The Best Bosu Ball Exercises & Workouts for Core

The Best Bosu Ball Exercises & Workouts for Core

The Best Bosu Ball Exercises & Workouts for Core

The Best Bosu Ball Exercises & Workouts for Core

If you’re looking to take your core exercises to the next level, I would highly recommend a bosu ball.

These balls will make you feel unsteady, which is an ideal way to activate your core.

In fact, a bosu ball can be integrated into most of your workout routines.

But today, we’re going to focus on the best exercises for your core.

We’ll divide this exercise guide into three parts- plank exercises, crunch exercises, and other types of exercises you can try.

Bosu Plank Exercises

Planks are basic exercises to strengthen the core. When you try them for the first time, it might be quite difficult to reach 30 seconds, let alone one minute. But as you advance, it will be easier.

If you want to add some spice to your planks, you could do them on your bosu ball. Here’s a list of ideas:

Bosu Planks

This is the basic plank, but it feels quite different if you do it on a bosu ball. Here’s how to do it:

  1. Get down on all fours and grab your bosu ball in front of you.
  2. Make sure the dome side of the bosu ball is facing the floor and you’re grabbing its rim with both hands.
  3. Keep your hips lifted and hold your position for up to 60 seconds.

Bosu Side Planks

Side planks will make you feel very unstable on a bosu ball, and you will need to tighten your core even harder, which makes it more effective. Here’s how to perform a side plank on your bosu ball.

  1. Place the flat side of the bosu ball against the floor.
  2. Place your forearm on the dome side of the bosu ball and hold your body weight with your feet and your forearm.
  3. Lift your hips the whole time and complete 30 seconds.
  4. Repeat on the opposite side.

Plank Leg Lifts

This exercise is very similar to the regular plank but adds in some glute activation. Here’s how to do it:

  1. Get down on all fours and grab your bosu ball in front of you.
  2. Ensure the flat side of the bosu ball is facing the floor this time, and rest your forearms on the dome side.
  3. Tighten your core and your glutes as you lift one leg in a backward kick.
  4. Repeat 10 to 15 times for each leg.

Twisting Planks

This movement triggers your core muscles, but most especially your obliques.

  1. Place the dome side of your bosu ball against the floor.
  2. Grab the rim of the bosu ball with your hands at the same level as your shoulders.
  3. Cross your left knee towards your right shoulder while engaging your core.
  4. Return to the original position and do the same movement with the opposite leg.
  5. Repeat 10 to 15 times for each leg.

Wobbly Plank

The challenge of this type of plank is the instability provided by the bosu ball, hence the name.

  1. Place the dome side of your bosu ball against the floor.
  2. Grip the bosu ball by the platform on each side of the flat side.
  3. Sway to your left keeping your feet planted firmly on the floor and slightly bending the elbows.
  4. Go back to the initial position and sway the other way.
  5. Alternate until complete up to 20 repetitions.

Walking Plank

This type of plank is excellent to tone your shoulders and triceps while working on your core muscles.

  1. Ensure the flat side is facing the floor.
  2. Adopt a plank position as described above, with your hands on the dome side of the bosu ball.
  3. Lower the left arm to your forearm and do the same with your right arm.
  4. Push your body back up as you place your left hand back to its initial position followed by your right hand.
  5. Continue alternating sides for up to 30 seconds.

Elevated Feet Plank

These planks are excellent to work the upper body and core muscles at the same time. It is the basic plank, but with the bosu ball on your feet.

  1. Get down on all fours and grab your bosu ball in front of you.
  2. Ensure the dome side of the bosu ball is facing the floor and your feet are placed on the flat side.
  3. Keep your hips lifted and hold your position for up to 60 seconds.

Knee To Elbow Plank

This exercise is excellent to strengthen the oblique muscles and improve your stability.

  1. With the flat side of your bosu ball facing the floor, adopt a plank position, and place the ball in front of your with your elbows on the dome side.
  2. With your legs fully extended, start by bringing one of your knees toward the elbow of the same side.
  3. Return to the initial position and do the same on the opposite side until you complete up to 25 repetitions.

