The BOSU Balance Trainer, AKA the BOSU Ball, was invented in 1999 by athlete and fitness product developer David Weck as an alternative to a traditional stability ball. They are made in the USA.
An acronym that stands for “both sides up,” the BOSU ball resembles a rubber stability ball that has been cut in half then attached to a rigid plastic platform,
Depending on the exercise you want to do, you use it with either the flat or curved side resting on the floor.
BOSU ball workouts improve core strength, balance, flexibility, coordination, and cardiovascular fitness.
This versatility has led to it becoming a standard fitness tool in gyms worldwide.
The concept behind this simple training tool is that exercising on an unstable surface engages both small and large muscles. This makes for comprehensive and highly effective workouts.
This review looks at an overview of all of the models in the range.
These include the BOSU Home Balance Trainer (the Original), the BOSU Pro Balance Trainer, the BOSU Sport Balance Trainer, the BOSU Travel Balance Trainer, the BOSU Elite, and the BOSU Next Gen.
We will also look at the BOSU Balance Pods 2pk.
Table of Contents
What Exercises Can I do with the BOSU Balance Trainer?
You can use the BOSU Balance Trainer to perform exercises such as Crunches, Planks, Presses, Squats, Bicep Curls, Lateral Shoulder Raises, Hip Extensions, and more. It can also act as a step during cardio workouts.
Click here for a 10-exercise Bosu Ball ab workout.
Read on to find out more about the BOSU Ball.
Why is the Bosu Ball so popular?
The BOSU Balance Trainer is popular with users of every age and fitness level. This is largely because its versatility enables users to perform a vast range of toning and balancing exercises.
BOSU balls come with a workout guide and one or two total-body workout DVDs. The DVDs demonstrate cardio, toning, and stretching exercises, along with moves designed to improve balance and coordination. You can also create your own workouts.
Two balance balls can be utilized simultaneously by resting your feet on one and your hands on the other. Used this way, you will further increase the benefits of exercises such as Planks and Push-Ups.
With a BOSU Ball, there is no adjustment phase as there can be when using a regular stability ball which tends to roll across the room until you get the hang of it.
Excellent for promoting good posture, I often use my BOSU Ball as a seat when watching TV.
Is the Bosu Ball more effective than a regular stability ball?
Two studies concluded that BOSU Balls provide no extra benefits than traditional stability balls when used for strength training. Research has yet to be undertaken to determine if it delivers superior balance and coordination benefits. Studies also need to be done to see if it provides a better core workout than a regular stability ball.
I find the BOSU Balance Trainer enjoyable to use, and anything that keeps me interested in working out on those days I may not feel like it has got to be a good thing.
Again using Planks and Push-Ups as an example, when I do these with my feet resting on my BOSU Ball, the difficulty level increases, and I feel that my muscles are getting a deeper and more effective workout.
Does the BOSU Ball come ready to use?
Before you can use your BOSU Balance Trainer, you will need to inflate it. A foot pump and instructions for using it will be in the box the ball comes in.
Be sure not to over-inflate the ball. If you do, it may leak air.
While no big deal, rectifying it is a little fiddly. You will have to undo the screws that attach the ball to the base, realign the ball’s rim with the base, then tighten the screws and reinflate the ball with less air.
10-Minute BOSU Ball Core Workout
How do the BOSU Home, Pro, Sport, and Elite Balance Trainers Differ?
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BOSU Home Balance Trainer
The BOSU Home Balance Trainer, AKA the “Original”, comes in a range of striking colors.
These include bright blue, bright pink, and lime green with a black base and six black feet.
It also comes in lime green and bright pink, both with a gray base, and all orange.
Other options are bright pink, red, and orange, all with a black base.
It measures 24.6″ (L) x 24.6″ (W) x 6″ (H)
With a 26″ diameter, its bladder (rubber dome) weighs 6 1/2 pounds, making its total weight around 14 pounds.
This version has an upper user weight capacity of 300 pounds, and it comes with a 90-day warranty.
Your purchase includes a 4-in-1 Workout DVD and a second DVD containing two workouts from the Xplode series.
You will also receive a BOSU Ball Owner’s Manual and a foot pump.
