Exercises performed while standing and carrying weight on an uneven surface make up a sort of training called a balance board workout. What is a balance board in a gym?
Rocker boards and wobble boards are examples of balancing boards that can be used as training devices to enhance balance and posture, assist in therapy, prevent lower body injuries, and increase core strength, among other things.
There are a variety of balance boards available; however, the ideal one for you will ultimately depend on your needs.
For as long as you can, use a balancing board if you have access to one or possess one because your ability to demonstrate your strength and power will improve as you become more stable.
In this article, we’ll go over the fundamentals of balance boards, including their advantages, disadvantages, and exercises that work amazingly with every major muscle group of your body.
Types of Balance Boards
Do you agree that looking at the same balance board every time gets boring? The good news is that you’re in luck because there are currently 4 various varieties of balance boards that can be found easily in shops and online for a fair price.
- Rocker Board: This style of balancing board, which consists of a flat, rectangular board affixed to a semicircle base, is the most beginner-friendly.
- Wobble Board: It consists of a round, flat board that is affixed to a dome-shaped base.
- Roller Board: A flat, skateboard-shaped board that rests on top of a different cylinder is the balance board that presents the greatest challenge.
- Round Wobble Board.
Balance Board and Difficulty Level
- Rocker balance boards- Easy
- Roller balance boards- Hard
- Wobble balance boards- Medium
- Round wobble balance boards- Medium
Balance Boards for Weight Loss
As we know, balancing boards are an excellent and useful tool for both treating injuries and preventing them. Nevertheless, using a balance board can aid in weight loss since all forms of exercise increase your ability to burn calories.
On the other hand, depending on the activity, the intensity, and your body weight, exercise can burn extra calories. For physical activity, you can utilize a calorie counter that computes an average depending on the user’s body weight, exercise style, and duration.
For instance, a 150-pound person can burn about 80 calories during 20 minutes of moderate gymnastics.
Balance Board Exercises or Gym
Consider performing these exercises adjacent to a wall or a sturdy surface, such as a table that you can place a hand on, if you are new to balancing board training.
On the other hand, you can use a balancing board to get started and design a full program.
I’ve listed the eight most beneficial balance board exercises below:
- Simple Starting Position;
- Mini Squat;
- Playing Catch;
- Kneeling Spin;
- Side-to-Side Tap;
- Plank;
- Push-ups;
- Glute bridge.
Basic Balance Sequence
You will love to know that, this balance exercise does a fantastic job for those people who want to target their glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, and core muscles for best body shape. On the other hand, need to remember that, everything starts with a basic posture such as, moving to a front-to-back tilt and finalizing with a side-to-side motion. Your stability, coordination, and spatial attention will all benefit significantly.
Board: Any type.
- For this one at the beginning, you have to place your feet hip distance them apart on the balance board. You should need to maintain your feet on the board’s outside edges.
- But make an effort to preserve neutral spinal alignment and good posture.
- To improve your balance, choose an object in front of you as your attention point.
- In order to prevent the board’s edges from touching the floor, you must now adjust your weight. Now all you have to do is to keep your arms at your sides or in front of you.
- Lastly, try to spend 30 seconds balancing in this stance.
Side-to-Side Tap
Board: Wobble or rocker board could be a great choice.
- To do this, stand in the initial balance position for better stability and you have to slowly tilt your board to the right and then to the left.
- After that, simply move your head from side to side for 30 seconds.
Mini Squats
If you do mini squats on a balance board then it will work amazingly with your glutes and quads, hamstrings, calves, and abdominal muscles to gain excellent body shape.
Board: Any type
- Begin in a balanced posture, but you will need to move your feet closer to the edges.
- For balance, all you have to do is place both arms in front of you or at your sides or you can hold a wall or a firm surface for better balancing it will help a lot.
- Bend your knees slowly into a squat stance and try to go as far as you can while remaining balanced.
- Here, just stand up and push through your heels do it at least 10-15 reps to get best result.
Plank
The balancing board plank is a wonderful exercise for anyone who wants to focus their abdominal muscles, glutes, hips, legs, shoulders, back, and arms.
Board: Any type of balance board.
- At first, you need to get into a push-up position with your hands on your balance board for this exercise. Now try to maintain a little broader than shoulder-width apart for betterment. Remember that, your feet will be behind you and you can keep them together for greater difficulty or keep them apart for superior stability.
- Here, you just need to involve your core muscles for this position and try to maintain a straight line with your body for the best balance.
- Now keep your arms outstretched, but try to bend your elbows slightly so they aren’t locked out and you get hurt.
- More importantly, it is important to hold yourself in the above position for at least 30 seconds or as long as you can.
Push-Ups
These balancing board push-ups will help you tone your chest, triceps, and core muscles.
Board: Any type.
- Your hands should be slightly wider than shoulder-width apart as you begin this exercise on the floor in the push-up posture with the balancing board as your support.
- Your feet will be behind you, but more significantly, you can maintain them apart for greater stability or together for a more complex variant. Now it is important to maintain a straight line with your body while doing this workout.
- After that, tighten your abdominal muscles and maintain a forward gaze.
- For this step keep your body in a straight line then slowly drop yourself as far as you can and same time bend your elbows.
- You must perform this plank for at least 5 to 10 repetitions before pausing and returning to the beginning position.
Glute Bridge
The balance board glute bridge exercise is good for anyone who wishes to work their glutes, hamstrings, and core muscles.
