Tag: bosu

HOW TO…

1. Get on your knees on the ground with the BOSU balance trainer in front of you.
2. Lower your upper body, and place your hands on the BOSU. Postion your hands below your shoulders, not to close together.
3. Now bring up your knees while leaning on your toes and hands. Look downward at the BOSU.
4. Tighten your core to keep your body straight. Your arms should be close to 90 degrees with your body. If your arms are too vertical, the core exercise is less efficient as you lean on your shoulders too much.
5. Keep the position for a few seconds and then lower your knees back down.

Note: Make sure not to inflate the BOSU too much, as it will make it more difficult to keep your hands on the BOSU (they will more eassily slide off).

Progression: Hold the high plank on BOSU postion as long as possible. Build it up to 30 seconds.

Challenge: Hold the high plank on BOSU for 30 seconds, rest for 10 seconds and then repeat two more times. Make sure to regulate your breathing in the resting period!

The forearm plank on BOSU is our first plank variation that uses a BOSU balance trainer (or BOSU ball). The use of a balance trainer for planking increases the difficulty level of the forearm plank and adds a balancing challenge that helps increase core strength even more.

Since the balance trainer can be used with either side up, quite a few variations are possible.

HOW TO…

1. Get on your knees on the ground with the BOSU balance trainer in front of you.
2. Lower your upper body, and place your elbows and hands on the BOSU. Place your elbows straight under your shoulders but keep your hands closer together.
3. Now bring up your knees while leaning on your toes and forearms. Position your feet forward or backward if needed to allow for a full body extension.
4. Tighten your core to keep your body straight. Make sure to look down and not forward.

Note: The forearm plank on BOSU is adding two aspects to the regular forearm plank. 1) you are planking higher than in the regular forearm plank and 2) by leaning on a round surface, keeping your balance is more difficult.

Progression: While in the forearm plank position on the BOSU, extend the duration you hold the position. Build it up to 30 seconds.

Challenge: Do forearm plank on BOSU for 30 seconds, rest for 10 seconds and then repeat two more times. Make sure to regulate your breathing in the resting period!