The inclusion of fun, effective and safe balance training in programs for seniors is critical. As the older adult population increases exponentially, the health care costs associated with a lack of balance and resultant falls totals a staggering 19+ billion dollars.

For the most transferable and useable functional balance training, exercises need to engage multiple muscles and stimulate the body’s response in a manner that requires both to work together. This results in efficient movement. Both the BOSU® Balance Trainer (BT) and BOSU® Ballast® Ball (BB) are great tools to incorporate into programming in order to accomplish this goal.

Performing balance exercises on an unstable surface, or dome side up of the BT, results in unpredictable challenges to the body. Introducing this type of proprioceptively rich training and physical stimulus results in head-to-toe integrated strength gains, and helps to develop body awareness and reactive capability. Developing high levels of body control is an important goal. Proprioception is defined as the unconscious perception of movement and spatial orientation arising from physical stimuli (similar to standing on the dome of the BT), and the feedback provided by the body’s feedback mechanisms including visual, vestibular and somato sensory systems. This type of training integration not only challenges the individual and is fun, but it also enhances the individual’s ability to balance and move in a functional way, transferring to an older adult’s real life needs. Older adults must be able to move through space, change direction, focus and react to everyday physical challenges on an ongoing basis.

Both the BT and BB provide the participant the best of both worlds from a training perspective. The older adult is able to work on an unstable surface, but at the same time feel confident and secure in knowing that the unstable surface will stay in place underfoot. This allows for unstable training in a controlled, safe environment which is ideal to prepare the older adult for the daily physical challenges of life.

The following exercises may be simple or quite challenging for older adults. It is important for instructors to progress or regress each exercise as needed, to keep the participant safe, challenged and successful.

For complete article, including BOSU® Balance Trainer and BOSU® Ballast® Ball exercise images and instructions, click here.

CLASSES AT MIDWEST MANIA:

BOSU® Playground Challenge with Julz Arney & Mindy Mylrea
Friday October 14, 12:30pm-2:00pm FR3E

BOSU® HIT Athletic Cardio with Keli Roberts
Friday October 14, 2:15pm-3:45pm FR4E

BOSU® Pilates 3D with Helen Vanderburg
Saturday October 15, 10:00am-11:30am SA2E

BOSU® Plyo Progressions with Douglas Brooks, MS
Saturday October 15, 4:00pm-5:30pm SA5E

BOSU® Amped! With Lawrence Biscontini, MA
Sunday October 16, 7:00am-8:30am SU1E

BOSU® XPlode! With Mindy Mylrea
Sunday October 16, 11:15am-12:45pm SU3E

CLASSES AT BOSTON MANIA:

BOSU® Pilates 3D with Stacey Lei Krauss
Friday November 11, 7:30am-9:00am FR1D

BOSU® HIT Athletic Cardio with Keli Roberts
Friday November 11, 10:00am-11:30am FR2E

BOSU® Playground Challenge with Julz Arney
Friday November 11, 12:30pm-2:00pm FR3B

BOSU® Amped! With Amy Dixon
Friday November 11, 4:00pm-5:30pm FR5B

BOSU® XPlode with Mindy Mylrea
Saturday November 12, 7:30am-9:00am SA1B

BOSU® Plyo Progressions with Douglas Brooks, MS
Saturday November 12, 2:15pm-3:45pm SA4E