photo by trapper keeper http://www.flickr.com/photos/maggotronix/4813641061
Introduction to Balance Boards
Choosing the right balance board for your goals and skill level can be a confusing choice because there are so many different types.
The two most important things to consider when buying a balance board are what are your goals and your level of risk you are willing to take using a balance board.
Balance boards are great tools that you can use to help develop your balance and are a lot of fun to use.
But different styles of balance boards are better suited for specific goals and types of uses.
The first thing your need to do before you buy a balance board is to determine what your goals are and what you plan on using the board for.
Different ways you can use balance boards
- Improve your overall balance and fitness
- Cardio workouts
- Improve your performance in board sports
- Physical therapy or rehabilitation
- Improve in your performance in traditional sports
- Using board with a stand up desk
- Using board to make yoga more challenging.
What is your risk tolerance level?
After you have determined why you want to use a balance board you need to figure out what level of risk you are willing to take.
Using a balance board can lead to injuries from taking a fall.
You have to determine for yourself if the risk is worth the reward.
Luckily they make balance boards for people with all different skill levels in mind so you can start off with an easy board and work your way to more advanced boards.
Keep in mind, you do not need a balance board to get started balance training there are many exercises you can do with your own body.
Types of balance boards
Risk scale rating is 1-10
1. Teeter or rocker Boards
Good for- Beginners, physical therapy rehabilitation, standing desks
Risk level-2
2. Wobble Board
Good for-Beginners, physical therapy rehabilitation, general fitness and workouts
Risk level-3
3. Traditional Roller
Good for-general fitness, intermediate to advanced balance training, improving board sports or traditional sports performance.
Risk level-7-8 depending on model used
4. Roller with Rails (vew-do boards)
Good for- advanced balance training, improving board sports performance.
Risk level- 8-10
5. Parallel Roller
Good for- Intermediate to advanced balanced training, longboard surfers, people into board sports
Risk level-6-7 boards generally sit lower to the ground and have stoppers on the bottom to make it less likely to shoot out from under you.
6- 360 Degrees of balance.
Good for-general fitness, intermediate to advanced balance training, improving board sports or traditional sports performance.
Risk level- 4-9 depending on what board you use
7. Spinner boards
Good for-Beginner to intermediate balance training, mobility and cardio workouts, board sports performance with less risk than other types of boards.
Risk level- 4-5
8. Stability platforms
Good for- Beginner to intermediate balance training, standing desk, general fitness,
Risk level-4-5
Balance board safety, tips and tricks
Find out some ways to help avoid taking hard falls while using your balance board and how to avoid damaging your property with with your balance board.
Some tips on balance board safety.
Teeter or Rocker Boards
Teeter or rocker boards are very safe to use because the do not use rollers.
These boards are not very challenging or fun to use because they only rock forwards and backwards but serve their purpose well for physical therapy, rehabilitation,balance training for the elderly and standing desks.
Wobble boards
Wobble boards are boards with half of a ball stuck on them bottom of them.
These boards are slightly more challenging to use because they allow you to rock the board in any direction but are much safer to use than a board that uses a roller
They are good for beginner,balance training, fitness, yoga,balance training for sport, physical therapy/rehabilitation.
Traditional roller boards
Roller boards are the most common type of balance board but are also very risky to use.
They are used by putting the tube under a board and rocking back and forth.
They can also be used with a balance cushion instead of a roller for added safety.
Roller board have the broadest range of applications from rehab, general balance, sports specific training, board sports balance training and doing tricks although there are better boards out there if you are looking to improve performance in skateboarding, surfing and snowboarding.
The main things to look for when buying one of these boards is the size because smaller boards limit that amount of movements you can do on them.
Another thing to look out for is to see if the board has stoppers on the ends of it because boards without stoppers are more likely to shoot out form under you but are limited in the type of ticks that can be preformed on them.
Roller boards are a lot of fun to use once you get the basics down, the best reviewed and know boards roller balance boards is the Indo board original.
An introduction into Indo balance boards, an in depth look into all of Indo boards balance products.
Indo board makes some of the best multipurpose balance boards and has a wide variety of the types of balance boards they make.
In this guide, I will help you determine which one of their balance boards are best for you and show videos of their boards in action.
Roller with rails board
The roller with rails is a balance board that has a track on the bottom of the board and a roller with a channel cut out in the middle of it rides on the track.
The track helps prevent the board from shooting out from under you.
One thing to keep in mind is that the shape and size of the roller will make the board behave with different characteristics.
Rollers with rails would be best for skateboarders, surfers, snowboarders looking to improve at their sport because they allow you to practice flipping tricks and allow you to work on your heel to toe balance.
These boards are riskier to use than traditional roller boards due to the nature of the roller and rail system.
These boards would also be good for people who mastered traditional roller boards and are looking for a more challenging board.
Vew-Do makes some of the best balance boards for people into board sports, but they also have some boards suitable for beginners, athletes, and general fitness use.
In this guide, I will help you determine which one of their balance boards are best for you and show videos of their boards in action.
An introduction into Vew-do balance boards. An in depth look into all of Vew-dos balance products.
Parallel rocker boards aka surf trainers
Parallel rocker are the least common type of balance board.
It is unique by using a longer pipe that is put parallel to the length of the board. The one i see for sale is marketed for surfers to improve their balance because simulates the feel of riding a surfboard better then a rocker board. But i don't think it can only just benefit surfers. It is much more forgiving to beginners because you do not sit so high off the ground and dont have to worrier about the board shooting out from under you.
The Goofboard would be prefect for longboard surfers and skaters looking for a balance board to practice their footwork on. It also looks like snowboarders could benefit from it as well but would probably be better off with a Vew-do roller with rail balance board.
I use a do it yourself parallel roller and find it challenging but also lots of fun to use. Additionally it has slightly improved my surfing and skateboarding skills.
The GoofBoard is the only board i know of that is a parallel rocker but it has lots of great reviews and made in the U.S.A.
An introduction to GoofBoard, the balance board for surfers.
Goofboard makes some of the best balance boards for developing your footwork for surfing, stand up paddle boarding and longboarding with their unique parallel rocker balance boards.
Although they are marketed to surfers, they can still be a lot of fun to use for non-surfers
360 degrees of balance
360 degrees balance boards are boards that sit on top of a ball and have rails under the board to keep from rolling off the board.
These boards are the most challenging to use and are more of a work out then fun to use but they can be really effective for advanced level balance training for sports or board sports like surfing.
These boards are also the most expensive balance boards ranging in price from 300 to 1000 U.S dollars.
I think this is out of the price range that many people are willing to spend on a balance board in less they are a semi professional or professional athlete.
Spinner boards
The Nub is a curved board that sits on the floors, you can rock it back and forth, practice carving on it and practice flipping tricks with it.
It was made to help snowboarders and skateboarders improve their skills while at home. But also from the reviews i read a lot of people said that children have tons of fun playing on it and people who where worried about falling off a traditional balance board said they enjoyed the Nub.