Anyone familiar with "BOSU"?

juliel · 02-19-02, 06:48 PM

I just read a brief article about "BOSU". It's a piece of equipment that resembles 1/2 swiss ball with a flat surface. the article mentions that Crunch has classes with this equipment. They mention that is an alternative to step...The website is:

www.bosu.com

Is anyone familiar with this? I'm curious..thanks!

PamelaP · 02-19-02, 06:50 PM

There was a demonstration for these at ECA last year and several of us tried them out. I can't even imagine using it as a step though! I think we all ended up calling them half-balls. And I remember Nancy C. really wanted one.

Maybe they'll get her this year?

Julier · 02-19-02, 11:27 PM

but quite limiting - I don't know. I'd really want to see a good tape for this but it does look like it could be a great core workout.

KarenP · 02-20-02, 12:09 AM

I'll volunteer to check out a class. It doesn't look like they use it as a step -- more like a core board. The classes at Crunch are called "BOSU Bootcamp" and I imagine they're pretty much like core board classes (i.e they're conditioning classes with the added "twist" of the BOSU). That's just speculation, though. I'll report back in the next couple of weeks.

juliel · 02-20-02, 07:33 AM

thanks karen..that'd be great! looks interesting for core stabilization exercises...i'll be interested to hear your
impressions. good luck!

Lannette · 02-22-02, 10:46 PM

Our outpatient physical therapy department has one and I was able to try it there.

It was amazingly challenging and I could feel all of my muscles kick in as I moved around on it. especially my core.

My son plays basketball so we're going to get one for him and I will just happen to use it too.

I'm not sure if it would be possible to use it as a regular step but I think that you could do tall box climbs at a slower speed.

I'm in the process of seeing if I can get it cheaper by ordering it through work versus through the website. I'm also not sure if the bosu on the website is perhaps smaller than the one I used at work. (Maybe a home model versus a clinical model.)

Lannette (who almost never posts here)

PamelaP · 02-22-02, 10:48 PM

I can't believe there's still no Nancy post in this thread, considering how much fun she had with this item at last year's ECA!

KarenP · 02-23-02, 10:34 PM

OK, I took that BOSU bootcamp today. Unfortunately, I got exercised induced menstral cramps and had to leave the class for ~15 minutes till the advil kicked in. But I plan to go back next week. That means I kind of like it.

The BOSU is pictured on the website, so I won't bother describing it. It's made of a soft rubber or plastic and is more challenging to balance on (IMO) than a Reebok coreboard. However, the class wasn't all that different then the coreboard class I took last year. Lots of drills on the BOSU. So sculpting type weight work done on the BOSU.

Some of the drills included basic stepping on the BOSU, knee ups, and knee ups with hop. We also did squat jumps across the BOSU as well as on top of it. Some quick feet drills too. We did squats with one leg on the BOSU, squats with both legs on it, stationary lunges with one leg on it, some upper body light lifting while kneeling on it, dips, push-ups, planks, bridge work, and followed that by doing some crunch variations leaning against it and back extensions lying on it. We finished with some basic stretching and some one legged balancing on top of the BOSU.

Overall, it was not that strenuous a workout compared to other conditioning classes I've taken, but then again I missed a good portion of it. I did feel that it had some good potential for strengthening the ankles and arches.

Even though I enjoyed it (well, everything except the menstral cramps), I could never imagine spending 100+ dollars for one of these things. I predict it will go the way of the slide.

Any questions?

Lannette · 02-23-02, 11:39 PM

Karen,

Did they have the bosu filled with enough air to make it tight?

The moves that the physical therapist showed me were not as much cardio as they were core and balance work the bosu was soft making it extremely challenging to even stay on the thing.

They also have people stand on it while lifting weights which I imagine would be quite interesting.

I really hadn't even thought of it as much of an aerobic tool.

Lannette

nancy c · 02-23-02, 11:40 PM

Sorry

hehe, I thought it was a line of clothes and didn't click on the thread too quickly...which is even stranger that I didn't jump on it sooner?

Pam....I think Brenda actually bought one. Not sure how much she uses it...I thought it was fun when we played with it at ECA..but my memory has faded a little. I remember it being a big giant gel ball cut in half and thinking it would be good for a few exercises but I couldn't see anyone making a good video for it...and I wasn't motivated enough to make use of it on my own. We'll have to hunt it down again this year...give it another test drive.

