EXERCISE OF THE WEEK
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Alternating One Leg Exercise Ball Knee Tucks
Primary Muscle: Hips
This advanced version of the front hold (plank) adds instability and dynamicism by rolling the ball in and out, increasing the demand on quads and hips to stabilize knees and hips through the movement, in addition to the work being done by the core. A one leg variation of this exercise further increases the difficulty by loading one knee and hip with all of the weight, while also increasing the engagement of transverse core muscles to keep balance on one leg.
Standing Exercise Ball Squats + Jump
Primary Muscle: Hips
This is the ultimate in balance and hip stability. Standing on the ball forces the hips (and all supporting muscles) to have to balance the load in order to keep the ball from rolling. A squat from this position is more of a hip exercise, as hips, groin, glutes, quads and hamstrings work throughout the movement to stabilize hips and keep balance.
One Leg Exercise Ball Hamstring Curl
Primary Muscle: Hamstrings
The exercise ball hamstring curl is a great way to load the hamstring in an unstable environment, adding instability to the hip and knee to make the whole hamstring have to work in contraction. By putting the exercise on one leg, there is not only additional load to add difficulty, but also increased instability as the one leg (and hamstring) have to stabilize side to side movement while working. All in all, this a great variation to build stable hamstring strength, key for athletes, runners, etc who need to be both string but also prevent tears/strains from overuse.
One Leg Bosu Barbell Shoulder Press
Primary Muscle: Shoulders
Any exercise performed on one leg on the bosu adds ankle, knee and hip instability work, while also adding a balance element that makes it very hard to cheat on the exercise (by swinging, rocking, etc). A barbell shoulder (military) press done with this set up maximizes the core engagement and ensures both sides have to work equally even though it is a bilateral movement (2 hands on the bar working together).
Alternating Bosu Front Hold Opposite Arm and Leg Raise
Primary Muscle: Core
The root exercise movement is a great way to work the core transversely while engaging the whole core for stability. By adding the bosu underneath the elbow, there is an increased challenge to scapular stability while also making balancing more of a challenge for core, including hips. All in all, this variation is an advanced way to work core and scapular stability in a challenging manner that also works transverse balance.
One Leg Bosu Hip Bridge + Dips
Primary Muscle: Glutes
The bosu adds instability while performing the movement while being on one leg helps isolate the targeted muscles (hamstring, glutes, low back) and make that hip have to work harder to stabilize and keep the body level. The addition of the dip into the movement also forces the chain of muscles to work functionally through a movement in a dynamic way.
Bosu Dumbbell Split Squat
Primary Muscle: Quads
The addition of instability to this movement makes both the knee and hip work harder through extension. This exercise is one of the best ways to build hip, knee and ankle stability.
One Leg Bosu Dumbbell Front Shoulder Raise
Primary Muscle: Shoulders
Performing this exercise on one leg adds a degree of balance and instability into the exercise that makes it even more difficult to 'cheat' and recruit other muscles to perform the primary raise movement. This variation increases core engagement, while also working knee, hip and shoulder stability along with the primary movement.
Bosu Barbell Back Squat
Primary Muscle: Glutes
Doing a squat on the unstable but flat surface of the Bosu adds a degree of functionality and neurological engagement to this movement which helps increase hip and knee stability. This is a great way to add difficulty to this movement, or improve on the weakest part of this chain without loading a lot of weight.
