I’ll admit it: People have called me unstable before. And while I don’t think they always meant it as a compliment when it comes to my workouts, I’ll totally take it! Instability training – the practice of doing certain exercise moves while slightly off balance – has been a hot trend in fitness for a while now. I think it started with exercise balls. Remember this bad boy?
I didn’t think people REALLY did this until I worked out with Paul Moltzan from the US Ski Team. And yeah, this happened:
Swiss balls started showing up in everywhere from gyms to yoga studios to offices with their seductive promise to hone your core, improve your posture and challenge your balance. Next came bouncy BOSU (both sides up) half-balls on which people would stand, bounce, balance and lift weights to add some extra work to their workouts. Then there were wave boards, balance boards, wobble boards, air pads and a whole host of other tools designed to make standing up difficult. Nothing like looking like you came to the gym drunk at 9 a.m. on a Tuesday!
As with anything new, once the shine started to wear off the controversy started. People started getting weird injuries like twisting their ankle while doing biceps curls and fit pros started to question the benefit of working the “small muscles” so much. I remember when I first started working out with Steve, my LifeTime Fitness trainer last year and celebrity trainer (funny how a little white dude is the closest I ever got to Shaquille O’Neal), that he was super into instability training – with a caveat. “This isn’t for everyone,” he warned me. “You have to have a really good level of fitness going into it or you’ll get hurt.” He made me pass a test before I was allowed to stand on one foot, you guys. But I suppose it was good as those workouts were some of the hardest I’ve ever done in my life and I packed on the muscle.
Since then however, some newer ways have come out to challenge your balance by providing instability but without the tripping danger. Slosh tubes (big pipes partially filled with water) were my first intro to this method. And good golly they were HARD. It took us like 10 tries just to get a picture where I wasn’t falling over. Sandbags also operate on this principle as the shifting sand provides the instability.
So I was all over it when Derek Mikulski contacted me about trying out his Hardcore Trainer – a bar that looks very much like a BodyBar or the bars you use in BodyPump but filled with steel balls that roll back and forth while you move it. He explains, ” As you move the bar, the weights inside also move, generating momentum and pulling your body further in the direction you are moving the bar! This causes you to actively engage more core muscles as you attempt to decelerate the weights moving within the bar!! Your core muscles have no choice but to work, and work they will! In a very short time, you will notice more firmness throughout your midsection and find it easier to move your entire body!”
Harder than it looks!
For the past month I’ve been using to add some extra challenge to traditional moves like squats, curls and sit-ups as well as HardCore specific moves designed to take full advantage of the bar like twists and reaches. While the bar itself doesn’t provide much resistance – mine was only 10 pounds – the instability really ups the intensity! And he was right, I could feel my core engaging more during every single move.
While I don’t have the abs of steel of the fitness models on his site, I did really enjoy using the HardCore trainer. I loved the challenge and the variety it provided to otherwise “normal” weight routines. (And you KNOW how important variety is to me!). Derek would love to provide one of you with your own HardCore Trainer package including a bar, an instructional DVD and a booklet to try it for yourself!
To enter, just leave me a comment below telling me if you’ve ever tried any kind of instability training and what you thought of it! FTC disclosure: I did not receive any money or other compensation for this post other than one free core bar to try out.
P.S. This is Day 5 of my week of giveaways! Don’t forget to enter to win your own copy of T25, $100 from Walgreens, $100 to Body Language clothing. The $100 giveaway from Tide will be coming back shortly – again, so sorry about the confusion there.
We used to do wall sits with our feet on a bosu ball… kicked my ass, but I’m an exercise masochist so I thought it was awesome! I’ve also done crunches on an exercise ball and really liked it, and some other abs moves as well. But the squats on a yoga ball make me feel like I already broke my teeth…
I have done squats on a bosu, but not a stability ball.
When I sprained my foot, I did a lot of physical therapy on the Bosu ball to help strengthen those muscles. It’s a lot of hard, exhausting work!
