Never seen a Bosu ball? Imagine taking a Swiss ball, cutting it in half, and mounting a platform on the cut side. It’s an interesting device, sort of like a wobble board.

But as neat looking as it is, nine out of ten strength training or fitness websites you go to, if the Bosu ball is mentioned, it’s only to make fun of the thing! It just seems most strength training coaches and bodybuilders hate the Bosu ball, not to mention their feelings toward personal trainers who include Bosu ball exercises in their so-called “functional training” fitness plans in the big commercial gyms.

But why do they hate it so much?

I think the problem lies not with the Bosu ball itself, but with the way in which people use it.

Background on Training Methods

To illustrate my point, let’s first review a few different training methods:

• Weight lifting
• Bodyweight exercises
• Balance training

Weight lifting involves lifting heavy weights in order to gain muscle and/or strength. The object is to move as much weight as possible, which requires a very stable base – feet flat on floor, body tight, etc.

Bodyweight exercises involve moving your body through space. There are no extra weights for resistance; instead, you move your body in ways that are progressively more difficult. The object of this style training is typically to increase full-body strength without gaining extra muscle.

Balance training is typically used by athletes such as skiiers, snowboarders, gymnasts, martial artists, freestyle BMX riders, mountain bikers, etc. If you need to balance on something in weird positions to excel in your sport, you should be training to improve your balance. This type of training can be done without equipment, but it commonly includes the use of the Swiss ball, wobble boards, balance boards, and yes, the Bosu ball.

Why Diss The Bosu Ball?

I think most can agree with those statements on training methods. So why diss the Bosu ball?

Because some trainers are combining weight lifting and balance training together.

I’m not sure why they do this. My best guesses are 1) they can say it’s time efficient for your busy schedule, and 2) it sounds new and exciting, which probably appeals to many gym-goers.

But if you step back and think, weight lifting and balance training have completely different goals. Weight lifting is all about heavy weights. But, you simply can’t use heavy weights when standing precariously on a Bosu ball. So you can’t realistically make the gains you want. And worrying about adding weights during balance training seems useless. I don’t know about you, but I’ve never seen a snowboarder or gymnast holding weights during an event.

Sure, doing squats with 300lb on your back while balancing on a Bosu ball could be a neat circus trick, but it’s not the most practical exercise. Spend your time doing something productive. It doesn’t need to be fancy to get results.

When it comes down to it, I agree that mixing weight lifting and balance training is pretty stupid. But that doesn’t mean I hate the Bosu ball!

How the Bosu Ball Can Be Useful

When it comes to improving balance, especially if you’re still working your way up to standing on a stability ball, the Bosu ball can be a useful tool. You can think of it like training wheels for riding a bike, or as another tool in your toolbox.

To see examples of Bosu ball exercises, take a look at this Bosu ball exercise page at AskTheTrainer.com. It shows some common uses of the Bosu ball. Note that I don’t recommend all those exercises, but in general, that is more in line with what the Bosu ball should be used for.

As long as you stick with using it for balance training, rehab, and as a Swiss ball replacement for some core exercises – such as, a plank with your elbows up on the Bosu ball – you’ll be fine.

Lance Armstrong Used a Bosu Ball!

Just wanted to point this out for fun – Lance Armstrong was spotted using a Bosu ball. It was in the February 2009 issue of Men’s Health magazine.

In one photo, it appears as though Lance is just using the ball and doing lateral jumps over it. But in the other, he is doing push-ups with one hand on the ball. That’s a good exercise, although it can be done with a medicine ball or soccer ball.

Why I Wouldn’t Buy a Bosu Ball

Even though I just said the Bosu ball can be useful, I have no plans to buy one, nor do I recommend you go out and purchase one.

First, the things cost $80-120. That is a lot! A stability ball will cost you less than $20.

Second, most of the time you could use a Bosu ball, you might as well just use a stability ball anyway.

Note: If the stability ball seems too intimidating to work with, just don’t inflate it so much. I think most people would be fine just getting a cheap, small Swiss ball and using it half-inflated when necessary. That’s a decent Bosu ball replacement while you improve your balance enough to use the stability ball as intended.

Final Word on the Bosu Ball

You know the saying, “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people.” ?

I adopt a similar stance in favor of the Bosu ball: “Bosu balls don’t make people do stupid exercises. Stupid personal trainers make people do stupid exercises.”

It is less eloquent and takes many more words, but it gets the point across. You can’t blame the Bosu ball for how people use it. While I don’t recommend the Bosu ball for everyone, it doesn’t need to be shunned and laughed at.

A very useful skill for both road and mountain bikers is the track stand. A track stand is when you balance the bicycle in place, keeping your feet on the pedals.

The name comes from track racing where coming to a dead stop on the track was sometimes part of race strategy. But in road and mountain biking, the track stand can be used for a variety of reasons on every single ride.

On a road bike, you can track stand at stop lights and stop signs. This allows you to get a better jump when starting out since you don’t have to worry about clipping into your pedals.

If you can’t do a track stand yet, it would be a bad idea to practice in traffic. But once you have it mastered, it’s actually safer to balance like that than put a foot down. If for some reason you have to move quickly (like a car coming up to rear end you,) you’re ready to react in a flash.

