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Balance boards and Bosu balls can be challenging to master—these unstable platforms are often used by trainers to enhance exercises. But are they effective for training, and how can you incorporate them into your routine?
While not essential, they can offer benefits in specific situations
Many individuals have achieved significant strength and athletic progress without relying on balance boards. If you’ve never tried one, rest assured you’re not missing out on anything crucial.
What is their purpose? These tools test your balance and proprioception, helping your brain improve muscle control for stability and enhancing your muscles' ability to communicate your body's position to your brain.
If you're recovering from an injury, your regimen might include instability training to reactivate the smaller muscles in your feet and legs. For example, after my ACL surgery, I was instructed to stand on one foot—sometimes with my eyes closed or on an unstable surface—to achieve this goal.
This training is also beneficial for older adults or those with balance issues that impact daily life. While it improves body stabilization, it’s typically conducted under the guidance of a physical therapist or trainer for safety. Using a Bosu ball at the gym might be enjoyable, but if you can do it casually, it’s likely unnecessary.
They don’t enhance strength for already strong individuals
According to the International Sports Sciences Association, instability training, rooted in physical therapy, is highly effective for injury recovery. However, it adds that there’s limited evidence to suggest it provides significant strength gains beyond improving stability and mobility.
Balance trainers increase exercise difficulty, but this is often more of a drawback than a benefit. For instance, when squatting, your primary focus is on strengthening your legs, with secondary emphasis on your hips and core. To effectively progress, you should increase resistance rather than adding a balance trainer—simply add more weight to the bar.
Using a balance trainer during squats makes the exercise feel tougher, but not by targeting the primary muscles. Instead, the instability engages more stabilizing muscles, which diverts effort away from overloading the main movers. As a result, you won’t be able to lift as much weight compared to squatting on a stable surface.
If you aim to strengthen your stabilizer muscles, experiment with Bosu balls and balance boards independently, and keep them separate from your primary strength-building exercises.
