Interesting Facts 

Inflatable hemisphere simulator. BOSU platform: what it is, pros and cons. Top best exercises with BOSU. Positive aspects of use

For those who like to do aerobics or fitness in the gym, as well as for those who prefer to exercise at home, a gymnastic hemisphere was invented. What it is, what it is like and how to use it correctly can be found out from the information below.

About the structure, name, appearance and composition

A gymnastic hemisphere is additional sports equipment, which is presented in the form of a balancing platform and a hemisphere made of rubber with a special hole that helps regulate its height and elasticity by inflating or deflating air. Some call this type of exercise machine the abbreviation "BOSU" from the original English phrase "Both Sides Up" (translated: "Both Sides Up"), although the phrase was later changed, and today it sounds like "Both Sides Use" (translated: : "Both sides are used").

Weight: 4-7 kg.

Sphere diameter: 58-63 cm.

Height: 24-30 cm.

Material: PVC (polyvinyl chloride), that is, plastic, and rubber or silicone.

Color: most often blue and green, but gray and red colors are also found.

Includes: pump, rubber shock absorbers (expanders).

Maximum holding weight: 100-136 kg.

Positive aspects of use

Versatility

The gymnastic hemisphere can be used for any sports activities, including:

  • aerobics;
  • Pilates;
  • rehabilitation after injuries;
  • stretching;
  • exercises to find and maintain balance;
  • strength and other training.

Improving training efficiency

Any exercise performed on a platform becomes more difficult, therefore, a person burns more calories when trying to do it.

Multifunctionality

The core muscles (a muscle complex that stabilizes the hips, pelvis and spine) are actively involved even in exercises where emphasis is placed on other parts of the body. This occurs due to the need to maintain body balance on a hemisphere.

Safety

Unlike the same fitball, a large elastic sword for performing sports exercises, BOSU is more stable, and therefore more reliable. Thanks to the balancing platform of the projectile, the risk of falling or sliding off it during training is minimal.

Help in the development of the vestibular apparatus

Even through simple exercises, the hemisphere promotes the development of coordination and balance in a person, which may well be useful not only for a professional athlete, but also for an ordinary person in his everyday life.

Diversity

Exercises with a gymnastic hemisphere initially involve a large number of methods of use, for example:

  • sitting;
  • lying down and reclining;
  • fully and partially standing on the platform.

A couple of negative points

You can’t touch on the pros without touching on the cons of this equipment for sports exercises.

Medical indicators

Use is not recommended for people who suffer from:

  • frequent dizziness;
  • sudden pressure surges.

Load due to improper use

You can get a sprained ankle if you do not pay attention to the correct technique of placing your feet. So, you need:

  • keep your feet in the center of the hemisphere parallel to each other;
  • Your knees should be bent at this time.
  • coordination exercises are not for “beginners”

Yes, the simulator can help develop a sense of balance, but before practicing on the hemisphere, it is better to spend some time with a standard set of coordination exercises based on using your own body weight.

Disadvantage from fans of training with dumbbells

This sports equipment does not involve exercises with heavy dumbbells for a couple of reasons:

1) Unsafe.

The main goal of training with a hemisphere is to maintain balance, and with excessively heavy objects in your hands this becomes problematic due to the risk of falling or injury.

2) Weight restrictions.

Depending on the type and size of BOSU, the maximum holding weight of a rubber or silicone hemisphere may vary, but it must not be exceeded.

To maintain good tone, you can use a couple of exercises, options for which are suggested below, and you can expand your knowledge and abilities through the Internet, special blogs, video channels and DVDs with training recordings.

Exercise 1. Squats

  1. Beginner: place the apparatus with the platform down and stand on top of it, legs bent at the knees and shoulder width apart, back straight, and the weight should be planned so that the body does not fall to any side. After this there is a standard performance of 20-25 squats;
  2. Amateur/professional: it is proposed not just to stand on the sphere, but to do it with a jump; then everything is repeated exactly as described above.

Exercise 2. Plank. Be careful, the plank exercise increases blood pressure and strains the heart. If you have cardiovascular problems, it is better to avoid this exercise (you need to be careful with any static and isometric exercises).