It’s similar to staying in first gear on a motorcycle when at a stop light, rather than being in neutral. It allows you to get moving out of harm’s way faster if/when the need arises.

The track stand could also come in handy in the race parking lot if you like to show off!

On a mountain bike, you can track stand before hitting an obstacle.

For example, if there is an upcoming technical section, you can pause briefly and analyze it, all without putting your foot down. This lets you get moving quickly when you’re ready, rather than screwing up your rhythm.

Maybe you’re racing and someone wrecks in front of you in a rock garden, and there is no room to pass. You can track stand until they move out of the way, then get going again. If you put your foot down and wait, that might mean you’re walking the entire rest of the rock garden.

Over the course of a long ride or race, this could save a lot of time and energy compared to always unclipping and clipping in. (That is, once you master the track stand and can perform one effortlessly.)

Convinced the track stand is a useful skill? Then continue reading for instructions how to do a track stand…

How to do a Track Stand

Start by rolling along at a slow speed, pedals level.

When you are ready, pull in the brakes to come to a stop.

Now you want to find a comfortable balance position. What I do is turn the front wheel about 30-45 degrees to the left and stand up on the pedals with my left foot forward. (You could also turn the wheel to the right and place your right foot forward, if you prefer. And I usually stand, but you could sit.)

Once you have found your preferred position, you will begin to rock back and forth ever so slightly. This is the key to being able to track stand for a long time.

To rock forward, just let off the brake a little bit. To rock back, just pull the bike back underneath you. Repeat this procedure.

Another thing you want to do is keep pressure on the pedals, specifically your front foot. You’ll be pressing on the pedal, but also holding the brake in, to keep you in place. These opposing forces are the key to sitting perfectly still during your track stand!

That’s really all there is to it. The concept of the track stand is fairly simple. However, it requires lots of practice before you can put it into action.

One thing I suggest, when you are starting out, is to practice on a slight uphill. The hill gives you some extra resistance to push against. You can use less pressure on the brake, since your bike won’t start rolling away up the hill.

On a mountain bike, the terrain is usually rough enough you can find something to push the front wheel against, whether it’s a short uphill rut or a rock.

On the road, push against either the crown of the road or a ridge beside a pot hole.

On a track bike, you can pedal forwards then backwards, so no need for brakes or a hill.

Lastly, watch out for toe overlap if turning the front wheel sharply.

Track Stand on Road Bike (Video)

Here is a video of me doing a track stand on my road bike:

[Video coming soon.]

Track Stand on Mountain Bike (Video)

Here is a video of me doing a track stand on my mountain bike:

[Video coming soon.]

Have fun practicing your trackstands and using them in real life!

Incorporating an exercise ball into your workouts is great for working on your balance and stability. You can incorporate it into your typical exercises, or you can just play around on it for fun. Either way, it improves your mountain bike technical skills and even your tolerance for riding in a cramped peloton.

(Plus, some people thought I may have “Photoshopped” the pictures of me demonstrating how to make exercises harder by incorporating an exercise ball, so I had to prove them wrong.)

While I may not be the most fit or talented athlete out there, I was not lying about standing on the exercise ball! Here is the proof:

Here is how I do it:

Step 1: Stand up straight, with the ball directly in front of you.

Step 2: Bend over and place your hands on the ball. (You can bend your knees.)

Step 3: Place one foot onto the ball. (I do my left foot first. I also ride with my left foot forward. But do whatever is comfortable for you.)

Step 4: When you are fairly balanced, step up and place your second foot on the ball, and crouch on top for a moment.

Step 5: When you find your balance, slowly remove your hands from the ball.

Step 6: Now stand up straight! (Slowly, though.)

If you completed all those steps, great! Your balance is better than most people’s. If you got stuck in steps 4-6, just keep working at it.

Now, to get down, crouch back down to get your hands on ball, then jump both feet off at same time. I usually jump out to the sides instead of straight back.

Unless you are an expert, jumping straight off without hand support can be dangerous, as the ball will bounce around. You could end up flat on your back!

And if you try taking one foot off at a time, the ball will probably roll in the other direction and cause you to do a split… and then fall over. If you aren’t flexible enough to do a split, this could be very painful!

Eventually (with practice) you’ll be able to stand on the ball easily, maybe even stand on it with one leg, or do a handstand on it!

5 Tips to Stand Tall Without Getting Hurt

1. If you’re just starting out, be sure you can sit and kneel on the ball easily before attempting to stand on it.

2. Start out with the ball only slightly inflated, and add more air as you improve.

3. Make sure there are no sharp objects (like coffee table corners) in the area. Also, consider putting some pillows or other padding down near you.

4. Have your feet as wide as possible, about shoulder width apart. I point my toes out a little bit because that is more stable for me. (Experiment for yourself to find the right position.)

5. Last but not least, make sure there is enough room for you to stand up straight while on the ball. Low ceilings, chandeliers, and ceiling fans could pose a few problems!

Warning! Danger! Caution!

Here’s the disclaimer! Do not try this at home without the proper training and safety precautions in place! It’s dangerous and you could get hurt!