Bosu Crunch Exercises

Instability is also useful for crunches. Additionally, a bosu ball makes it easier on your articulations if your tailbone hurts after one set of exercises.

That’s why we are bringing you fresh ideas to use your bosu ball for crunches.

Bosu Sit-Ups

Sit-ups are the most basic type of crunch, and we should always incorporate them into our core workout routine. Here’s how to do a sit-up with your bosu ball:

  1. Sit comfortably resting your lower back on the dome side of the bosu ball.
  2. Curl your upper body while engaging your core and keeping your hands behind your back.
  3. Go back to the initial position.
  4. Repeat the same movement for 30 seconds.

Bosu Side Crunches

This type of crunches is made to work out your abdominal muscles and obliques at the same time.

  1. With the dome side of your bosu ball up, lie across the center.
  2. With your hands behind your head and your abdominals tight, crunch up.
  3. Go back to your initial position and repeat 30 seconds for each side.

Dumbbell Crunch

These crunches are the same as the traditional crunch on a bosu ball, but holding a dumbbell in your hands.

  1. Sit comfortably resting your lower back on the dome side of the ball, holding the dumbbell in front of you.
  2. Curl your upper body while engaging your core and hold your dumbbell overhead.
  3. Go back to the initial position.
  4. Repeat the same movements for 30 seconds.

Bosu V-Ups

V-Ups are great to challenge your abdominal muscles as it combines the same muscle activation achieved by crunches and leg raises.

  1. Place your bosu ball in front of you with the flat side facing the ground.
  2. Sit on the center with your knees bent.
  3. Lift your feet in front of you until your body takes a V form.
  4. Keep your abs tightened and straighten your hands on your sides.
  5. Start leaning backward until barely losing balance.
  6. Go back to the initial position and repeat up to 20 times.

Bosu Leg Raises

Leg raises are very effective abdominal exercises. It can sometimes be pretty bad on your back, but doing it on a bosu ball minimizes that risk. Here’s how to do it

  1. Sit on the dome side of your ball and start raising both legs at the same time.
  2. Hold yourself, keep your balance, and engage your core.
  3. Go back to the initial position.
  4. Repeat 13 to 15 times.

X Crunches

X crunches can be pretty challenging but they do a good job of working out your transverse abdominis muscle. To do this exercise:

  1. Lie your back on the dome side of the bosu ball with your feet extended.
  2. Raise your left leg and touch the tip of your toes with your right-hand fingers.
  3. As you do, keep your abdominal muscles tightened and the opposite hand behind your head.
  4. Go back to your initial position and switch sides.
  5. Repeat the movements for up to 40 seconds.

Russian Twists

If you want to engage your obliques, Russian twists are absolutely mandatory. This is how you do them:

  1. Hold your bosu ball by the handles and sit on the floor with your feet flat on the ground and your knees bent.
  2. Lean back slightly, contract your abdominal muscles, and bring the bosu ball to either side of your body, holding with both hands.
  3. Repeat for at least 40 seconds.

There are many other core exercises available, all you have to do is be creative and use the instability of the bosu ball to our advantage.

We recommend the following exercises:

Mountain Climbers

Practicing mountain climbers on your bosu ball activates not only your core but your arms as well. It’s also a great cardio exercise. Here’s how you do them:

  1. Place your bosu ball down with the dome side against the floor and grab it by the rim.
  2. With your arms at the same level as your shoulders, tighten your core and extend your legs.
  3. Draw your left knee toward the chest and then go back to the original position.
  4. Do the same with the opposite side.
  5. Repeat up to 30 times.

Boat Pose

The boat pose comes from yoga, and it’s an excellent way to activate your core and does so even more if you have a bosu ball because it adds some instability. Here’s how you do a boat pose:

  1. Start by sitting on the dome side of your bosu ball, resting your hands behind your glutes in your initial position.
  2. Keep your legs together and bend them at 90º in front of you.
  3. Keeping your balance, extend your arms in front of you.
  4. Hold for up to 30 seconds.

Bridges

This exercise is also known as the glute bridge because it is typically used to tone glute muscles, but it also contributes widely to core activation.

