Burning More Calories for Weight Loss Using a Balance Board
Balance boards provide an enjoyable and versatile way to burn extra calories each day. These unstable rocker platforms engage your core and stabilizer muscles to improve coordination while torching fat.
From simple standing desk exercises to intense interval workouts, discover just how many calories you can burn using a balance board.
What is a Balance Board?
A balance board refers to any platform with a curved or spherical base that rocks side-to-side or front-to-back. Types include:
- Rocker boards
- Wobble boards
- Roller/rocker boards
- Sphere/ring balance boards
These unstable surfaces challenge your balance, stability, and coordination. Using a balance board forces your core, legs, back, and stabilizing muscles to fire constantly to avoid falling off!
Benefits of Balance Board Exercises
Incorporating balance board movements offers many perks:
- Burns calories and body fat - Up to 400+ calories per hour
- Tones abs and legs - Sculpts core, glutes, quads, and hamstrings
- Enhances balance - Sharpens stability and coordination
- Strengthens smaller muscles - Targets hard-to-work stabilizers
- Low impact - Prevent knee or hip strain from high impact exercise
- Portable and space saving - Use almost anywhere!
Balance board exercises check off both cardio and strength training in a functional, joint-friendly way suitable for most fitness levels.
How Many Calories Do Balance Boards Burn?
The exact calories burned using a balance board depends on your weight, workout duration, and intensity. Heavier individuals torch more calories for the same exercise time. Greater instability and vigorous movements also up calorie burn.
Calories Burned Per Hour
Heres a rough estimate of balance board calorie burn per hour based on a 185 lb (84 kg) person:
- Light standing activity: 130 calories
- Brisk rocking/intervals: 265 calories
- High intensity training: Up to 415+ calories
Doubling your balance board workout duration from 30 minutes to one hour can help you double your total calorie expenditure!
Balance Board vs. Other Exercises
How does balance board calorie burn stack up against other popular equipment?
- Treadmill: 298 calories per hour walking at 3.5 mph
- Elliptical: 365 calories per hour at moderate pace
- Cycling: 298 calories per hour at casual 12mph pace
Balance training holds its own versusgym machines for effective fat burning!
Weight Loss Benefits
To lose one pound per week through exercise alone, you need to maintain a 500 calorie per day deficit. One hour of vigorous balancing daily can contribute significantly to this goal.
Combine with other calorie-blasting and strength moves like planks, squats,lunges and cardio intervals on your board to maximize weight loss and calorie afterburn.
Balance Board Exercises to Burn More Calories
Now that you know the impressive calorie torching potential balance boards provide, lets explore some fun and challenging moves to try!
Rocker Board Knee Lifts
This exercise engages your core stabilizers as you balance on the rocker board.
- Stand with feet hip width apart on board
- Extend arms out to sides to help balance
- Lift right knee up towards chest
- Hold 2 seconds before slowly lowering
- Repeat on opposite side
- Aim for 10-15 reps per leg
Wobble Board Squats
Squatting on an unstable surface recruits more leg muscles to fuel calorie burn.
- Stand tall with feet hip-width on wobble board
- engage core and send hips back into squat
- Descend until thighs parallel with floor
- Press through heels standing up to start position
- Repeat for 10-12 controlled reps
Rocker Board Burpees
Burpees boost cardio, strength and balance simultaneously. Use the rocker function to increase difficulty.
- Start standing with hands on board shoulders apart
- Jump feet back into plank position
- Do a push up then hop feet back under chest
- Stand up explosively lifting board off floor
- Repeat sequence for 30-90 seconds
Bosu Ball Pikes
Pike ups on an upside down Bosu dome crank up the core challenge!
- Assume plank position with toes on Bosu
- Keeping legs straight, raise hips upward
- Slowly lower hips to plank position again
- Repeat for 10-15 reps
Ring Board Cossack Squats
Cossack squats improve mobility on this circular balance trainer.
- Stand with feet together in rings center
- Push right leg out to side lowering into lateral squat
- Bring leg back to start standing tall
- Switch sides repeating 10 times each
The versatility of balance board exercises lets you torch calories while building coordination or test limits with challenging combos. Rotate moves every 30-60 seconds to spike heart rate.
Maximizing Balance Board Weight Loss
These handy strategies help you get the most out of your balance board workout:
Interval Training
Alternate 30-90 seconds of intense balancing exercise with brief rest periods to skyrocket calorie expenditure.
Pair With Resistance Training
Combine balance sequences with sets of squats, lunges, or planks using loops, dumbbells or other tools.
Monitor Intensity
Use clues like breathing rate, wobbliness, and perceived effort to gauge workout intensity. Moderate to vigorous effort optimizes calorie burn.
Try New Moves
Challenge your body to adapt with novel balancing motions to stoke fat burning.
Recording calories and workouts with fitness trackers helps ensure you meet weekly calorie, step and move goals critical for weight loss.
Getting Started With Balance Training
Balance boards make burning hundreds of calories easy and engaging. Follow these tips when incorporating this equipment:
Learn Proper Form
Initially stand on the board holding a wall or chair back. Shift weight slowly side-to-side and front-to-back to get comfortable.
Start Simple
Begin with easier drills like knee lifts or bodyweight squats. Build up towards more dynamic exercises as balance and stability improve.
Use Quality Equipment
Invest in reputable brands offering anti-slip tops, durable bases, and adjustable height options to progress workouts.
Master Modifications
Learn how to scale moves up or down by adjusting speed, range of motion or using support as needed.
Consistency remains vital - even short 5-10 minute balance board sessions a few times weekly build stability and burn extra calories long-term. Ready to bring some rock and roll into your workouts? Balance training delivers results and fun!FAQs
How long should a beginner use a balance board?
Start with 5-10 minutes on a balance board 1-2 times a day. Slowly increase workout duration to 20-30 minutes as your abilities progress after several weeks.
Do balance boards build muscle?
Yes, balancing exercises can strengthen core, leg, glute, shoulder and back muscles when combined with bodyweight resistance moves like squats, lunges and planks on the board.
What muscles do balance boards work?
Your core stabilizer muscles including obliques, transverse abdominis, hip abductors/adductors, calves, quads, hamstrings, glutes and upper back gain coordination and get toned from balance training.
Is 20 minutes on a balance board enough?
Starting with 20 minute balance board sessions allows sufficient workload to raise your heart rate and challenge muscles while minimizing fatigue risk as you build skill.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.
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