The CanDo® Balance Board is an incredible fitness tool that challenges your stability by creating an unstable surface. This is done by placing a singular ball directly underneath the board in the center. Thus, creating instability that forces your muscles to engage with more intensity to maintain balance. Using a balance board is ideal in rehabilitation settings and conditioning programs for athletes, as it can help with balance training while also targeting upper body stability and core strength. Here are some exercises you can do to get you started:
Basic Standing Position
This exercise is to get you acquainted with the balance board. For those who never used a balance board, it is important to get used to how to balance on it. You can begin by standing on the balance board with your feet hip-distance apart. Make sure to keep your posture upright and your feet on the outer edges of the board. You can then shift your weight around by going back and forth or front to back. Once you get used to the board, you can then make it more challenging by trying to do squats on it.
Plank Holds
This exercise increases the difficulty of a regular plank by adding the challenge of balancing on a balance board. With the intent to work on your abdominal muscles, glutes, hips, legs, shoulders, back, and arms. To begin, get in a push-up position with your hands flat on the balance board, and slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. You can even use the grip holes on the sides of the CanDo® Balance Board if you want to. Make sure your body is in a straight line with your feet behind you and your legs together. Keep your arms extended but leave a slight bend in your elbows. Hold this position for 30 seconds to a minute.
Push-ups
Doing push-ups on the CanDo® Balance Board takes the plank exercise one step further and targets your chest, triceps, and core muscles. To begin, get in the same position as you did for the Plank Hold exercise and then bend your elbows and slowly lower yourself. Make sure that your body in a straight line while you lower your body. Once you get as low as you can go, pause for a second before using your chest muscles to bring yourself back up into starting position. Do this for 5 to 10 reps to complete the set.
Exercising on a CanDo® Balance Board can offer a unique challenge while also helping with your balance, strength, and core stability training. By incorporating some of these exercises into your fitness routine, you can improve balance and posture, and reduce your risk of injuries. CanDo® Balance Boards offer a variety of different boards and balls to choose from. Offering both circular and rectangular boards will different colored ball indicating the balance difficulty. Use any combination to fit your preference.
To check out our line of CanDo® Balance Boards, click here.
Article written by William Graves