  1. Start by lying on your back and placing your feet on the dome side of your bosu ball.
  2. Tighten your core and press through your feet to lift your hips.
  3. Squeeze your glutes and reach as higher as possible without overextending your spine.
  4. Lower your hips to the initial position and repeat 10 to 12 times.

Single-Leg Bridges

Bridges can work your lower back and glute muscles at the same time, and you get even more core activation with a bosu ball. Here’s how to do it:

  1. Lie on your back with both feet on the dome side of the bosu ball.
  2. Tighten your core and raise your hips upwards and one of your legs toward the ceiling.
  3. Lower your hips and repeat with the opposite leg.
  4. Repeat 10 to 15 times for each leg.

Bosu Bird Dog

The bird dog pose is excellent to tone your shoulders and glutes while focusing on your core muscles. To do it on a bosu ball:

  1. Place the bosu ball in front of you with the flat side against the floor.
  2. Place your hands and knees on the ball.
  3. Then, extend your left arm and your right leg at the same time.
  4. Return to your original position and do the same movement with the opposite arm and leg.
  5. Complete up to 12 repetitions for each side.

Shoulder Taps

This exercise may seem pretty simple, but it is the first step to train your core for side planks if you still can’t do them properly. Here’s how you do it:

  1. Start in a plank position with your arms resting on the dome side of the bosu ball.
  2. Bring your left hand to your right shoulder in a controlled manner and return to your starting position.
  3. Repeat with the opposite hand and keep alternating for up to 30 seconds.

Burpees

Burpees use power and activate not only your core but also your arms, and you can adopt an interesting variation if you have a bosu ball. Here’s how:

  1. Hold your bosu ball on the rim with the dome side against the floor.
  2. Adopt a high plank position with your hands on the same level of your shoulders.
  3. Jump forward, changing from a plank to a squat position and rise with the ball still in your hands.
  4. Lift it overhead and return to your initial position.
  5. Repeat movements for 30 seconds.

Split Squats

Squats are an excellent way to build your lower body, but they can also work on your stability when you do them using a bosu ball. To start the exercise:

  1. Stand with your left leg forward and your right leg resting on the dome side of the bosu ball.
  2. Keep your hands clasped in front of you and keep your balance.
  3. Lower down your body while bending your knee.
  4. Then, pressing through your left foot down, bring your body back to the initial position.
  5. Repeat up to 12 times for each leg.

Side Squats

This is another type of squat you can try with a bosu ball. Here’s how:

  1. Place the bosu ball on your right side and stand with your feet together.
  2. Step on the bosu ball with your right leg while lowering your body into a squat.
  3. Press on your right leg and bring your body back to the initial position.
  4. Repeat 12 times.
  5. Move to the opposite side and repeat.

Push-Ups

You definitely need push-ups in your routine if you want to strengthen your upper body, and bosu balls can make it more challenging by slightly elevating your body and giving you an unstable ground. Here’s how to perform push-ups with your bosu ball:

  1. With the flat side against the floor, place your feet on the dome side of the bosu ball.
  2. With your arms extended in front of you and your back straight, lower your upper body.
  3. Extend your arms again and repeat 10 to 20 times.

As you can see there are many exercises to try, but we get that it can be overwhelming if you don’t know where to start. So here are some useful recommendations on how to combine them:

Choose two planks exercises, two crunch exercises, and 1 from another list.

Here’s our suggestion:

  • Bosu Side Plank
  • Walking Plank
  • Dumbbell Crunch
  • X Crunches
  • Bosu Bird Dog

Have a special session trying different types of planks.

Try with the following:

  • Wobbly Plank
  • Knee to Elbow Plank
  • Bosu Side Plank
  • Twisting Plank

Focus on your obliques in the whole workout session.

Try with a combination like this:

  • Twisting Plank
  • Knee to Elbow Plank
  • Bosu Side Crunches
  • Russian Twists

You might notice that core workouts are not as easy as they seem and they make you sweat, literally.

That’s far from being a bad thing though, it only means you need them more than anything else and they’re working.

So if it’s hard, don’t feel discouraged right away and keep at it. After a while, it will become easier and you will be able to complete one-minute planks and many crunch repetitions.

With a bit of patience and a high-quality bosu ball, you can do this!