7 Best Bosu Balls in 2023

Although balance and coordination are often used synonymously, there is a difference.

Balance refers to a person’s ability to engage with different terrain without losing control, while coordination refers to their ability to use multiple body parts at the same time - which reduces risk of injury.

As well as improving balance, the half exercise ball stimulates coordination development.

While balance is considered primarily a physical trait, coordination is a neurological process.

Using a balance ball can be life-changing for people with coordination problems, such as for people recovering from brain injuries/operations, and senior citizens.

The main exercises BOSU balls are used for such as running, stepping, or simply balancing.

However, those are not the only exercises you can do with a half physio ball.

With some creativity, you can use them to increase the difficulty of popular exercises such as squats, push-ups, planks, lunges, glute bridges, and more.

Use the balance ball as your surface instead of solid ground and the possibilities are endless.

Just make sure you're surrounded by a safe environment and that you’re not doing something outside of the ball’s specifications.

A half balance ball is suitable for people of all ages and athletic levels who want to improve their balance, stability, coordination, core strength, and diversify their workout routine.

Athletes can use it for near a full-body workout using it either as the main exercise tool or standing platform.

Professional athletes that shift their weight from one leg to another in their sport can use them for important warmups and muscle memory upkeep when not playing.

Often referred to as the half physio ball in these spaces, it’s commonly used in physical therapy and rehabilitation.

It’s especially good for recovering from injuries that affect a person’s balance and stability, such as lower body muscle groups.

Regular exercise on them helps reduce the risk of falls among seniors.

Reports show that BOSU balls showed noticeable balance improvement in age groups 60 and over.

Half workout balls can help pregnant women (especially pre and post-labor) or people who’ve recently lost a lot of pounds, as it helps them safely retrain their balance and stability and adjust to new weight.

As long as you’re not misusing the BOSU ball, you should have no issues with its safety.

If you follow the manufacturer's guidelines and safety precautions listed on the spec sheet or in the user manual, you won’t run into problems.

For example, you shouldn’t push the half exercise ball over its indicated weight limit.

That said, due to the nature of balance exercises, improper form and technique can lead to safety issues and potential injury.

Make sure to do pre-exercise warmups and, before stepping on the stability half ball, check for wear and tear.

Once you’ve visually inspected the ball's condition, check that it’s properly inflated and isn’t leaking air.

The lifespan of BOSU balls depends on factors such as usage frequency, storage conditions, and the quality of the ball itself.

With proper usage, your half yoga ball will last anywhere from one to two years.

All products on the list have good durability for the price as long as you stick to the manufacturer’s guidelines.

However, it is to be expected that a more expensive half stability ball with higher build quality - such as burst resistant rubber and non-degrading PVC - will outlast a budget choice over time, unless misused.

BOSU balls are lightweight and can easily be carried around by an adult or stored when not in use.

Most BOSU balls come with a pump for easy inflation, and the half dome on them can be deflated to make the item more compact.

They typically have some form of grips you can use to carry them and some BOSU balls even come with a carrying case for added convenience.

BOSU balls are a popular choice for at-home training since you can carry them from room to room.

Keep in mind that price VS quality can be subjective.

There are no bad products on these lists - all of these are personal recommendations at various price ranges.

While premium products will outperform budget friendly in terms of overall specs, that doesn’t mean a less expensive product won’t fit your needs just as well.

Each product breakdown should help you better determine which one is for you, so you can get a good quality product without overspending.

The top choices on my list usually strike the best balance of quality for the price.

Yes, a BOSU ball is used in a variety of exercises that target balance, stability, coordination, and core strength.

For this reason, other common names for it include half physio ball and a half stability ball.

The BOSU half exercise ball has characteristics that make them superior to wobble boards overall.

Both are used for balance training, but half workout balls have both a soft and hard exercise surface.

Additionally, BOSU balls can be used on both sides, while wobble boards aren’t made with this in mind.

Bosu ball alternatives such as the wobble board can be noticeably cheaper, but they have lower durability and can’t withstand higher impact exercises before breaking and aren’t as multi-purpose as the Bosu.

BOSU balls have two main sides - the flat platform and the half medicine ball - both of which can be used for exercising.

The flat platform provides a hard surface to work out on, while the half yoga ball has a round surface that changes shape from pressure.

Generally, the flat platform side is easier to use as it provides an even surface to stand on that spreads out pressure evenly, while the ball side is harder to exercise on due to uneven pressure.

These were the top 7 best BOSU balls you can get for your home or commercial gym.

I found the Yes4All Premium Half Peanut to be the best half ball balance trainer, but I encourage you to check the other options out as well.

BOSU balls are great for training your stability and core, and you can use both the flat and round surfaces for many other exercises as well.Balance practice is often overlooked, but very important for maintaining full control of your body, especially as you age.

Do you perform balance exercises?Have you used the BOSU or other half workout balls?Leave a comment letting me know and remember to follow me on social media for more workout tips, product reviews, and other fitness content.

References:

• The effect of ball exercise on the balance ability of young adults // Ncbi: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5890205/
• Coordination Disorders // Msdmanuals: https://www.msdmanuals.com/home/brain,-spinal-cord,-and-nerve-disorders/movement-disorders/coordination-disorders
• Physical therapy for correcting postural and coordination deficits in patients with mild-to-moderate traumatic brain injury // Pubmed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25083579/
• EFFICACY OF OTAGO EXERCISE VERSUS BOSU BALL EXERCISE IN BALANCE-IMPAIRED ELDERLY PEOPLE // Researchgate: https://cutt.ly/m34aXLy
• 5 Best Half yoga Balls for Yogi Abs + How to Use a Bosu Ball to Build Strength and Balance // Theyoganomads: https://www.theyoganomads.com/yoga-balls/