Your stability is challenged many times a day, whether you’re running in the park, walking down stairs or even working out; these exercises it can prevent embarrassing wipe-outs and painful injuries.
Here, we’ll set you up with a list of exercises that can easily turn into a weekly workout. We provide 15 exercises from legs, arms and core area making this a complete Total-Body.
If you make this an workout, this will last you less than 20 minutes, you’ll improve your posture and balance while firming every major body part (especially those abs!). And don’t miss our 5 BEST Ways to Use a BOSU Ball either!
How it works: Three times a week, warm up by doing the Squat. Then perform 1 set of each of the remaining moves in order; REPEAT the circuit (exercises 2 through 14) once or twice more if you want.
Total Time: up to 40 minutes
You will need: Cushion Pad/Disc.
1. CUSHION PAD / DISC: Squat
How to do it: Standing on the disc, bend your knees and lower your body into the squat position until your knees are bent about 90 degrees. You can hold the squat for 15 or 30 seconds or raise and lower yourself into the squat for 20 repetitions.
Progression: Add increased intensity by doing weighted squats with dumbbells.
2. CUSHION PAD / DISC: Single Leg Deadlift
Focus: Improves mobility through the hips, legs and back for better movement skills and posture
How to Perform: Stand with both feet under hips. Shift your weight to the right leg, which should be nice and straight with a soft bend in the knee. Begin to drive your left foot back like you’re stamping the bottom of your foot on the wall behind you, keeping your leg straight. Simultaneously, slowly start hinging at the waist, tipping your torso forward until it’s almost parallel to the floor. Keep your arms straight, at shoulder height, and perpendicular to the floor at all times. At the bottom of the position, your body should be in a straight line from the top of your head to the bottom of your left foot. Then, begin pulling your left leg forward while keeping it straight, and lift your torso up until you’re standing again. Do 10 reps; repeat on opposite side to complete set.
Regression: Perform the exercise holding on the wall or a partner until you’re able to do it on your own.
3. CUSHION PAD / DISC: Reverse Lunge Raise
Benefit: Activate your core, glutes, and hamstrings.
How to do it: Stepping backward with one of your legs. You bend your back leg so your back knee will nearly touch the ground, and your front knee so your thigh is about parallel to the ground. Your front, planted leg is the one that will be working. When your front leg bends, you want to make sure your shin is vertical to your ankle. Keep your weight on the heel of your front foot, and make sure that your front foot stays planted throughout the exercise—your heel should not lift up. Do 10 reps; repeat on opposite side to complete set.
Progression: Added weights in each hand.
4. CUSHION PAD / DISC: Knee Raises
Benefit: Better posture, improve balance, coordination and agility
How to do it: To begin the exercise lift the your knee up, chest up and arms out. Do 10 reps; repeat on opposite side to complete set.
Regression: Hold onto something.
5. CUSHION PAD / DISC: Ankle & Calf Strengthening
Benefit: strengthening the ankles and calves.
How to do it: First and foremost, make sure your feet are straight and sturdy. Now, push from the inside part of the ball of your foot. You will only be working the entire calf. Push up as high as you can on the inside part of the ball of your foot and try to hold it for 2-3 seconds. Really push through the ground with the balls of your feet, bringing your heels as high as they will go. Now, let your heels come back to the ground. Do about 8-12 calf raises with your feet in this position.
Regression: Perform the exercise holding onto something
6. CUSHION PAD / DISC: No Feet No Hands
Benefit: Targets the postural muscles
How to do it: As you are kneeling you will need to maintain a neutral spinal position. If your hips are too far forward or your back is arched, it is much more difficult to balance. Use your arms at your sides to assist in balancing. Look forward and lift your chest up to get onto your knees. Hold this position for 30-60secs.
Progression: Try moving around lightly and shifting your weight around while trying to maintain your balance. Another by Adding some light dumbbells for curls or lateral raises
7. CUSHION PAD / DISC: V-Sit
Benefit: Abdominals
How to do it: Sit on the disc with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Extend your arms straight out from your shoulders, palms facing each other, and lean back until you feel your abs engage. Lift feet until shins are parallel to the floor. Hold for 5 seconds, then lower feet to the floor again. Do 10 reps.
