A balance board is an excellent tool for keeping your body active throughout the day or practicing your surfing balance on land.
Most of us spend the day sitting in front of a computer instead of surfing. Unfortunately, this significantly affects your body, posture, and general health.
Balance board exercises are a fun way to improve your health by doing exercise.
The best balance board exercises target the core, coordination, and neuromuscular integration. Spending some time on a balance board during the day may make a significant difference in your health, strength, sports performance, and balance.
10 Best Balance Board Exercises
There are several different methods to make the most of your balance board. Here are ten of the best balance board exercises to maintain your body in good shape.
Standing Still on a Balance Board
The most straightforward balance board workout for beginners is simply standing still. However, this isn’t as simple as you may believe since it will need a lot of concentration and power.
On the floor, lean against a wall and hold your hips at 90 degrees. You activate your core and leg muscles by keeping your legs straight and stationary on a balance board. The quads, calves, and hamstrings are all targeted areas.
Place your feet on the board’s outside edges and find your balance to keep still on a balance board. You may time your stands for particular reps or try to remain motionless as long as possible. This can also be a fantastic way to relax.
Tilting the Balance Board from Side To Side
The leg balances from a standing position on the balance board. This essential exercise needs a lot of concentration and helps to work out your ankle and leg muscles. Begin by standing still on the balance board with sturdy support in hand.
Tilt the board forward to a 45-degree angle. Apply pressure on one leg and tilt the board until it touches the ground. Pressure on the opposite side and turn the board around.
The test should be completed while the rest of your body remains motionless. Keeping a strong core and steady, sluggish movements can help you to really use your muscles.
Tilting Back And Forth
This is one of the first balance board exercises that you should master. To begin, find a balanced position and hold securely to a stable object, such as a table, in the same way as side-to-side tilting.
Tilt the front of the board gradually until it comes into contact with the ground. Next, tilt backward until the back of the board makes contact with the floor.
This is a wonderful method to improve your ankle strength and mobility. Make sure you make the motions slowly and gently, with a firm core.
Single Foot Tilts on a Balance Board
Begin by balancing your weight on one foot on the balance board with the other leg raised to your torso. Keep the core taut and the body still, and move the board in all directions.
Begin with forward and backward tilts, followed by left and right Tilts. After that, try a round-the-clock shimmy. The stabilization muscles of the ankles are strengthened while the core is engaged through this balance board workout.
Balance Board Around The Clock
You may combine the preceding two balance board workouts now. Begin by tilting the board to the left until the edge touches the floor. Then complete a backward tilt, a tilt to the right, and finally, a forward tilt in one fluid 360-degree turn. This should be done in a methodical manner of rotation.
Keep your body balanced throughout the movement and really work the ankle muscles. Make this motion slowly and precisely, and repeat it at least 60 times. Then you can perform this action in the other direction.
Balance on one foot
Raise one foot to your torso and position it in the middle of the balance board. Keep a steady balance and maintain this position for as long as possible. The stabilization muscles of the ankles will be strengthened by performing this drill with your other foot. Repeat the procedure with your alternate leg.
Squatting on a Balance Board
Stand up straight with your feet on the outer edges of the balance board. Find your equilibrium, squat down, and then lower your body. You may move your hands in front of you and bring them together as you discover this posture.
Then, carefully stand up. Make sure you don’t arch your back while doing this. The balance board must maintain stability and avoid any edges from contacting the floor when squatting. This exercise targets your thighs, glutes, and core muscles.
Squat Push – Advanced Balance Board Exercise
A squat push takes the ordinary squat to a new level. This workout targets the quadriceps, core, glutes, and deltoids. Begin by standing on the balance board rails’ edges and finding your balance. Then, for your lower body, perform the same shape as before.
A squat push differs from a conventional push in that you must hold a pair of light dumbbells. They should be positioned at shoulder level and gripped as you squat down. After returning to a standing position, bring both hands up over your head for a dumbbell press by pushing them toward the sky.
Go back into a squat and bring them down to shoulder height. This entire sequence should be completed as a single movement, and it should be repeated ten times.
Half Moon
This is a great balance board exercise for working on hip stability and involving the hamstrings, core, thighs, and glutes. First, stand on the board with a single foot in the middle to establish equilibrium.
While maintaining a fixed posture, breathe in as you extend the other leg to the side. You’ll need to bend your torso and feel your buttocks and hamstrings engage. The hip points should be stacked on top of each other.
Raise one arm (the same side as your planted foot) and down to touch a block placed on the floor as you move the torso forward.
As you do so, the opposite arm should be raised, ensuring that both arms are parallel. Hold this posture without moving for a few seconds before returning to standing. Then repeat the procedure with the other foot on the board.
Catching And Throwing A Ball
One of the most challenging balance board exercises for kinesthetic awareness in balance is this one. It targets your core, leg muscles, and reflexes. First, stand still on the board and achieve a balanced stance.
Then you’ll need a buddy to throw a ball at you – a soccer or basketball is ideal. Catch the ball without falling, and return it to them. Keep the board still while catching ten balls while maintaining your posture straight.
When we don’t have a partner, we often incorporate juggling into our balance board exercises to keep it challenging!
Conclusion
A balance board is an essential piece of equipment that allows for a wide range of workouts that will help improve your surfing skills. With routines appropriate for beginning unstable individuals and elite athletes, you may use your balance board in any little room.
A balance board can help you enhance your coordination, core strength, reaction time, and performance in several sports. You’ll notice the benefits after performing our simple balance board workout for a few minutes daily.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Balance Board?
A balance board refers to a board that is used for practicing balancing by adapting to changes in centre of gravity, on an unsturdy surface.
Balance boards usually consist of a flat, thin board that moves backward and forward over a roller. The boards are generally made of maple plywood and the rollers are made of plastic.
In general, balance boards are used by a wide range of athletes to improve their balance, muscle strength, reaction times and overall fitness. This post specifically looks at the best surf balance boards.
Can balance boards help you lose weight?
There is no scientific evidence to support the idea that training using a balance board will help you to lose weight.
That said, in our opinion, the goal of training should always be to improve your overall balance, mobility, agility and well-being, with weight loss being a by-product of nurturing your body. Accordingly, a balance board provides an excellent opportunity to have fun training and nurturing your body!
Is a balance board good for surfing?
Yes! We can say confidently, from experience that training with a balance board will improve your surfing by helping you get comfortable with adapting to a moving centre of gravity. Similarly, balance boards are great for skaters and other board-riders alike.