Top & Pants: Athleta
The other day I tried my first BOSU (BOth Sides Up) class. This was another case of ‘I have no idea what to expect,’ but I was excited to try a new workout. One of the best things about all these new classes is that I get to shop and add more fitness clothes to my already excessive wardrobe.
Once I figured out how to pronounce the name properly, my excitement turned to sheer delight when I met the squishy half-dome ball laying on the floor. After initially dropping the BOSU ball on my toe while attempting to move it, underestimating its weight (yes, this really did happen!), I then proceeded to try my luck in standing on it. To my surprise, it was not as hard to stay balanced as everyone had warned. Even though the instructor advised us not to jump on the ball, I had to try that, too, and felt like a rebellious kid jumping on the bed.
Now the serious part – the workout! We began by finding our balance atop the ball. Easy! Next we did some lunges with the ball, stepping side-to-side and also backwards. I felt my heart rate accelerating a bit. After we were all comfortable with our BOSUs we moved on to planks, sit-ups, and then back to kicks and lunges.
After only 30 minutes I was exhausted and felt like I burned a lot of calories. The workout is intense and really makes you use every muscle group in your body. We ended the class by lifting and turning the BOSU ball in the air, about chest high, to work our arms. When we needed a break, the instructor told us to hold the BOSU over our heads. A word of caution: the ball is cumbersome and this is harder than you may think.
Overall, this is definitely a workout that I look forward to adding to my routine. It’s fun, not too hard on joints (but you will be sore the next day!), and there are plenty of exercise variations to tailor it to your specific needs.
If you are new to BOSU:
– Make sure your sneakers are tied tightly to prevent your feet from sliding in your shoes and getting nasty blisters!
– Avoid working out on the ball in socks
– Have fun!
Happy National Donut Day! I hope you all enjoy the day and indulge.
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