I’ve done a good amount of instability training – my favorite is the stability ball!
Oh, that bar seems interesting… I too, like you, did a lot of “stability” training when I trained with an awesome personal trainer. standing on the balls, upside down bosus, one footed weight lifting, even doing moves in a scale position. my core was getting stable for sure… but she moved away 🙁 I miss her so much. She was featured in Redbook magazine actually 🙂 Well, now I don’t do as much as I crossfit, but am working on some day, MAYBE, walking on my hands (yeah, right, I think i’m getting too old for it lol)
I’ve done the stability ball… but this bar sounds really interesting! Would love to win so I can try it out 🙂
I’ve enjoyed using a BOSU in classes and the stability ball can be a wicked instrument of torture if put in the wrong instructor’s hands!
I think you just inspired what today’s workout will be 🙂 I’ve never tried before!
All of my physical therapists were huge proponents of instability training. Trying standing on a foam roller cut in half to do your exercises. That was a special kind of torture. That I liked. Because I’m a weirdo.
Long walks on the beach? no, i haven’t done instability training. we have a yoga ball, but i don’t do much with it. i’d love to try the bar.
I have done the stability ball and BOSU over the years, the one move that I always look like a crazy drunkard on is balancing my feet on a large stability ball while in plank position, performing a push up and then using my core to bring the ball close to my chest then back into the plank position. It is always a miracle if I can do more than one before falling! 🙂
Do single-leg dead lifts with a kettlebell count? This is about the only kind of stability/balance-type exercise I’ve done and I find them SO DIFFICULT. I’ve tried pistol squats before but with a TRX – is that considered cheating?
I use the bosu when I lift. It really makes me focus on my core as well as not rushing through exercises. As a trainer I recommend stability training to my clients.
Nope, unless you count that I have such bad balance it’s ALL instability training.
LOL – Mary for the win!
Does yoga count? Because I wobble like crazy in nearly all the balance poses. More seriously, I have a BOSU trainer and stability ball at home and every so often will wander over to the TRX straps at my gym.
My core is seriously weak (thus the yoga wobbles). This sounds like a legit new tool for fitness enthusiasts and one I would love to make use of.
I haven’t but I watched a girl at the gym with two bosu and was side jumping back and forth between them. Talk about ankle injuries just waiting to happen.
Never have but would love to try!!!!
I have used the balls a lot but this new bar looks cool! I’d love to try it!
I’ve always enjoyed instability–my trainer does, too. In our workouts (the class is lovingly called Hellcamp), we use slosh tubes, sandbags, kettlebells, gymnastics rings, and the TRX in all sorts of diabolical ways. My son and I also slackline.
I love the bosu but did hurt myself on it in college 🙁
I’ve done BOSU and a stability ball. I like ’em both. I like how just adding some instability to everyday exercises can kick your booty.
I use a stability ball. Haven’t tried the BOSU. Would LOVE my very own bar, however, as I use the one in my corporate gym on a regular basis.
I’ve never done Instability Training, but would love to try out the Hardcore Trainer!
I have a love/hate with planks on the stability ball 😉
I’ve used the one that is like a ball chopped in half with a plastic, flat bottom. I liked it! We did push ups on it at boot camp. This seems like a great tool as well, and I’d love to have some kind of weight bar at home.
Well– sometimes I trip walking up the stairs, but I do use my stability ball, and the bender ball, quite a bit! I’d love to give this neat little bar a try!!
I’ve done a lot of work on bosu balls and exercise balls – especially for PT to strengthen my hamstrings and adductor. I also TRX and sculpting classes where I have people do things like lift one foot to create their own instability on the floor and engage their core more.
Instability training for me is anything involving dancing or cardio cardiography. Wait, I’m supposed to jump and move my legs and arms about at the same time? Watch as I fall down!
I use Stability balls with my clients, as well as Sandbag training. I like this type of training – but I agree that it can be very dangerous if you don’t know what you are doing. A beginner should seek out someone to show them the ropes IMO!
