A recent trend in exercise is to take traditional movements, such as the push-up, squat, and lunge, and perform them on an unstable medium, which increases the difficulty and enhances proprioception – also known as kinesthesia. Kinesthesia, notes WebMD, “is your body’s ability to sense movement, action, and location. Without proprioception, you wouldn’t be able to move without thinking about your next step.” The BOSU (both sides up) ball, which has been used in a rehabilitative setting, offers the exerciser opportunities to develop better balance via instability training. Exercise 5: Reverse Lunge – dome surface Stand on the BOSU ball (flat side down) with the feet facing forward—approximately hip-width apart. Take a slightly exaggerated step backward with one foot into a split-stance position. Keep the front foot in contact with the middle of the BOSU ball while the back foot such that the ball of the foot is touching the ground -with the body weight of the individual should be evenly distributed between both feet. Return to the starting position – alternating the feet between each reverse movement. An advanced movement would be to flex the working leg to 90-degrees before performing the reverse lunge. Breathe normally. Try 5-10 reverse lunges.

Exercise 4: Squats; dome & flat surface Stand on the BOSU ball (flat side down) with the feet facing forward -approximately hip-width apart. Avoid an excessively wide stance. Keep the arms either by the sides or extended in front of the chest. Inhale & flex the hips and squat to a parallel or just above parallel position. Exhale and simultaneously return to a standing position. Contact the core to stabilize during the up and down movement. Turn the ball over and repeat on the flat surface.

A recent trend in exercise is to take traditional movements, such as the push-up, squat, and lunge, and perform them on an unstable medium, which increases the difficulty and enhances proprioception – also known as kinesthesia. Kinesthesia, notes WebMD, “is your body’s ability to sense movement, action, and location. Without proprioception, you wouldn’t be able to move without thinking about your next step.” The BOSU (both sides up) ball, which has been used in a rehabilitative setting, offers the exerciser opportunities to develop better balance via instability training. Exercise 3: Bird Dog – dome surface Start with elbows resting on the BOSU & knees resting on the ground. Then, lift and extend the right arm off the BOSU, until the arm is parallel to the floor. Simultaneously raise the left leg from the ground by performing a hip extension movement. The working leg and arm should elevate to the same height. Hold for a 2-count and repeat 5-10 times. Switch working arm and leg and perform same movements.

A recent trend in exercise is to take traditional movements, such as the push-up, squat, and lunge, and perform them on an unstable medium, which increases the difficulty and enhances proprioception – also known as kinesthesia. Kinesthesia, notes WebMD, “is your body’s ability to sense movement, action, and location. Without proprioception, you wouldn’t be able to move without thinking about your next step.” The BOSU (both sides up) ball, which has been used in a rehabilitative setting, offers the exerciser opportunities to develop better balance via instability training. Exercise 2: Plank – dome & flat surface Place the BOSU ball (flat side down) on a level, stable surface. Assume a prone, plank position with elbows flexed at 90-degrees, forearms in contact with the BOSU ball – arms shoulder-width apart located directly beneath the shoulders. The head and spine should remain in a neutral position – with the knees fully extended and hips in line with torso. While holding the plank position, the torso and hips should remain in a straight line throughout the length of the exercise – engaging the core and gluteal musculature. Avoid rising or sagging of the hips. Breathe normally and try holding for 15 to 30 seconds.

A recent trend in exercise is to take traditional movements, such as the push-up, squat, and lunge, and perform them on an unstable medium, which increases the difficulty and enhances proprioception – also known as kinesthesia. Kinesthesia, notes WebMD, “is your body’s ability to sense movement, action, and location. Without proprioception, you wouldn’t be able to move without thinking about your next step.” The BOSU (both sides up) ball, which has been used in a rehabilitative setting, offers the exerciser opportunities to develop better balance via instability training. Exercise 1: BOSU Push-Ups: dome & flat surface Position the BOSU ball (flat side down) on a stable surface in an open area. Assume a traditional push-up position – arms fully extended and hands placed directly beneath the shoulders or slightly wider than shoulder-width apart on the dome side of the BOSU ball. Legs should be fully extended with feet together- with the head and spine kept in a neutral position during the movement. Slowly lower the chest toward the top of the BOSU until contact is made. Return to the starting position. An easier variation is to bend the knees, so that the knees stay in contact with the floor during the lowering and elevating. Lower on a 4-count and push up on a 2-count. The advanced version is with the dome side down, which creates more instability, using the same execution as with the dome side down on the flat surface. Breathe normally. Try 5-10 reps.