  1. Beginner: either place your elbows on the rubber hemisphere, or take the hard platform with straight arms, then take a lying position and perform a plank, the duration of which should be at least 30 seconds;
  2. Amateur/professional: hands are placed on the floor with palms or elbows, and the toes of the feet are placed on the plastic, hard or rubber, soft part of the projectile. The minimum time to complete the plank does not change.

To purchase a decent piece of equipment that will meet all the necessary requirements, the future owner of the simulator must have a good understanding of the issue of quality and other characteristics and properties of the product.

Reading time: 16 minutes

BOSU is a universal balancing platform that will be an effective tool for any fitness workout. In appearance, the platform resembles a fitball, only in a “cropped” form.

It was developed in 1999 by specialist David Weck as a safer alternative to a fitball. The name BOSU comes from the expression Both Sides Up, which in this case means “using both sides.”

Read also:

About the BOSU platform

The BOSU exercise machine is a rubber hemisphere mounted on a hard plastic base. The diameter of the platform is 65 cm, and the height of the hemisphere is approximately 30 cm. A pump is included with BOSU, with which you can pump air into the dome part. The more inflated the hemisphere is, the more elastic it is and the more difficult it is to perform the exercises.

When practicing with BOSU, you can perform exercises both with support on a hemisphere and with support on a flat platform. Typically, the dome side is used for aerobic and strength training, and when the ball is inverted, it becomes a tool for developing balance and coordination. This versatility has led to the popularity of this new sports equipment throughout the world.

The Bosu balancing platform can be used in almost any fitness program: aerobics, strength training, stretching. BOSUs are also actively used in professional sports: basketball, alpine skiing, snowboarding, gymnastics, tennis and even martial arts. Olympic athletes use these balls to improve muscle strength and balance. The platform is also vital in physical therapy for easier recovery from injuries, as well as for their prevention.

At first, training on BOSU may seem unusual and even difficult to you. Don't worry, this is absolutely normal, over time you will be able to do the exercises better and better. Don't rush and start straight away with difficult activities. To begin, choose simple movements to get used to the new machine and gain confident balance.

Advantages of classes on the BOSU platform

  1. BOSU is one of the most versatile exercise machines. You can use it for stretching, Pilates, balance exercises, rehabilitation exercises, as well as aerobic, plyometric and.
  2. This is a great way to make traditional exercises more challenging and more effective. Push-ups, lunges, squats, planks - all these exercises are much more difficult to perform on the BOSU platform, which means you will burn more calories and improve your body even faster.
  3. Your core muscles will be actively engaged the entire time you balance on the ball to help stabilize your body. This ensures that your abdominal and back muscles are stressed even while doing exercises that target other parts of the body.
  4. Bosu is a safer type of equipment than a fitball. If with a fitball you are at risk of falling or rolling off the ball and injuring yourself, then when using a balancing platform this is practically eliminated. First, BOSU assumes a sustainable foundation. Secondly, the height of the hemisphere is half that of a fitball.
  5. The BOSU platform will help you improve the functioning of the vestibular system, develop balance and coordination. This will be useful to you both in everyday life and when playing other sports. Moreover, it is not at all necessary to perform any complex exercises. You can develop your balance and sense of balance even just by standing on the ball.
  6. In order to maintain balance on the platform, you will be forced to engage deep stabilizing muscles. During regular exercise, the deep abdominal muscles are not activated, which causes muscle imbalance and back pain. Regular training with BOSU will help you avoid this.
  7. BOSU can be called a much more versatile sports tool in comparison, for example, with its analogue, a fitball. You can train not only sitting and lying on the hemisphere, but also standing on it with your feet or knees. You will be able to do even more beneficial exercises for your entire body!
  8. The balancing platform is very easy to use. To perform exercises with a fitball, as a rule, you need to select special sets of exercises. Bosu will become your auxiliary tool for performing the usual exercises, but with a O greater efficiency.
  9. BOSU will add variety to your workouts. Routine exercises that are repeated from class to class cease to be highly effective and can even discourage you from doing fitness. In this case, additional sports equipment will come to the rescue (for example, fitball, medicine ball, elastic band), which will help you update your arsenal of exercises and training.

