A quick video showing how to perform this plank variation while on a Balance Board.
Balance Boards, Wobble Boards, and Balance Discs come in a variety of sizes and materials but essentially can be used interchangeably in a variety of exercises. Balance Boards, or Wobble Boards, are wood with a round base to create your unstable surface. While the Balance Discs are made of a soft inflatable vinyl.
Develop your balance and stability skills by using a balance board or balance disc in your workout. Learn how to do the Side Step by watching the following video – it’s just a few seconds long, so you can start practicing right away!
Here’s a quick summary comparing the balance board and balance discs:
Our round balance board is constructed of Birch wood and offers a 16″ diameter surface. The flat wood top is perched on a round base that allows for a 14-degree angle of difficulty to your workouts. A sandpaper surface makes it easy to stand on without slipping.
We offer two inflatable balance discs. Both are 13″ diameter. One balance disc is by JFit and is textured on both sides – one is knobby, and the other slightly textured to reduce slippage. Our Natural Fitness balance disc is smooth on one side, knobby on the other, but this balance disc is made with a non-toxic, eco-friendly, phthalate-free PVC elasticizer. The soft, inflatable balance discs are also a great tool to use to improve your posture. Place on the seat of your office chair and get the same benefits of using a stability ball without the bulk.
In seconds you can quickly learn how to use a balance board or a balance disc to increase the difficulty level of doing a Plank pose with a Crunch. Adding an unstable base to any exercise or pose will force you to incorporate additional muscles and will also train your proprioceptors to reduce the risk of injury.
Balancing on a Balance Board or Balance Discs in this plank variation exercise will add an additional challenge to your workout.
Our Balance Discs are 13″ in diameter. Some exercises may require two discs under your hands, elbows, knees or feet. We also offer two different brands of Balance Discs: JFit’s Balance Disc which is textured on both sides and Natural Fitness’s Balance Disc which is eco-friendly and offers one smooth side.
Performing squats on a Balance Disc or Balance Board adds an extra challenge. To complete this exercise using a 13″ Balance Disc, you’ll need two – one under each foot. If using the Round Balance Board (which is a 16″ diameter), your feet will be closer together than as shown in this video. You may wish to compensate by moving slower with more awareness and also positioning yourself near a wall for periodic support.
Improve your running form with this exercise on a balance disc or a balance board. A great exercise to practice to strengthen the core, improve balance, and re-train the proprioceptors.
The Balance Discs and Boards sold at RollingSandsHarmony.com are different than what’s in this video, but you could still adapt the exercise to your equipment.
Add a Balance Board to almost any exercise to up the challenge. Here’s another example showing that you can add a Balance Board in a Side Plank pose. My only tip to add on this exercise / yoga pose, is to stack your shoulder over your wrist. What other balance poses or exercises would a Balance Board work with? Last week we showed a video doing the Seated “V” / Boat Pose, so you can’t suggest that one!
The Seated “V” (which is known as the Boat Pose in Yoga) can be pretty challenging for most folks. If you feel like you’re strong in those pose/exercise, add the challenge of sitting on a Balance Board while doing it:
Following are some exercises that you can perform on the Balance Board (or also known as a wobble board). These exercises are listed from easiest (#1) to hardest (#10). We’d strongly recommend that beginners start with #1 and progress down the list as their strength, balance, and reaction times improve. Doing so with a chair or wall near by is helpful too. As you improve, you’ll use these props less and less, but it’s nice to have them near you if you need the extra support! Once you feel strong enough and comfortable enough, then challenge yourself without a wall or chair…starting from the beginning.
We carry a wood Balance Board by TKO. They look simple enough, but can be quite challenging (especially for beginners). They are great for athletes who depend on agility and need to perform quick turns on their feet (basketball players and soccer players, for example). Balance boards will strengthen the ankles and lower legs in addition to training proprioceptors, which are sensors in our bodies that warn us that our ankles are turning over. This is why they are also used in rehab therapy for people who have twisted or injured their ankles. It’s a good tool for anyone looking to improve strength and balance.
Exercises to do on a Balance Board:
1. Sitting on the floor, place the balance board under the feet and slowly rotate it a number of times in each direction.
2. Stand on the balance board, feet shoulder-width apart. Hold on to a chair for support if needed and rock the board forwards and backwards, then side to side. Do this for 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Stand on the balance board, feet shoulder-width apart. Rotate the balance board round so that the edge of the board is in contact with the floor at all times. Do this for 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Stand on the balance board, feet shoulder-width apart. Rock the board front to back for one minute then side to side for one minute.
5. Balance on the balance board for as long as you can without the edges touching the floor. Aim for over 2 minutes without touching the floor.
6. Rotate the balance board in a circle, but do not allow the edge of the board to touch the floor. Aim for 2 minutes.
7. Stand on the balance board with one leg. Rock the board from front to back for 1 minute and then side to side for 1 minute.
8. Stand on the balance board with one leg. Rotate the board in a circular motion in one direction for 1 minute then repeat in the other direction.
9. Stand on the balance board with one leg. Try to stay balanced. How long can you hold it?
10. When you have mastered all of the above you should have strong, stable ankles and be an expert. Want to challenge yourself further? Try these exercises with your eyes closed!
Here’s a video on using a wobble board for rehab purposes. We’ve touched on some of these exercises and benefits of the wobble/balance board in a prior post, but sometimes it’s easier to understand when we see a video versus just reading instructions.
You can use a balance board as shown in this video, or a balance disc as well. Our balance board has a round base in center underneath that allows you to rotate in all directions. A balance disc works similarly, but is made of PVC and will ‘give’ in all directions versus tilting.
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