms and chest at shoulder height; your glutes; and your lumbar spine (stabilizing your dynamic posture). All this is happening while you're performing the characteristics of blocking. During bench press your legs are not involved and the entire back side of your body is supported by a bench. So, there's no lumbar stability challenge.