For those of you who struggle with balance and coordination, today’s topic of discussion may prove to be particularly interesting.
Why?
Because we’re talking about several awesome balance board benefits.
Getting fit and healthy is a real struggle for a lot of people, partly due to the fact that it involves going through the same routines and doing the same exercises week in and week out.
Sometimes, in order to make progress, we need to keep things fresh and exciting and try new things.
People have obviously realized this, which is why balance board sales have skyrocketed over the last year or so, and it is why we’re focussing on these pieces of kit today.
Balance boards are unique, inexpensive, and highly effective fitness gadgets designed to make getting in shape easier than ever, but what makes them so great?
Here’s a look at several brilliant benefits you most likely won’t have been aware of until right now.
Firstly, What Is A Balance Board?
If you’re not familiar with what a balance board is, then worry not, because we’ve got you covered.
A balance board, as the name implies, is a specially designed board in which participants stand and perform a series of body weight-bearing exercises, whilst trying to keep their balance.
Balance boards are also known as wobble boards due to the fact that they are designed to wobble and shake when stood upon.
The idea is that the user fights against gravity in a bid to retain their balance as they use them.
Offering many advantages, it’s easy to see why these simple devices are so popular.
The Unique Balance Board Benefits:
Now that you know a little more about what a balance board is, let us now take a look at several unusual benefits you may not have considered.
Here are several key reasons to invest in one today.
1. Balance Boards Are Inexpensive
Perhaps one of the most appealing aspects of a balance board, especially during the lockdown, was the fact that balance boards are so affordable and inexpensive.
Balance boards cost very little to purchase, yet they offer users so much in terms of balance, health, and wellness.
2. Great For The Core
Another reason why balance boards are so awesome is because of the fact that they’re so great for the core.
When you use a balance board, in order to keep your balance and stay on the board you will be engaging your core stabilizer muscles.
As time goes by, your core will become stronger, which will help you in a variety of different ways.
3. Build Your Strength
Sticking with the core strengthening benefits, another fantastic benefit of balance boards is the fact that they have been found to increase your strength.
A strong core means you’ll be strong everywhere else as that is where much of your power is generated.
Therefore, if you want to increase your bench press, your squat, your deadlift, your overhead press, or anything else for that matter, make sure to do plenty of balance board exercises.
4. Burn Fat
If you want another reason to consider the many benefits which are out there to be enjoyed, you may wish to consider the fact that they allow you to burn fat.
When you use a balance board to perform a series of movements and exercises, you’ll notice how each one is significantly difficult to perform.
The harder the exercise is, the harder you will work and the more calories you will burn off.
If you want to lose weight, the more calories you burn, the more fat you will lose.
5. Improve Your Balance
Now, believe it or not, another unique benefit of balance boards is the fact that they improve your balance.
Yes, we know, it’s a very surprising benefit given the name, but it’s absolutely true.
In all seriousness, though, a key advantage of balance boards is the fact that the more you use them, the better your balance will become. I recently started to introduce the balance board to my son, who is six years of age and struggles a bit with his balance (boys, right?). I started seeing some nice improvement after the third session – and he is probably happier than me about that.
6. Improved Athletic Ability
Perhaps one of the most unique benefits that we have for you today, is the fact that balance boards can significantly improve your athletic ability.
A balance board will help improve your balance and make you much steadier on your feet.
They will also engage fast-twitch muscle fibers which are responsible for explosive speed and power.
This means that you’ll be lighter on your feet, you’ll be faster, you’ll be more agile, you’ll have better balance, and you’ll be able to run faster and jump higher too.
7. Reduced Risk Of Injury
If you’re physically active, as beneficial as exercise can be, one of the biggest downsides is the fact that you could potentially be prone to injury.
A great benefit of using a balance board is the fact that it will reduce your risk of injury.
Using the board will help strengthen your muscles, improve balance, and make you steadier on your feet so there will be less chance of you injuring yourself.
8. Great For Rehab
Okay, suppose you have suffered an injury and are dealing with, say, an ankle injury, another brilliant benefit is the fact that it is great for injury recovery.
If you are rehabbing an injury to, say, your ankle or your knee, you can perform a series of exercises, stretches, and movements that will test the affected areas, without putting them under extreme pressure or tension.