Disadvantages of BOSU

  1. One of the main disadvantages of the BOSU hemisphere is the price. The average cost of such a simulator is 5,000-6,000 rubles. In comparison with the same fitball, the difference is significant and not in favor of Bosu.
  2. The balancing platform has not yet gained widespread popularity. You won't find a wide variety of video workouts with BOSU even in comparison, for example, with a fitball or fitness band.
  3. BOSU exercises put stress on the lower legs. Ankle sprain is a common injury for those who regularly exercise on the hemisphere. It is very important to place your feet parallel to each other in the center of the hemisphere, keeping your knees half-bent. But when training at home, not everyone pays attention to the correct technique.
  4. If you have problems with balance and coordination, then exercises on the ball will be difficult for you. In this case, it is better not to rush to buy BOSU, but to focus on developing balance using standard exercises with your own body weight. It is also not recommended to use Bosa for people with frequent dizziness and sudden surges in blood pressure.
  5. When working out on the Bosu balancing platform, it is almost impossible to use serious weight of dumbbells. Firstly, it is unsafe because you need to maintain balance. Secondly, the ball has weight restrictions (about 150 kg, see the packaging for exact values). This means that serious strength training will not be possible with BOSU.

15 effective exercises with BOSU

We offer you 15 effective exercises with BOSU that will help you lose weight, tone your body, burn calories and get rid of problem areas.

4. Squats with body rotation:

5. Pulling up the knees in the plank:

6. Pulling up the knees in plank No. 2:

7. Side Plank with Leg Raise:

14. Platform plank jumps:

As well as any exercises while standing on the BOSU hemisphere, including working with dumbbells for the arms and shoulders, bending, body turns, leg lifts:

Thanks to YouTube channels for the photo: The Live Fit Girl, Shortcircuits with Marsha, BodyFit By Amy, Bekafit.

  • Always exercise only in . Choose models with non-slip soles to protect your ligaments.
  • At first, do not use dumbbells while standing on a dome hemisphere until you have confidence in your balance.
  • It is not recommended to stand on the BOSU upside down (on the plastic platform).
  • The less elastic the ball, the easier it is to perform the exercises. Therefore, do not inflate it to maximum in the first weeks of use.
  • When standing on the dome side of the machine, pay close attention to your foot placement. Place your feet closer to the center, they should be parallel to each other. Keep your knees bent.
  • Start your lesson with and warm up, finish with.

4 ready-made video workouts with BOSU

If you like to do ready-made workouts, we recommend that you try the following videos with the BOSU platform:

1. Full body workout with BOSU (25 minutes)

2. Full body workout with BOSU (20 minutes)

3. Belly + legs + cardio with BOSU (20 minutes)

4. Pilates with BOSU (20 minutes)

The Bosu platform is becoming an increasingly popular training tool. You can purchase a machine for home use, or you can train with it in the gym. Start improving your body, strengthening your muscles and developing balance with the effective BOSU exercise machine.

Classes on the BOSU simulator actually have much more possibilities than many other fitness programs. Balancing on the surface itself provides a number of advantages.

In real life, it is very rare to mobilize the activity of this muscle group, but balance training effectively and safely stimulates their motor activity.

The BOSU program fosters a new sense of one’s own body and brain; it is “smart training” leading to comprehensive improvement of the entire organism.

Bosu is also used for cardio training. At the same time, the loads are slightly higher than during aerobics, because you additionally have to maintain balance.

Among the advantages of BOSU is that this simulator integrates perfectly with most sports. It can be used as an addition to highly specialized sports training, as a means of rehabilitation, independently, and also to add variety to existing fitness programs.

Diameter: 58 cm. Maximum weight: 320 kg. Includes: pump, handles with rubber expanders for additional exercises.

large-sized and heavy products (Training ropes and Bosu hemisphere) delivery in Moscow 500 rubles.