Bosu ball push ups are a variation of the regular bodyweight push ups where you do the exercise on a Bosu ball.
If your aim is moving a notch higher on the basic push ups or planks on the stability ball, then this move should be your go to.
WHAT IS A BOSU BALL?
The Bosu ball, originally an acronym for both sides up has two sides—a flat side and a dome side and either can be used as a push up base.
You are probably familiar with this ball, only that you may know it with other names such as Swiss ball, exercise ball or stability ball.
As mentioned above, a Bosu ball looks like an exercise ball cut in half it is inflated on one side with a flat platform on the other. You can find them in most gyms, sports stores, and online.
The ball is a balance trainer, providing the user with an unstable surface on which to perform exercises that engage a variety of muscles.
Using the Bosu ball will make your workout more challenging, and it’s a great tool to mix things up.
HOW TO DO BOSU BALL PUSH UP PROPERLY
There exists many ways for doing push ups on a Bosu ball, and no matter which side you use, they can always be modified in a number of ways in order to make the exercise more or less intense.
- Lay with your chest on the stability ball. They will be shoulder-width apart.
- Start in a plank position with hands on the flat side of the ball.
- Place your toes on the floor, legs straight.
- Push your body up until your arms are almost straight (Avoid locking your elbows).
- Hold and balance for two seconds.
- Return slowly to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of reps.
- If you are a beginner however, consider using this guideline instead, as the one above requires a little bit of experience.
- Doing this routine with the dome side up is usually a little less intense, but still offers plenty of core work.
- Place your hands on the outer sides of the dome.
- Step into a plank position with a straight body and a wide grip on the outside of the dome.
- Lower your torso by bending your elbows so that your chest almost touches the ball.
- Keep your core engaged and your body straight, not raising the hips.
- Pause at the bottom of the move, and then extend elbows to return to the starting position.
WHAT MUSCLES DOES BOSU BALL PUSH UP WORK?
CORE
Training on an unstable surface, like a Bosu ball, is a great way to strengthen the stabilizing muscles of your core. Since the ball can roll side to side, using it really targets your obliques as they help keep to your body from falling to the side.
SHOULDERS
While regular push-ups strengthen your shoulders, the Bosu ball variation demands even more from the rotator cuff stabilizers in order to support the body.
Generally, the joints that make up your shoulders are unstable. The rotator cuff is a group of muscles that support the unstable joints. Working these muscles can help to keep you injury-free.
CHEST AND TRICEPS
As with the standard variation, this push up will work the muscles in your chest. Additionally, it can also target your triceps if you maintain more narrow hand position on the ball.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF BOSU BALL PUSH UP?
Bosu Ball push up exercises are still push ups. This means they will also offer push up benefits, some of which include:
More balance training: Balance is an important skill that can be trained. Bosu ball push ups are more effective when it comes to this compared to regular push ups.
More muscle training: By doing a Bosu ball push up you make the exercise more challenging for muscles like your obliques.
Stronger muscles: This push up is a type of resistance training that can helps you strengthen your chest, triceps, shoulder, and core muscles.
Losing weight: Doing Bosu ball push up exercise likely requires more energy than your regular daily activities. Extra muscle mass also helps with burning more calories. Both of these aspects can help with weight loss.
Improves sleep: Exercise like Bosu ball push up can improve the quality and duration of your sleep which in turn offers many important benefits to your general life.
Improves mood: Exercise like Bosu ball push up promotes the release of feel-good hormones in your body, therefore improving your mood.
Anti- aging: Bosu ball push ups can slow down the progress of certain aging markers that are correlated with negative health effects.
BOSU BALL PUSH UP ALTERNATIVES
While this can be a good addition to your workout routine, there are some alternatives available for training similar muscles as this exercise. Some of the alternatives include:
BURPEES
Burpees are the ultimate alternative exercise; they are a dynamic movement combining both strength and cardio by engaging most major muscle groups of the body in rapid succession.
They involve squats, push-ups and jumps. You should expect your heart rate to spike significantly while performing them.
BICYCLE CRUNCHES
Bicycle crunches are abdominal exercises designed to work and strengthen your core.
While lying on your back and moving your legs- in a way similar to pedalling on a bicycle, your abs will “crunch” as you draw your leg in towards you.
Bicycles are a great exercise if you are trying to target multiple areas of your abdominals, such as your obliques and upper abs.
DOWNWARD DOG
This is an integral part of yoga that helps you to easily flow from one position to the next.
When done correctly, it will leave your shoulders, core and legs feeling strong and engaged in a deep stretch.
COMMON BOSU BALL MISTAKES TO AVOID
Avoid dropping your hips as this takes away the core strengthening benefit of the exercise.
Don’t grip the ball too hard as this will worsen your control to the surface.
Avoid placing your hands too wide as you risk falling off the ground.
CONCLUSSION
If you want to benefit from Bosu ball push up, you may need to switch to more challenging alternatives soon to keep seeing a lot of muscle growth and strength progress.
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