If you are dealing with an injury and wish to rehab your ankle, for example, a balance board will make a very solid investment.
9. Improved Cognition
Believe it or not, another of the key benefits which we cannot overlook today is the fact that it will improve your cognitive health and function.
When you focus on balancing and indeed, trying to perform an exercise at the same time, you’ll find that your coordination improves and your brain power and concentration improve.
10. Can Be Done Anywhere
One of the other benefits we can’t overlook today is the fact that the exercises you perform on these boards can be done anywhere.
A balance board is relatively small and lightweight and can be used at home, taken with you in the car to work, or out of town if you really insist on it.
You can use a balance board at home and store it out of sight when you’re finished, without taking up heaps of space or room.
There are, of course, different boards that come in different sizes and shapes, but generally speaking, you don’t need a gym to use them.
11. Can Be Scaled Up
Another of the brilliant benefits we need to look at today is the fact that balance board exercises can be scaled up.
What do we mean by this?
Basically, you can make your exercises and workouts much harder if need be.
Because there are so many different exercises that can be performed on balance boards, you can make your workouts as difficult or as easy as you wish.
12. Something Different
If you’re sick of going through the same routine, week in and week out, doing the same exercises and workouts every time that you train, it might be worth trying a balance board.
Balance boards are ideal as they offer users something new and unique, which breaks up the monotony of doing the same things every time you workout.
Balance boards take a lot of practice to master, and they are difficult to use, but they offer something different and once you have mastered them, the benefits you’ll enjoy will be endless.
13. Work Your Whole Body
Another reason to utilize balance boards is down to the fact that by doing so you can engage your entire body.
Whether you want to strengthen your back, your legs, your core, your arms, or any other part of the anatomy, balance boards are perfect because they will engage muscles in your body that you never knew existed.
14. Your Posture Will Improve
Currently, more people are suffering from poor posture than ever before.
Because so many people are spending so much time sitting down and hunched forward at their desks, they find that they suffer from poor posture which can result in bad back and neck pain.
If your posture is suffering, a balance board could prove to be one of the most impressive purchases you will ever make.
Balance boards help to straighten out your spine, and improve your posture, they’ll reduce neck ache and back issues, and much more on top of that.
15. Build A Strong Mind-Muscle Connection
If you’re looking to really improve your training and take your workouts to the next level, a strong mind-muscle connection is essential.
A mind-muscle connection is basically where your brain and your muscles work in synergy to enable you to get more from your workouts and take your training up a gear.
Using a balance board has been found to develop a strong mind-muscle connection for numerous reasons, so why not give it a go now?
16. No Gym Needed
If you want to get in shape but don’t want to go to the gym, or if you can’t get to the gym for whatever reason, a balance board is perfect.
As mentioned, you can use balance boards virtually anywhere, and as they don’t require any specialist pieces of kit or equipment, you don’t need to have access to a gym to use them.
If you want to save time, as well as save money on a gym membership and travel expenses in the process, a balance board will quickly prove to be a very worthy purchase.
17. Great For Water Sports
If you’re into water sports such as surfing or bodyboarding, for example, using a balance board is a great way to improve how well you perform on the water.
If you imagine surfing, surfing is basically the equivalent of balancing on a bodyboard when you’re on dry land and so obviously the better you are with a balance board, the better you will be on the water.
18. Great When Used With Other Activities
Finally, if you are still unsure about whether or not to invest in a balance board, how about the fact that it is great when used in conjunction with other activities and exercises.
Many Pilates stretches and movements, for example, can be incorporated into a balance board workout, so why not combine the two together?
There are endless exercises and movements you can do while sitting down, standing up, on one leg, with one arm, and much more on top.
Whether you’re using it with Pilates, Yoga, or anything else, the benefits you can enjoy are seemingly endless.
Final Thoughts:
So, as you can see, there are heaps upon heaps of balance board benefits to be enjoyed, so it’s easy to see why sales went through the roof over the last year or so.
If you want to make your workouts fun, exciting, productive, and unique, all while minimizing your risk of injury, make sure you pick up a balance board today.
These boards are affordable, easy to use, portable, and very productive, and for those reasons, and those listed above, they come very highly recommended indeed.