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02-19-02, 06:48 PM
juliel VF Supporter Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: amongst kittehs	Anyone familiar with "BOSU"? I just read a brief article about "BOSU". It's a piece of equipment that resembles 1/2 swiss ball with a flat surface. the article mentions that Crunch has classes with this equipment. They mention that is an alternative to step...The website is: www.bosu.com Is anyone familiar with this? I'm curious..thanks! __________________ Julie "One cat just leads to another." - Ernest Hemingway

02-19-02, 06:50 PM
PamelaP Moderator Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Upstate NY	There was a demonstration for these at ECA last year and several of us tried them out. I can't even imagine using it as a step though! I think we all ended up calling them half-balls. And I remember Nancy C. really wanted one. Maybe they'll get her this year?

02-19-02, 11:27 PM
Julier VF Supporter Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Pasadena, California	Looks really interesting but quite limiting - I don't know. I'd really want to see a good tape for this but it does look like it could be a great core workout.

02-20-02, 12:09 AM
KarenP VF Supporter Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Milky Way Galaxy	I'll volunteer to check out a class. It doesn't look like they use it as a step -- more like a core board. The classes at Crunch are called "BOSU Bootcamp" and I imagine they're pretty much like core board classes (i.e they're conditioning classes with the added "twist" of the BOSU). That's just speculation, though. I'll report back in the next couple of weeks. __________________ Cheers, Karen QUIT SLOUCHING!!!

02-20-02, 07:33 AM
juliel VF Supporter Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: amongst kittehs	thanks karen thanks karen..that'd be great! looks interesting for core stabilization exercises...i'll be interested to hear your impressions. good luck! __________________ Julie "One cat just leads to another." - Ernest Hemingway

02-22-02, 10:46 PM
Lannette Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: NH	I've tried one Our outpatient physical therapy department has one and I was able to try it there. It was amazingly challenging and I could feel all of my muscles kick in as I moved around on it. especially my core. My son plays basketball so we're going to get one for him and I will just happen to use it too. I'm not sure if it would be possible to use it as a regular step but I think that you could do tall box climbs at a slower speed. I'm in the process of seeing if I can get it cheaper by ordering it through work versus through the website. I'm also not sure if the bosu on the website is perhaps smaller than the one I used at work. (Maybe a home model versus a clinical model.) Lannette (who almost never posts here)

02-22-02, 10:48 PM
PamelaP Moderator Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Upstate NY	Nancy C, where are you? I can't believe there's still no Nancy post in this thread, considering how much fun she had with this item at last year's ECA!

02-23-02, 10:34 PM
KarenP VF Supporter Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Milky Way Galaxy	OK, I took that BOSU bootcamp today. Unfortunately, I got exercised induced menstral cramps and had to leave the class for ~15 minutes till the advil kicked in. But I plan to go back next week. That means I kind of like it. The BOSU is pictured on the website, so I won't bother describing it. It's made of a soft rubber or plastic and is more challenging to balance on (IMO) than a Reebok coreboard. However, the class wasn't all that different then the coreboard class I took last year. Lots of drills on the BOSU. So sculpting type weight work done on the BOSU. Some of the drills included basic stepping on the BOSU, knee ups, and knee ups with hop. We also did squat jumps across the BOSU as well as on top of it. Some quick feet drills too. We did squats with one leg on the BOSU, squats with both legs on it, stationary lunges with one leg on it, some upper body light lifting while kneeling on it, dips, push-ups, planks, bridge work, and followed that by doing some crunch variations leaning against it and back extensions lying on it. We finished with some basic stretching and some one legged balancing on top of the BOSU. Overall, it was not that strenuous a workout compared to other conditioning classes I've taken, but then again I missed a good portion of it. I did feel that it had some good potential for strengthening the ankles and arches. Even though I enjoyed it (well, everything except the menstral cramps), I could never imagine spending 100+ dollars for one of these things. I predict it will go the way of the slide. Any questions? __________________ Cheers, Karen QUIT SLOUCHING!!!

02-23-02, 11:39 PM
Lannette Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: NH	Question Karen, Did they have the bosu filled with enough air to make it tight? The moves that the physical therapist showed me were not as much cardio as they were core and balance work the bosu was soft making it extremely challenging to even stay on the thing. They also have people stand on it while lifting weights which I imagine would be quite interesting. I really hadn't even thought of it as much of an aerobic tool. Lannette

02-23-02, 11:40 PM
nancy c Tri-ing! Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: South Eastern Connecticut	LOL..I thought it was a line of clothes Sorry hehe, I thought it was a line of clothes and didn't click on the thread too quickly...which is even stranger that I didn't jump on it sooner? Pam....I think Brenda actually bought one. Not sure how much she uses it...I thought it was fun when we played with it at ECA..but my memory has faded a little. I remember it being a big giant gel ball cut in half and thinking it would be good for a few exercises but I couldn't see anyone making a good video for it...and I wasn't motivated enough to make use of it on my own. We'll have to hunt it down again this year...give it another test drive.