Great article Charlotte, first I’ve heard of this!
Jay
I’ve used BOSU and stability boards intermittently when lifting free weights, but as I don’t own one and don’t currently belong to a gym, they’ve been out of the rotation for a bit. I like them, though!
I love instability workouts. I think they are a lot of fun and an easy way to make every workout different because your balance is always different!
I did squats ONCE on a bosu but not since. I probably should give it another try.
I do instability work often and it is still a killer workout. I feel like my balance doesn’t improve but I am keeping at it!!
I stand on a stability disk at work (love my standing desk!). Does that count? 🙂
I’ve never tried instability training, but it sounds incredibly interesting!
Squatting (or doing much of anything else) on those instability pads full of air is absolutely ridiculous. It makes me feel like I am doing an entirely different exercise!
The Athleta site got me onto stability training and now I love it.
I never use a bench to do a workout (that is probably not good…), I am always doing arm exercises kneeling on a ball or laying on it. Abs are always with the yoga ball and all leg workouts are either one leg or on a bosu (or both, its fun).
I made my own sandbag once, but it didn’t work so well (backpack with cans of beans, not so great).
I do it in therapy all the time with my patients but I forget to do it for myself. Silly silly. I need to do more.
I do instability work both with a Bosu turned ball-side down for push-ups and spider-man side leg-lifts, and by doing single-leg exercises with weights. Many yoga moves are also instability work in slow motion.
I have used a Bosu ball. Some days I like the challenge, and some times I don’t!
Stability training can be very challenging. Would love to try this with a weighted bar!!!
I’ve just used stability balls for core work-planks etc. I like the idea of an instability bar!
NEVER EVER going to try any of that super crazy stability ball stuff – craziness in my books – but to each their own! 🙂
I love stability training, it has helped me rehab my back so much after an injury. I’m really careful though, because if I do something too unstable I can easily get hurt again. Perhaps I’m too conservative, but I’d rather take it slow. I think the bar looks awesome and would be easier for me to work with control at home than getting my own BOSU (although I do have a disc that I use once in a while).
And btw, I never passed the Steve stability test. I finally graduated to planks with the BOSU, and was allowed to do a few things while he was there. Usually I was laughing to much to do them well though. 🙂
My trainer has me do all different things on balls. She says you’re putting in the time so you might as well get as much worked as possible. Why just do a chest press or push up when you can work your core too?
Sounds awesome! I’d love to have this to mix up my heavy-lifting home workouts!
I love instability training because it makes you focus so much on breathe and alignment and engagement. I’m a klutz so it’s not exactly graceful when I do it, but I have fun and work hard. Fit balls, bosus, aerial equipment, foam rollers, love em all!
I’ve done a little but of it but not much. What I did do I really enjoyed. It makes a challenging and interesting workout. I would love to try the HardCore trainer!
Oh, Charlotte, that core bar thingy looks awesome! I hope my gym gets one soon. They’ve just set up a new functional fitness area with all kinds of weird balls and ropes and bands and things-what-mystify-me, and I tried doing some clean and jerks with a slosh bag for the very first time the other day – it was great fun! I’ll definitely be exploring that area further in future.
I love my Swiss balls (yes, I own multiples, in different sizes), and I’m very comfortable with using them for all sorts of resistance work or just sitting/balancing/fooling around trying to find new ways to challenge my core while doing stuff at home like eating breakfast or watching TV. I can happily use them without having my feet on the ground, but standing on one to squat with a barbell? Nuh-uh!
That looks like fun. Variety is the spice of life. Started with wall sits with a balance board – felt like I was in the movie “Drumline.” moved to bosu. Lifting weights kneeling and standing on stability balls. Even tried the “ultimate push-up with the 2 balls” you posted last year – that had my friend and I rolling on the floor of the gym. I can’t wait to find a way to try on of these baby’s. Thanks for always trying new things.