Progression: extend legs out straight in front of you.
8. CUSHION PAD / DISC: Bird Dog
Benefit: improves stability, encourages a neutral spine, and relieves low back pain. It strengthens your core, hips, and back muscles. It also promotes proper posture and increases range of motion.
How to do it: Begin on all fours in the tabletop position. Place your knees under your hips and your hands under your shoulders. Maintain a neutral spine by engaging your abdominal muscles. Draw your shoulder blades together. Raise your right arm and left leg, keeping your shoulders and hips parallel to the floor. Lengthen the back of your neck and tuck your chin into your chest to gaze down at the floor. Hold this position for a few seconds, then lower back down to the starting position. Raise your left arm and right leg, holding this position for a few seconds. Return to the starting position. Do 8-12 repetitions.
Progression: Perform the exercise without the opposite hand touching the floor.
9. CUSHION PAD / DISC: Donkey Kick
Benefit: Great for both stability and toning. They target your gluteus maximus — the largest of your three glutes muscles, and the bulk of your butt
How to do it: Get on all fours with left knee on the disc and right knee on the floor beside it. Lift right knee to hip height behind you as you flex foot, pushing it toward the ceiling. Lower right leg to starting position; repeat. Do 15 reps, then switch sides to complete set.
Progression: Perform the exercise with ankle weights
10. CUSHION PAD / DISC: Tri-Point Plank
Benefit: Arms, Core and Butt
How to do it: Get in plank position with hands shoulder-width apart on the disc. Lift right leg to hip height behind you. Hold for 20 to 60 seconds.
Rest 30 seconds, then repeat, this time raising left leg to complete set.
Regression: Perform with legs bent 90 degrees and slightly off
11. CUSHION PAD / DISC: Pushups
Benefit: Designed to engage and strengthen muscles on the upper part of the body including the arms, shoulders and chest. This form of exercise also helps in building core stability and strength via the instability and the dynamics of the balance disc.
How to do it: placing one of your hands on the the balance disc and one of the floor next to the disc maintaining your back on a straight position and the core tight.
Regression: Perform the pushups on your knees
12. CUSHION PAD / DISC: Elbow Plank
Benefit: perfect way to challenge your core muscles
How to do it: Let your bent elbows and forearms rest on the balance disc with the palms facing each other with elbows situated under the shoulders. Keep your legs extended with your toes touching the floor to ensure that your body is in a straight line. Don’t sink or arch the lower back or the hips. Maintain your core in a tight position. Hold yourself in that position for 60 seconds.
Regression: Perform on your knees.
13. CUSHION PAD / DISC: Oblique Challenge
Benefit: Oblique
How to do it: placing your hip directly on the cushion pad; position yourself with legs full extended and rest on your elbow. As the other arm extended up you’ll perform one movement by elevating both the legs as the arm that’s up meets both the legs.
14. CUSHION PAD / DISC: Side Plank
Benefit: Oblique.
How to do it: While lying on your side, prop your upper body using your elbow. Keep your legs straight and lift your hips from the floor. Hold yourself at that position for 6 seconds Let this time advance to at least 30 seconds for each time you do this move.
Regression: Perform on the knees
15. CUSHION PAD / DISC: Bridge
Benefit: Gluteus
How to do it: With your knees bent, lie on the floor on your allows your hips to raise up the floor with your knees apart and toes facing sideways. While in this position, contract your abdominal muscles. Exhale gently while keeping your abdominal muscles engaged. Lift the hips away from the floor and ensure that the abdomen is strong enough to avoid arching. This should be done gradually starting with two of your feet at the same time while raising one leg while the other one is extended.
Progression: Perform single leg.
- Point to Remember.
The purpose for an uneven surface is that whenever the human body is confronted by an uneven surface, the core muscles are activated in order to give stability to the body. Good Luck!
