21 replies to this topic

[missminni]

The other piece of equipment I have been considering
buying is a balance board. I used one briefly when training with a trainer years ago
and used to do squats on the balance board. At the time I thought it was a really
challenging way to do squats and liked it, but I am now wondering if the benefits
warrant the expense of buying one or if it is just another gimmick... like the rebounder.
Once again, your educated opinions please....

[icyT]

Both this and the rebounder simultaneously have gimmick properties as well as legitimate training uses. Doing a squat on it sounds nice. Lowering your gentre of gravity probably makes it easier to balance (even though it's tougher on the muscles) and there's less distance to fall when you inevitably fail it on that thing as I expect I would. In particular I think it would be useful for the 'prying' technique Pavel Tsatsouline talks about in mastering the BW squat depth.

'Educated' opinion? There's no way to verify that on the internet, you can only deduce it from the reasoning of the post. I will say my personal education is sadly lacking.

[eternaltraveler]

I have a balance board which i made for free. Why would you buy one? Just a piece of scrap plywood and a 60 cm section of PVC pipe is all you need.

I have it primarily for balance. Which it does help with.

[missminni]

I have a balance board which i made for free. Why would you buy one? Just a piece of scrap plywood and a 60 cm section of PVC pipe is all you need.

I have it primarily for balance. Which it does help with.

Good idea. How to you attach the pipe?

[eternaltraveler]

attach?

You balance the plywood on the pipe. You can also wrap the pipe with a bit of friction tape so the plywood doesn't slide.

I just found this by googling balance board

http://www.wikihow.c...a-Balance-Board

[Shepard]

Couple of screws should work if you want to keep it all one piece.

I tend to think any benefits brought by use of a balance board would also be present by doing split and overhead squats or some variation of skateboarding.

Edited by shepard, 31 January 2008 - 06:44 PM.

[eternaltraveler]

i like to read my text books while balancing on the board.

[Shannon Vyff]

i like to read my text books while balancing on the board.

Hah, I'll have to try this! I like to get in miles on my treadmill while I read--seems a better work out, but balancing is needed in a different way

[eternaltraveler]

Couple of screws should work if you want to keep it all one piece.

why would you want to screw the PVC pipe in place? it should be mobile.

i like to read my text books while balancing on the board.

Hah, I'll have to try this! I like to get in miles on my treadmill while I read--seems a better work out, but balancing is needed in a different way

keeps the monkey-brain happy so the higher functions can study.

[Shepard]

why would you want to screw the PVC pipe in place? it should be mobile.

Depends on balance. I would think progression would go from having a board that started with rocking from side to side with a stationary fulcrum. Then move to a side-by-side mobile fulcrum. Then ultimately to one of those upside-down bosu balls or something similar with multi-directional balance required.

[eternaltraveler]

You can pretty rapidly learn to balance for a reasonable time on a normal balance board with a mobile fulcrum. Starting with a stationary one just seems like a waste of construction time.

[missminni]

You can pretty rapidly learn to balance for a reasonable time on a normal balance board with a mobile fulcrum. Starting with a stationary one just seems like a waste of construction time.

The one I used to use at the gyn had a stationary one and it was
NOT easy to squat, but I might as well try it with a mobile fulcrum first.

[icyT]

The reason you'd buy one instead of making one yourself I guess, beyond not being handy (I'm not handy) is that I guess you could compare your progress with other people using the same board on the net, then that aspect isn't a variable.

[mitkat]

Couple of screws should work if you want to keep it all one piece.

I tend to think any benefits brought by use of a balance board would also be present by doing split and overhead squats or some variation of skateboarding.

I've been thinking about getting a balance board for some time to help me keep balanced for longboarding in the offseason. But again, the large price tag for a seemingly simple contraption doesn't sit well with me.

So, what if we take Elrond's DIY link, and jazz it up a bit? I have a plenty of skateboard decks lying around here - why don't i just slap one of those on top of the piece of PVC pipe? VIOLA! A snazzy solution, all I need is the pipe.



Get a skateboard deck - a blank one online could run you $20 with griptape for footing and there you go!

[Shannon Vyff]

Couple of screws should work if you want to keep it all one piece.

why would you want to screw the PVC pipe in place? it should be mobile.

i like to read my text books while balancing on the board.

Hah, I'll have to try this! I like to get in miles on my treadmill while I read--seems a better work out, but balancing is needed in a different way

keeps the monkey-brain happy so the higher functions can study.

I'm going roller skating tonight, keeps my monkey-brain happy! (oh yeah, can't read though--too busy keeping my six year old, and 9 year old from falling--11 year old is good, bet she can't go backwards or spin like I can--yet )

[eternaltraveler]

this is the balance board I made out of scrap.

Attached Files

•  Feb_1_2008_021.jpg   693.48KB   31 downloads

[icyT]

Couple of screws should work if you want to keep it all one piece.

I tend to think any benefits brought by use of a balance board would also be present by doing split and overhead squats or some variation of skateboarding.

I don't really follow. Balance board shifts rapidly side to side. A skateboard doesn't do that, it might shift while you go up or downhill but that's about it. With squat, the stabilization is more in the torso, you still ground your feet well and they don't move much compared to the upper body.

[Shepard]

I don't really follow. Balance board shifts rapidly side to side. A skateboard doesn't do that, it might shift while you go up or downhill but that's about it. With squat, the stabilization is more in the torso, you still ground your feet well and they don't move much compared to the upper body.

I'm not saying use one of those alternatives to get better at a balance board, I meant that they'll all reach the same ultimate goal.

Edited by shepard, 16 February 2008 - 04:06 AM.

[icyT]

I don't really follow. Balance board shifts rapidly side to side. A skateboard doesn't do that, it might shift while you go up or downhill but that's about it. With squat, the stabilization is more in the torso, you still ground your feet well and they don't move much compared to the upper body.

I'm not saying use one of those alternatives to get better at a balance board, I meant that they'll all reach the same ultimate goal.

It sort of depends on the goal. For torso stabilization, yeah, but it probably is subtly pretty different, especially in ankle mobilization.

[Shepard]

Are you talking about a rehab application?

Proper ankle mobilization is a prerequisite for any type of squat. And heavy squats are going to be right up there with the best thing to do for ankle stabilization. Maybe I'm not seeing what you're talking about.

[eternaltraveler]

skate boarding is going to give you better balance than just standing (or maybe squatting) in place on a balance board.

[rwac]

attach?

You balance the plywood on the pipe. You can also wrap the pipe with a bit of friction tape so the plywood doesn't slide.

I just found this by googling balance board

http://www.wikihow.c...a-Balance-Board

 

Anyone here made one of these?