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BOSU Pro Balance Trainer
The BOSU Pro Balance Trainer comes in all black, blue with a gray base, and grey, purple, and red, all with a black base.
The 
base offers increased stability and prevents your floor from becoming marked.
The dimensions of this model are 27.5″ (L) x 18.7″ (W) x 3.7″ (H).
Its bladder weighs 8 pounds, and its total weight is slightly under 19 pounds. Its upper weight limit is 350 pounds, and it comes with a 1-year warranty.
Your Bosu Pro Balance Trainer kit includes a training manual, a workout DVD, and a foot pump.
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BOSU Sport Balance Trainer
Available in two sizes, one with a diameter of 22″ the other 24″, both versions of the BOSU Sport Balance Trainer have a user weight capacity of 250 pounds.
Being compact, multiple units can be used together in a tight space.
This model comes in bright pink or bright blue with a lime green platform and feet or blue with a black base and feet. Its warranty is 30 days.
Included with your purchase are an exercise manual and a foot pump.
BOSU Travel Balance Trainer
The BOSU Travel Balance Trainer is smaller and lighter than most of the other models but no less effective.
As with the other models in the range, you can use the one to add intensity to flexibility, strength, muscle training, cardio workouts, and more.
It’s ideal for adults to take when traveling and for children to use at any time.
Measuring 19.69″ (L) x 19.69′ (W) x 7″ (H), it weighs 10 lbs.
It is available in mid blue with a neon green or black base and bright pink with neon green or black.
The ball is latex and phthalate-free, burst-resistant with a maximum weight load of 250 pounds.
Included with your purchase are an owner’s manual, a hand pump, and a 1-year warranty.
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BOSU Elite Balance Trainer
The BOSU Elite Balance Trainer is for serious athletes who want to take their workout to the next level.
It measures 26″ (L) x 26″ (W) x 9″ (H)
Designed to improve speed, balance, and body mechanics, the Elite is split into “power line” and “power zone” training areas. This makes it suitable to use in conjunction with WeckMethod programming.
With a diameter of 26″, its high-density dome weighs around 11 pounds, and it is robust enough to support a weight of up to 400 pounds.
It is available in black honeycomb with a light gray non-skid and non-marking base.
Your purchase will include an owner’s manual, wall charts, a workout DVD, and a foot pump. It comes with a 2-year warranty.
BOSU Next Gen
The BOSU Next Gen comes in blue with a light gray base. Made of latex-free polyethylene, this offers an excellent grip.
It measures 25″ (L) x 25″ (W) x 4″ (H), and it weighs 16.2 lbs. The ball can support 350 pounds.
Its quadrant design guides you in positioning your body correctly so you can get the most from your workouts, whether their focus is strengthening, agility, flexibility, or muscle toning.
You will also receive a hand pump, a free downloadable DVD, and a wall chart showing 12 new exercises to add to your routine when you purchase.
It comes with a 1-year warranty.
BOSU Balance Pods 2pk
The BOSU Balance Pods 2pk can improve your balance and coordination. They can support up to 300 
pounds.
You can use them when doing yoga, Pilates, or weight training, and to cushion your hands, feet, elbows, or hip joints to add comfort to your workouts.
They will also increase the intensity of bodyweight exercises such as Planks, Squats, and Push-Ups.
Coming in blue, they are made of resilient slip-resistant plastic and have a textured base.
They measure 6.63″ (L) x 6.56″ (W) x 3″ (H) and weigh approximately 1 lb each, so they are perfect to pop into a bag or backpack.
Final Thoughts on the BOSU Balance Trainer
The BOSU Ball would be a worthwhile inclusion in any exercise program. A multi-use fitness tool, it potentially provides lots of variety. Doing so helps alleviate boredom, which can be the death-knell to working out.
Whether you want to use it for cardio, sculpt your arm muscles, leg muscles, back, or core, improve your flexibility, coordination, balance, or all of these, I am not hesitant to recommend the BOSU Balance Trainer, which delivers on all fronts.
With a Bosu Ball in your home gym, you will be able to experience the many benefits of the BOSU Ball workout for yourself.
If you’re looking for a more demanding workout, check out the StrongBoard Balance Board or the Terra Core Balance Trainer.
Click this link to find out more about the Bosu Balance Ball on Amazon
