Balance Disk Workout Guide to Help You Upgrade Your Exercise Routine and Get the Abs You Always Wanted

Working with a balance disk is often recommended by physical therapists and fitness trainers because with it you can challenge your muscles in a new way. The unstable surface requires more effort and energy, plus the balance disk is affordable and portable which makes working out at home possible. The efficient work routines you can do with them helps to build core strength, improve posture and balance as well as firm up your muscles. Here are some exercises you can do with the balance disk to get the desired results.

Standing Lateral Leg Raise

Stand on the balance disk and spread your legs shoulder width apart. Rest your hands on your hips with your toes facing forward. Keep your body upright. Shifting all your weight on one of your legs, lift the other leg sideways as much as you easily can. Pause for a second and return. 3-4 sets of 12-15 repetitions will give you the desired benefits of this exercise.

Squats for Powerful Glutes

Learn the squat stance. Stand on your disk and spread your feet so that they are shoulder width apart. Your toes will be slightly pointing out towards the sides. Your feet should be firm on the board as if you have glued them to the board. Keep your hands on your hips or stretch them out forward, whichever makes you feel more comfortable. Keep your upper body upright, do not stress your lower back. Remember how babies squat? Keeping that in mind, begin moving and bend your knees, push your hips back, do not rush, instead follow a rhythmic flow till your thighs are parallel to the floor. You can go lower than this if you have already been squatting, but for beginners it is better to get there slow and steady. With the same flow get back to the starting position and repeat.  Do 3-4 sets of 10-15 repetitions.

Push-ups for Better Pectorals

Get down on the floor in an upside down position with your toes pushing against the ground and your palms resting on the disk. Your hands should be slightly wider than your shoulders if you are performing a traditional push-up. Your arms and legs should all be stretched out straight. Lower your body till the floor is very close to your chest. Pause for a minute. Lift yourself back to the starting position. Try doing three to four sets of 12-10-8-6 push-ups.

Bridges – for Improving Flexibility

From improving flexibility to relieving joint pain and strengthening your Glutes/lower back, this multi-purpose exercise can be performed on the balance disk to multiply its benefits. To perform it, simply lie down on your back with your hands sticking right to your body on both sides, bend your knees so that your feet lie flat on the balance disk. Before you push your body upwards, clench your abs and your buttocks by pushing down your lower back towards the ground. Lift up your hips so that your knees and your shoulders make a straight line together. Squeeze your abs and pull your lower belly back towards your spine, forming an arch. Hold for as long as you can.

Planking for Strength & Stability

Planks are bodyweight exercises that use your own static force to build core strength and also improve muscle stability. You can use the balance disk to perform numerous variations of planks. If you want to perform the basic plank then first you assume the push-up position. Spread your feet shoulders width apart. Your body should be parallel to the ground while your toes push against the floor. Keep both your elbows on the balance disk with your hands either clasping each other or at a 45 degree angle from your elbows. You can also do planking in the push-up position with your palms resting on the disk. You can also perform single hand planking one by one using the balance disk.

Bicep Curl to Shoulder Press – Complex Two Muscle Exercise for Whole Body Workout

This complex exercise is a combination of bicep curls and shoulder press. Grab a pair of dumbbells which you can easily tolerate. You assume the starting position by standing upright on the balance disk with your feet shoulder width apart, your arms resting by your sides with your palms facing outwards. Perform a bicep curl by bending your elbows till your dumbbells are close to your upper arms and then rotate your wrists so that your dumbbells face outwards. Lift them up to perform a shoulder press till your dumbbells are exactly above your shoulders with your hands stretched out upwards. Now reverse this movement, bring down the dumbbells till they are close to your upper arms, at which point you rotate the dumbbells inward and perform another curl while returning to your starting position. Synchronize this entire movement for better results.

T-Pose – Warrior III Pose

This is an advance yoga posture which tones your body and improves stability. You stand in “Tadasana” asana, or “the mountain pose”. You stand with your feet as wide as your hips. Keep your hands on your hips. One leg ahead of the other resting on the balance disk. Tilt forward while maintaining your balance. You tilt so that your body, from your head to toe, becomes parallel to the floor. Keeping yourself stable, stretch out both your hands as if you are about to hug someone and feel the stretch from your toes to the fingers of your hands. Maintain this posture for as long as you can.

Static V- Hold

Sit on the balance disk. Lean back a little and lift up your legs so that they are at a 45 degree angle from the floor. One variation is that you stretch out your arms like a bird or you can stretch them forward towards your shins. If you are new to this you can slightly bend your knees to make it convenient for yourself. Maintain this posture for as long as you easily can. This exercise tones your abs and increases your core strength.

Kneeling Rotations for Stronger Core

Keep your knees on the balance disk with both your legs resting parallel on the floor and your toe tip touching the floor. Keep both your hands either on  the sides of your head or in a crossed way on your chest. Rotate your upper body slowly without moving your lower body. Rotate till you feel the stretch on your other side. This is called Tall kneeling rotation. You can also perform half kneeling rotations by keeping one of your knees on the disk while the other one resting in front of you at a 45 degree angle. This exercise tones your abs and increases your core strength.