The bosu push up is a great exercise that strengthens and tones muscles in the chest, arms, and core. A bosu is a piece of exercise equipment that is composed of half a blue stability ball fused to a black plastic bottom. This piece of exercise equipment provides a decreased stability base on which exercises can be performed, thereby increasing the intensity of the exercise. For best results, start with the blue side of the bosu facing upwards.
About the Bosu Push UpThe bosu push up is a great exercise that is easy to perform and can produce dramatic results in both increased strength and muscle tone. As with a traditional push up, this exercise strengthens and tones the muscles in the chest and triceps, but the addition of the bosu also requires you to engage the muscles in your core. The core muscles include your lower back, abdomen, and oblique muscles. Toning these muscles helps to prevent back strain and pain, and can give you a greater sense of stability.
Positioning Your Body for the Bosu Push UpBefore actually performing the bosu push up, it is important that you position your body properly in order to prevent injury and achieve optimal results. Start by clearing an area and placing a bosu on the floor with the blue side facing up. Get down on your hands and knees, with your hands placed firmly on the outer edges of the bosu. Look down at your hands, making sure that your fingers are facing forwards. Carefully lift your knees off the ground, and step your feet a few inches back. You should be in a straight line from your feet to your head.
Performing the Bosu Push UpNow that you are positioned properly, you can go about performing the bosu push up. Take a few deep breaths before starting this exercise. As you exhale, bend both elbows, slowly lowering your body towards the bosu. Exhale and use the muscles in your chest and arms to push yourself back up to the starting position. Perform at least ten bosu push ups before taking a short break. Do another two sets of ten repetitions of bosu push ups in order to get the best workout.
Increasing the Intensity of the Bosu Push UpWhile the basic bosu push up is a great exercise that is guaranteed to give you a stellar workout, after awhile you may begin to notice that the exercise is not as difficult as it once was. At this point, it is very important that you intensity the push up in order to keep making gains in strength and muscle tone. One easy way to make the bosu push up more difficult is by flipping the bosu upside down so the black side is now facing up and the blue side is on the ground. Using the bosu in this manner is more difficult because the surface is less stable. This requires you to engage the muscles in your core even more, thereby producing a greater workout.
