Find out how to diversify your workout and what to do for a healthy lifestyle. Many different fitness programs have already been created, but they continue to appear, Want to know about bosu? What is it in fitness? Then this article is for you. Perhaps you have not yet heard this word at all, but it denotes a new direction in fitness. Immediately, bosu is an abbreviation of the English words Both Side Use. This can be translated into Russian as follows - the use of two sides.
Surely such an explanation did not answer your question - bosu, what is it in fitness? This is a new direction in fitness, and the name was derived from a special machine called the bosu balance trainer. Outwardly, this type of sports equipment resembles a flying saucer from numerous fantastic films.
The Bosu simulator has a diameter of about 63 centimeters, and at its base there are two handles for easy movement. The top of the simulator is equipped with a rubber hemisphere in the form of a dome, the height of which is 30 centimeters. Depending on the level of the athlete's training and the loads used by him, the elasticity of the canopy can change up or down.
For this purpose, the dome is equipped with a series of openings into which air can enter. We have already said. That this simulator can be used from either side. For domestic fitness fans, this is a new direction, which already has a large number of fans in Western countries. You can practice both in the gym and at home. Today we will tell you in as much detail as possible about bosu, what it is in fitness and how classes are conducted using this equipment.
Features of bosu fitness
Since the surface of the simulator is unstable, exercises with it are more effective. You have to maintain balance during all exercises, which involves a large number of stabilizing muscles. This, in turn, leads to high energy consumption.
Using this simulator, you make your exercises as functional as possible and prepare your body for everyday life. With bosu, you strengthen the vestibular system, increase flexibility, agility, coordination and strength, and improve posture. Note that now the bosu-simulator is very actively used in other areas of fitness, for example, Pilates.
To master this simulator, you do not need to have certain knowledge or prior training. At the same time, the first lessons very often turn into sheer fun until beginners master the simulator. Most often, this requires a maximum of three sessions, and after that you will feel like a fish in water.
If you look at bosu fitness classes, then you will immediately have associations with step aerobics. Many exercises are very similar, but at the same time there are no complex choreographic complexes characteristic of step aerobics. Trainers select exercises in accordance with the age and training experience of the athletes. For example, if you have problems with joints, then jumping will be almost completely excluded from the training program.
Due to the design features of the simulator, a large load falls on the share of the ankle. For the first few sessions, beginners experience discomfort in this part of the body. However, this is true for any sport, and at first you will have unpleasant sensations in those muscles that are most actively involved in work. To reduce the risk of injury, you must train yourself to place your feet parallel to each other on the machine. Also, exercises should be performed with bent knee joints. We recommend that beginners move slowly and avoid jerking.
Before starting the session, you should warm up well. Walk around the machine and climb it from different sides. Stand on the canopy on one and then two legs. The main part of the lesson is chosen according to your goals. This can be a cardio session, strength training, stretching, and even circuit training. However, it's worth starting with simple cardio exercises.
Equipment is also very important in bosu fitness. First of all, this applies to shoes, which must have a sole that prevents slipping. Moreover, it must be high enough to protect the foot from injury. Today, exercise equipment is already fashionable on sale, and you can work out at home, which will also be very effective.
Recommendations for bosu fitness classes
We have already partially answered the question, and now we will give some recommendations. Thanks to them, you can train more efficiently and avoid injury.
- It is very important to choose the right shoes for your practice. The platform should be high enough and the heel should be firmly fixed. We have already talked about the properties of the sole above.
- Each lesson must begin with a warm-up.
- The pace of the workout should be increased gradually. Place your feet on the platform as close to the center as possible so as not to fall off the machine. The knee joints should be bent.
- It is very important to determine the purpose of training, since the choice of exercises depends on this.
Since exercising on the simulator actively loads the ankle muscles, training can be very useful for people who are fond of skiing, skating or snowboarding.
Bosu fitness benefits
We've said before that workout is almost always fun, but you should remember that fitness is primarily about improving your physical fitness and only then improving your mood. Already many people do not ask the question - bosu, what is it in fitness, since they were able to appreciate all the advantages of the new direction.
This direction combines the advantages of several types of fitness and now the simulator is actively used in the same Pilates, to increase the efficiency of training. We have already said that stabilizing muscles are involved in the work on the simulator. There are three main advantages of this direction:
- Perfectly strengthens the vestibular apparatus.
- Develops agility and increases strength.
- Improves balance and coordination.
How to train in bosu fitness?
We've already given you some tips on how to properly organize your class if you plan to train at home. Now you should consider a few simple and effective exercises so that the answer to the question, bosu, what is it in fitness, is complete.
- 1st exercise. Stand on a platform with your feet slightly apart. In this case, the arms should be bent at the elbow joints. Inhaling, lunge to the left, while bending your legs at the knee joints (the thigh should be parallel to the ground) and pull the pelvis back as far as possible. Keep your right leg on the machine. Then quickly return to the starting position and make a similar movement in the opposite direction. All movements should be vigorous, but you should breathe evenly. Do 15 repetitions in total.
- 2nd exercise. If the first movement was more like a warm-up, then this helps to strengthen the muscles of the buttocks and legs. Place knee joints in the center of the machine and rest on them. In this case, the hands should be located on the side surface of the bosu-simulator. Also, keep your spine parallel to the ground. Exhaling, bring your left leg back and extend your right arm in front of you. In this position, you need to linger for a few seconds. Return to starting position and move in the opposite direction. It is very important that your abs and glutes are tense throughout the set. The number of repetitions of the exercise in each direction is 15.
- 3rd exercise. With it, you will effectively pump your abdominal muscles. Sit in the center of the machine with your hands on the ground behind you. The elbows can be bent slightly if you prefer. Exhale the air and at the same time push off the ground with your hands, straightening them. At the same time, the body must be tilted forward, and the straight legs must be raised, pulling them as close to the body as possible. For comfort, you can squeeze a small ball or towel between your thighs. Thanks to this, the legs will not diverge to the sides during lifting. The number of repetitions is 30.
- 4th exercise. This movement is designed to work out the oblique muscles of the press. Take a lying position on your left side. In this case, your waist should be in the center of the simulator, and your right leg should be on top. Put your feet on the ground, and put your hands in the lock and mark behind your head. Exhaling, bend the body towards the legs, then return to the starting position. Make sure that your arms do not come off your head, and the abdominal muscles are tense. In each direction, you must perform 30 repetitions.
- 5th exercise. Place the machine on the ground with the base up. After that, you need to take the starting position, as if you are going to do push-ups. Exhaling, begin to twist the body to the left, while bending your right leg at the knee joint. Returning to the starting position, repeat the movement in the opposite direction. In each direction, you must perform 15 repetitions.
- 6th exercise. Take a starting position similar to classic push-ups. It is important to remember that your feet should only rest on the ground with your toes. Begin to alternately bend the elbow joints. If you strain the abdominal muscles during the exercise, then you will be able to pump them at the same time. Do the exercise 15 times.
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