#BOSUstrong Abs Workout

One of the benefits of using a Bosu Trainer when you’re working is you’re constantly using your abdominal muscles to stabilize. Regardless of your exercise choice, whether you’re doing squats, lunges, or sit ups, your abs are always working hard on the Bosu. So take it up a notch and work them even more by trying this Bosu Abs Workout!

Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by BOSU – all opinions expressed are my own. I’m happy to be part of the Fit Approach (Sweat Pink) community and I love helping to support the brands they work with. As always, remember that while I am a personal trainer, I am not your trainer! Not all the workouts I post on Fine Fit Day will be appropriate for everyone.

BOSU ABS WORKOUT

Try this workout as 2 sets of 15 repetitions to start. If you have more time, or you want more of a challenge, either increase the sets (3 sets of 15), or increase the repetitions (2 sets of 25).

Bosu Sit Ups

Start out with a sit up using the Bosu Trainer. You’ll notice your range of motion on the eccentric phase of this exercise (when you’re leaning back) is greater because you’re reaching back and down over the Bosu. This makes you work slightly harder coming up to the sit up position.

Want to make it easier? Cross your arms at your chest. If that’s still challenging, use your arms to push forward as you raise.

Crossover Reach

While you’re still lying on the Bosu, with straight limbs (or straight-ish, if you’re a hamstring-mobility-challenged runner like me), reach one arm to the opposite leg, alternating between sides.

Want to make it harder? Don’t let your feet touch the ground, making your abs work even harder to balance throughout the exercise.

Spiderman Steps

My clients loathe this exercise, but it’s a great hip mobility exercise and keeping the plank position makes it awesome for your abs! Start in a hand plank position on the Bosu, then step one foot up to the side as far forward as you can. Slowly step back to plank position, then repeat on the other side.

Want to make it harder? Add a push up after each repetition!

Plank Up – Down

Start in a hand plank position on the Bosu Trainer, making sure your shoulders are right over your elbows and wrists. Keeping the plank position strong, lower one arm at a time down into a forearm plank, then raise one arm at a time back up to a hand plank.

Want to make it easier? Start out in a plank from your knees to your hands. Once you’ve mastered the move, progress to a full plank.

Lateral Crunches

Lie on your side over the Bosu (hips are not touching the ground). Splay your feet for balance, place your hands behind your head, then raise up into a lateral crunch. Lower back slowly. Repeat on the other side.

Want to make it easier? The further apart your feet are, the easier it is to balance in this exercise.

Bosu Reverse Flyes

Grab a dumbell for this exercise if you have one! Start in a plank position, with one forearm on the Bosu and the other – holding the weight – underneath your torso. Slowly rotate your body as you raise your arm up and back.

Want to make it harder? You can progress this move by making the weight heavier, or by twisting deeper in the start position.

There you have it! An abdominal workout that’s extra challenging thanks to incorporating the Bosu!

Now – let me tell you a funny story about the behind the scenes of photographing this workout. (You know I like to share my outtakes and bloopers!) Our apartment is still (STILL) in the unpacking stage. If you’re thinking it seems like it’s taking forever to unpack, it is. Welcome to life with a three year old and a breastfeeding baby. Anyway, suffice to say there’s not really enough room to find space to photograph exercise demonstrations and if there was I’d be constantly photobombed anyway.

So, I’ve been using the porch outside our front door for most of my Bosu workouts, which has been super handy because there’s lots of space for doing cardio moves and it works out great for photos. I’ve occasionally seen a neighbor while I’ve been doing all the fun #BOSustrong Instagram prompted exercises. The day I chose to photograph this workout turned out to be the day a huge team of maintenance workers were in the parking lot behind our building, seemingly working on everything at once. Painting, hammering, sawing, climbing ladders. There were guys in the parking lot, on the roof, in the building opposite, coming and going – and so I did this whole workout AND posed myself for photos, with an audience of about 20 dudes.

It was ever-so-slightly uncomfortable. I’m sure I’m now the weird narcissistic exercise chick in the building in their minds. Good times!

But that’s just how much I love you guys and want you to enjoy this workout! Let me know if you try it out (you get bonus points if you have an audience of strangers while you do it in public).

Do you have a good embarrassing workout story?

What’s your favorite gym tool for abs workouts?