Canada Games Fitness Centre
Now has the BOSU Balance Trainer

Canada Games Pool Fitness Centre has purchased new fitness training equipment that will improve your workouts and provide you with new exercise options. The new product is the BOSU Balance Trainer. BOSU stands for both sides up which is the perfect description for this stability ball which is cut in half.

The purpose of the BOSU is to challenge your body to find that perfect point of balance, during exercises. By adding an unstable platform like the BOSU to an exercise, you force your body to use its Central Nervous System to send signals to the body's deep stabilizing muscles. These stabilizing muscles must contract in a specific sequence in order to maintain balance on top of the BOSU. If there is a weak link in this sequence, the person will lose their balance and have to step off the BOSU.

You have heard the saying that a chain is only as strong as the weakest link; well the body is no different. When the human body moves, it moves as a kinetic chain. If there is a weak link in that chain, that particular movement will be inefficient and could possibly lead to an injury. For example, if there is a muscle imbalance or weakness in the stabilizing muscles of your spine and you do a movement that your body is not accustomed to, more often than not, the lack of spinal stability will cause you to throw out your back. Anyone who has thrown out their back while bending over to pick up an object, raking leaves or playing a sport they havent played in a while can attest to this.

From squats to biceps curls to abdominal crunches, the BOSU will safely teach you to activate those deep stabilizing muscles before you execute a movement to improve your workouts and make coming to the gym fun! So come out to the Canada Games Fitness Centre and give the BOSU a try. Following are some BOSU training tips to help you out.

Set Up: After acclimatizing to the BOSU, stand atop it with your core muscles contracted, and ankles, knees and hips slightly flexed.

Execution: Continuing to engage your core musculature, slowly lower your body into a squat position, sinking your butt and keeping your chest and chin up. Stop lowering when your thighs are parallel to the ground or until you cannot maintain an upright posture with your torso. Pause at the bottom, and then slowly extend your ankles, knees and hips to return to your starting position. Repeat for 10 - 15 reps.

Possible Progressions:
I) Try adding Dumbbells
II) Try closing your eyes
III) Combine Dumbbells with Eyes Closed

Set Up: Place your hands on the handles of the BOSU and start off with your feet slightly wider then shoulder width apart. Align your body in a standard push up starting position, making sure your core is contracted and that there is no dip in your lower back. You should be facing the floor to align your neck with your spine.

Execution: Keeping your core contracted, slowly lower your body as one unit towards the floor using your chest, shoulder and arm muscles. Pause at the bottom and then extend your arms to raise your body back to the starting position.

Possible Progressions:
IV) Beginner: Try a modified push up from knees
V) Feet closer together
VI) One foot