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WHAT'S NEW
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The BOSU body challenge
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Try three easy, effective exercises to strengthen and tone your body
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By Michele Drake
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Inventor David Weck from San Diego first introduced the BOSU to Olympic trainers and NHL strength and conditioning coaches in 1999. Integrating balance exercises into traditional training routines had shown great results and Weck set out to share the BOSU benefits.
The birth of the BOSU
Before the BOSU came along, athletes mimicked its challenges by standing on stability balls, risking injury. Weck took a stability ball, cut it in half and used duct tape to secure it to a round board. His invention was received with rave reviews and now forms the basis of many great programs. Now, everyone from rehabilitation specialists and fitness trainers to sports teams train on the BOSU regularly.
Take the BOSU body challenge
If you haven't tried a fitness routine on the BOSU, now is a great time to start. The BOSU challenges several fitness components that were often neglected by traditional programs: balance, agility, core strength, reaction skills and deceleration. I've structured a complete workout that offers quick results and improves your movements, physique and posture.
Start slowly with this fitness program. It includes some intense exercises so pay close attention to your body's warning signals. You should feel no joint pain, and you shouldn't be so winded that you can't speak. You should feel muscle fatigue -- a burning sensation within the muscle belly that signifies you are challenging your muscles. To progress, you can increase the time spent doing the exercise and make it more demanding by changing your tempo (slow it down, add pauses, etc.) and use more power for a more challenging workout.
Warning: This is not a beginner's workout. Determine what intensity your body is ready for. If you're a regular fitness participant and haven't yet experienced the BOSU, be prepared to be humbled!
Click here for the BOSU body challenge exercises.
Safety guidelines
Ankle roll-over is a common injury for those who are new to the BOSU. To prevent it, envision pulling your toe towards your nose whenever moving on the BOSU -- especially when moving laterally.
Keeping an "athletic stance" is very important for all skills you execute: Bend at your ankles, knees and hips slightly, with chest up and shoulder blades flat, rather than jutting out. Tighten your abdominals and keep feet about hip-width apart. Hands hover close to your body and forward. Always try to start and end each move in this position.
Where to buy a BOSU
You can purchase the BOSU by clicking on "cool stuff to buy" at www.123blastoff.com.
Michele Drake's favourite fitness toy is the BOSU. She's a master trainer in Ontario who guides fitness professionals and participants alike in the safe use of this tool.
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