Board: Any type
- Initially, lying on your back and bent your knees. Now keep both arms by your sides, and your feet pointing in the direction of the balance board.
- Lift your feet up and set them on the balance board once you’ve adjusted your position. It is important to touch the balance board with both of your soles and you cannot skip it.
- Now that you have your glutes activated, it’s time to press your feet firmly into the balance board so you can easily raise your hips off the ground. While keeping your equilibrium, ascend as high as you can.
- At last, hold yourself in this position while contracting your glutes for a few seconds like 10 to 15 seconds. Now slowly lower your body to the ground, and there is no need to hurry.
- Complete minimum 10–15 reps at a time now you can repeat it 2 to 3 times.
Kneeling Spin
Board: Wobble board.
At first, kneel down on the board with both hands on your hips and your knees on the surface.
- Now slowly rotate your body while concentrating on your abdominal muscles.
- After completing a few spins successfully, you need to be slow down and then switch your directions so that you can rotate the other way.
Playing Catch
Board: Wobble board.
- Stand on a wobbly board to gain equilibrium and have a companion so he or she can throw you a ball.
- Tighten your deep abdominal muscles as you catch the ball to keep yourself stable. For this, you can use a weighted ball, such as a medicine ball.
- Now return the ball to your partner with a throw or pass. As a result, it will strengthen your legs and improve your coordination.
Advantages and Disadvantages of the Balance Boards:
The primary objective of balancing boards is to enhance your equilibrium, but what if I told you that it comes with a variety of additional benefits in addition to some drawbacks? The vital balance board benefits and drawbacks that you should be aware of are explained briefly in this article for your betterment.
Advantages
- Aids in Injury Prevention
Your risk of accidents or potential falls will decrease as your functional strength increases, especially in older persons.
Functional strength is the capacity required to carry out the daily tasks that sustain your existence. By developing tissues in frequently utilized muscles, balance training aids.
You must build up the muscles in your core, back, glutes, and legs if you want to keep your balance and steady your body. This improvement in functional strength will reduce your risk of falling or damaging a muscle from tired muscles and slow reflexes. This is particularly valid when the ankle is at issue.
- Equipment for Recovery
Anyone who has an injury, whether through sports or at work, can find stability training to be helpful as a part of the recovery process. Static and dynamic balance training is frequently incorporated by physical therapists into injury recovery programs.
In contrast to dynamic balance training, which involves making an effort to keep your balance while moving, static balance training focuses on maintaining your posture when you are not moving.
- Enhances Stance
Muscle imbalances, increased body weight, prolonged sitting, or an injury can all contribute to poor posture. Strengthening your shoulders, back, and core can assist you in improving your position and minimize health complications including back pain, neck pain, and pain in your weight-bearing joints. A fantastic technique to develop the strength of your postural muscles is by using a balance board.
- Reduces Backache
A key advantage of using a balance board is improved core strength and its good repercussions. Increased core strength can help with postural concerns, but it can also improve low-back pain, as previously stated.
Because your abs are the front attachment point for your spine, weak abs will make your back muscles work harder. You can relieve back discomfort caused by muscular imbalances by using a balance board to strengthen your abs and obliques.
- Enhances Balance and Body Awareness
There is no doubt that even the simplest daily tasks need coordination, thus it’s important to have it. One vital thing need to be consider that it is essential your whole body needs to work together if you want to stay balanced and upright.
Disadvantages
- Can Cause Injury
Use balancing boards to create instability in your posture as a way to improve and strengthen your balance and posture but the risk of falling and suffering injuries also rises because of instability.
Undoubtedly, there is a greater risk of damage if you select a balancing board that is too complex for you. Because of this, take into account this when choosing a balancing board, along with knowing how to use one effectively.
- Difficult to Use
In particular, if you have poor stability, are afflicted with wounds, or are easily anxious, balance boards are not the most convenient object to use.
How to Be Cautious?
Have you ever suffered from ankle injuries before? Avoid touching the apparatus for your safety.
Before you begin, it is wiser to speak with a rehabilitation trainer or physiotherapist because post-injury training is frequently done under supervision and is especially suited to the needs of the joint.
As we all know, maintaining appropriate posture is essential for everyone. Put your weight in this position with your chin parallel to the floor, shoulders back and down, and evenly spread over both feet.
Although a balancing board workout can aid in stability development, these surfaces are wobbly by nature. I’ll explain how to play safely on the balancing board down below.
- Undoubtedly, the safest places to utilize balance boards are on flat, hard surfaces so be sure the area surrounding you is free of obstructions. Use caution when using balancing boards on uneven terrain, especially if you use wooden ones.
- Safety can be increased, especially for novices, by having someone nearby who can help you a lot if you fall accidentally.
- Some people think that wearing a helmet, kneepads, and elbow pads while using your balance board may seem foolish, but these accessories can really assist you if you are just a beginner.
- Until you get the hang of it, using a wall or a railing as support can help you maintain your balance. Rock back and forth slowly while keeping your hands on the wall as your balance improves.
The Bottom Line
After reading this entire article, you might be able to answer the question, “What is a balance board in a gym?” And there is no doubt that it is an excellent tool for improving balance, rehabilitation, injury prevention, and overall fitness.
There are several balance board designs to choose from, but ultimately it comes down to what works best for you.
Before introducing balance board training into your fitness routine, I recommend consulting with a doctor, physical therapist, or qualified personal trainer, especially if you have any underlying medical problems.