Sometimes we tend to think that to work our body globally and completely , we need to be using all the machines and all the accessories that are in the gym, when the reality is very different. In addition, it is frequent that we have to wait in the gym for a machine or accessory to be free to use them and continue with our routine.

To avoid these losses of time in which we can sometimes have to skip an exercise, we can make use of certain accessories that exist in gyms and with which we can get to analyze a whole-body routine without the need for waiting . Today we want to refer to one of these accessories: the bosu (which is not the same as a fitball) .

What is a bosu?

A bosu is an accessory consisting of a solid base and a half sphere of latex that serves to work our body and add a component of instability to our exercises. This accessory is increasingly popular in sports centers and even first division football teams like Atlético de Madrid use it in physical training sessions .

The main objective pursued with the use of this accessory is to improve our balance (through an intense work of the gluteus medius, main stabilizer of our lower train ) and muscular coordination (in those exercises in which movement is made, different interventions are involved muscle groups and must synchronize their work to perform efficient and effective work).

Full-body routine using a bosu

Squats on bosu

As we always say, squats are the star exercise at the time of working the lower train, but if we also introduce in this exercise an unstable component such as bosu, we will generate more benefits, since we will force to do a greater job the main ones responsible for stabilizing our body: the gluteus medium and the core.

Of course, the recommendation is to perform the squats using only your body weight , since increasing the weight load could mean more than likely injury.

Bridge of buttocks with bosu

Leaning on the soles of our feet, the main movement of the bridge of buttocks is quite simple, but when adding the instability that is an element like the bosu, we will slightly increase the intensity of this exercise, since we will need to compensate this instability with a greater work of the core and gluteus medium mainly.

An error that people tend to commit in this exercise is to try to compensate for this instability by turning the trunk and supporting with the shoulders , and this in the end turns out to be an inefficient work and can cause us some injury.

Push-ups with bosu support

Flexiones y bosu is a union that can result in an almost infinite range of options, and will help us improve the coordination of our body and the sense of balance. Although it is easier to maintain balance in this exercise, given that we will be supported on our hands, we will also need to perform a good stabilization job with our core , and this will be of vital importance and great help to avoid injuries in shoulders.

And as in any exercise of push-ups, with the bou we will also be able to play with different opening amplitudes of our arms while adding the instability of bosu.

Plates supported on the forearms on a bosu

As will happen with the flexions, the plates already have a wide range of possibilities through the different variants of execution , so again the addition of a generator element of instability will provide an even greater range of possibilities and it will generate more work at the core level, the main muscle that intervenes in this exercise.

However, although it is a relatively simple exercise to perform, there are certain failures that tend to occur in a common way and that we should try to avoid as much as possible .

A complete exercise with bosu: the burpees

The burpees are one of the most complete exercises we can perform to work on the muscles of our body: upper body , lower body and cardiovascular systemare the main executors and objectives of this exercise. We can perform this exercise by performing the jump with or without the bou (in the video we see how it is done by jumping with the bou in the hands).

Add to this exercise as complete an accessory as can be the bosu, will only increase the benefits that already worse if we provide the burpees, because they also allow us to improve all the stabilizing muscles of our upper body (core and shoulders mainly).

Working legs and core: woodchoper on bosu

Woodchopper or woodcutter movements are an exercise that is usually done with a cable / pulley or with an elastic band. However, this variant will be carried out with our own body weight, making the same movement but incorporating the instability generated by the bosu. The movement can be done standing or, if we want to start with less difficulty, kneeling (as we see in the image).

We can perform this exercise with the bosu supported with any of its two parts, although for beginners it may be easier to support the bosu on its flat part and place ourselves on the rounded part. Another advice for beginners is to place themselves where they can count on an external support point if at first they have a hard time keeping their balance.

Side jumps on bosu

To perform this exercise, our initial position will be with one foot resting on the semi sphere of the bosu and this one resting on the ground on the smooth part. Next, we must take impulse with the foot that is in contact with the bosu. When falling, we will have to support in the bosu the foot that was previously on the ground and, the one that we had leaning on the bosu, on the ground.

At first we recommend you to do it slowly to internalize the mechanics of the exercise and do not injure yourself.