Integrating balance training into your weekly workout routine can provide a handful of benefits. Fitness board exercises can help prevent injury, aid in rehabilitation, improve posture, reduce back pain, improve coordination and body awareness, and keep you more alert. Plus, it’s fun and easy to do! Balance board fitness workouts are great for beginners and seasoned athletes alike. Learn more about balance board benefits
You’ll find that a balance board comes in varying shapes and sizes. You should be able to execute all exercises shown below on any board, whether it’s a wobble board, a rocker, or a balance board. However, all demonstrations shown below are done using the LifeSpan AirSoft Board.
In addition to the board, all exercises below will require workout attire, hand weights, and a weighted ball. If you don’t have access to weights or a weighted ball, that’s perfectly fine, you can still complete the exercises without them or simply skip that exercise.
1. Squat to Overhead Press
Targeted Muscles: Quads, hamstrings, glutes, core, posterior muscles, deltoids, triceps, biceps, trapezius, and abdominals
How To: Similar to a basic squat as described above, a squat to overhead press involves the upper body as well. Start standing with your feet shoulder-width apart on the board holding the ends of a dumbbell or medicine ball out in front of you. Next, sit back like you are going to sit in an imaginary chair with you head continuing to look forward. Make sure your back remains straight with a neutral spine rather than rounding forward. As you begin to sit back, press the weight up over your head, i.e. the lower you go, the higher you lift the weight. Stop lowering once your thighs are parallel with the floor with your knees positioned over your feet and your arms fully extended over your head. Slowly begin to press back up to a standing position lower your arms in front of you at the same time.
2. Mountain Climbers
Targeted Muscles: Abdominals, deltoids, lats, pectorals, lower back, quadriceps, hip flexors, and glutes
How To: Begin in a plank position, as detailed above. Pull one knee up toward your midsection while continuing to maintain a straight body position. Your knee shouldn’t touch the floor. If possible, try to touch the top of your knee to your chest. Then drive your foot back down, returning to plank position. Repeat this motion using the other leg.
3. Burpees
Targeted Muscles: Quads, hamstrings, glutes, core, posterior muscles, deltoids, triceps, biceps, trapezius, and abdominals
How To: This exercise is best shown in the video. Begin by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart holding the balance board with a hand gripped around each side. Holding the board against your chest, tuck forward placing the balance board in front of you. Continue to hold on to the board while jumping your feet back behind you. You should now be in a plank position holding on to the board. Keeping your back flat, do an incline pushup as described above, returning to plank position. Now, jump your feet forward returning to a tuck position. Jump upward, straightening your legs and back upward while still holding onto the board. To make the exercise more challenging if you desire, press the board up over your head by extending your elbows. Once you’ve completed the jump, you should now be back in starting position holding the board against your chest.
4. Tricep Pushup
Targeted Muscles: Triceps, abdominals, pectorals, and back muscles
How To: Begin in a plank position as described above with your hands shoulder-width apart on the balance board. Similar to an incline pushup, you will slowly lower your body till your chest almost touches the board. If you can’t go that low, that’s perfectly fine, getting your elbows to a 90-degree angle is a good starting point. Varying from an incline pushup, you want your elbows to remain as close to the sides of your body as you can. This way you will be mainly using your triceps. Slowly press yourself back up to plank position making sure your elbows remain tucked in at your side.
5. Commandos
Targeted Muscles: Triceps, deltoids, abdominals, pectorals, and biceps
How To: Begin in a plank position with your arms shoulder-width apart with your feet placed on the balance board at a comfortable distance apart from each other. Starting with your right arm, shift your weight to your right side and slowly lower your right arm till both your hand and forearm are flat on the floor. Your left arm/hand should still be in the starting plank position. Shifting your weight back to the left, slowly press your right hand back into the floor, extending your right arm back into the starting plank position. Repeat this motion using your left arm this time.
There are plenty of additional fitness board exercises that we haven’t shown above, so feel free to get creative and share it with us Instagram or Facebook using #mylifespan. Just make sure you are always maintaining proper form to prevent injury
