Balance boards provide the perfect platform for improving balance and stability, as well as all-round fitness conditioning.
For any over 50s looking to get fitter, balance boards are a great place to start.
Your core, back, and legs will all be engaged during balance board exercises, not only developing better balance but also enhancing any bodyweight training workout.
Balance boards are really versatile – although standing exercises are what you may expect from such a piece of exercise gear, the boards can also be used for all sorts of exercises, from chest workouts to training shoulders and arms.
The instability they create means muscles work harder – giving you a more effective workout.
Balance board exercises help complement weight training and cardio training. It is ideal for both those just getting started and elite athletes.
So, whether you’re looking to get better balance, or a flatter stomach, balance boards could be the perfect solution for you.
Benefits of Balance Board Exercises
Balance boards offer a simple premise – imbalance.
This imbalance helps strengthen and tone muscles as they react to the imbalance and try to maintain stability. By incorporating balance boards into your workout, muscles are forced to work that little bit harder. They also help engage the muscles required for better balance, helping support lifelong fitness.
As the muscles and ligaments are constantly engaged to help provide balance whilst using the boards, they strengthen. This strengthen of muscles helps improve overall strength, muscle tone and reduces the risk of injury.
To regain balance, your body needs to react fast. This means fast-twitch muscles are needed. Particularly as we get older, stimulating and developing fast-twitch muscle strength is incredibly powerful for those wanting to live an active life.
Balance boards have been proven to help improve functional stability and are a reliable piece of physio equipment for aiding recovery from ankle injuries.
The benefits of balance board exercises are far reaching – the versatility of the boards means you can get creative and use them in a variety of ways. The exercises listed below only scratch the surface!
7 Balance Board Exercises You Can Do at Home
In the video below, one of our favourite YouTube coaches, Holly Pinkham, shows off 7 balance board exercises you can do at home.
These exercises include:
Plank
Bridge
Mountain Climbers
Squats
Lunges
Resistance Band Back Row