I’ve used the stability balls before and tried a wobble board at a friend’s house once but that’s as close to instability training as I’ve come 🙂 I’d love to try something new to see if it works because my core could totally use some serious work.
I’ve never tried any kind of instability training but I would love to try it. I just want to have different type of workouts and mix them up so I don’t get bored.
I use a balance disc to help strengthen my knees. Does that count?
I’ve done some stability training with a Swiss ball before, but my favorite was during my circus days. Standing on another person during acrobatics is excellent stability training!
I do instability training mainly for my core- so lots of planks and push-ups on bosu balls and wobble boards. Also ring training for rock climbing- hanging rings also add instability to any type of pull-up or tricep dip exercise.
This summer was filled with paddleboard yoga!
Training this way is on my list. For some reason I am always twisting my ankle. Mostly minor twists, but I’d like to get better on one leg.
I’ve only used a stability ball, but I really like the added challenge!
Stability balls for ab work is about it.
I haven’t done any instability training yet, but I would love to try it!
I’ve done BOSU as part of HIT classes. Loved it…once I stopped falling off 🙂
This looks like lots of fun for a different kind of workout
I use a Bosu pretty regularly as well as a regular stability ball. I am curious about the hardcore trainer.
A little bosu ball but that bar looks cool. Would be a great addition to my home “gym” which currently consists of some mismatched barbells and a stationary bike.
I think of all exercises as having a benefit-to-risk ratio. High benefit/low risk is good. High benefit/medium risk is sometimes acceptable to me. But some of the stuff I see (like jumping from one bosu to another) is medium benefit/high risk, and not worth doing.
I had a stability bag but didnt use it to its full potential. That bar sure sounds interesting.
I’ve used a BOSU to do squats! I definitely felt it. Haven’t done much other than that, since my stability isn’t so top notch to start with, let alone adding weight!
I have done stability ball training and liked it – it takes coordination for sure.
I’ve used the Bosu when I do gym workouts. At home I use a swiss ball, but not while squatting!!! That is crazy hardcore. Anyway, would be an awesome edition to the home gym.
I’ve never done instability training, but I’d love to try this as my core is sadly neglected in my mostly cardio workouts.
I sometimes used a BOSU when I taught mat Pilates. And other times I’d add in some ballet barre-type moves that required balance. And in the yoga classes I’ve been taking, the instructors are giving us some freaky-deaky balance challenges, lol!
The funny thing is, just yesterday a friend of ours gave us a pair of stilts for the kids to play with, and my son has already mastered them. Of course, this is the same kid who, when he was 5, knelt on top of my Swiss ball & took off his shirt.
🙂
I’ve done some training with a Bosu, and while it was challenging and made my quads scream (during squats), I liked it 🙂
Never done any of this kind of training, but I will love to try!
I’ve tried using a wobble board a few times on the theory that it would strengthen my weak ankle. I’ve never stuck with it long enough to notice either results or injuries, though.
I bought a few of those half sphere things to stand on while I did a workout I saw in Shape, and they really weren’t kidding when they said it would be rough. Constantly having to keep from falling worked so many muscles I didn’t even know I had! It was awesome.
I only tried stability training once, and became so acutely aware of how unstable I am and how weak my core is, I haven’t tried it again since!!
I’ve done some work with a stability ball – reverse curls and dumbbell presses come to mind. Also standing on one leg for 60 seconds. Trying a balancing board lately, but not much success. Definitely they all engage the core.
I like the stability ball but the BOSU and I do not get along very well. 😉
I’ve done stability training with a bosu but lately, due to a knee injury most of that stuff is out.
I haven’t done much with instability training. One day for fun my trainer had me try to use the slosh tube he made. It was too heavy for me to do too much with.(35lbs.) But I had fun trying! Some days during homeschool for a special treat you get to sit on the stability ball and do your school books. Everyone loves to use it as a chair – even me.
I do a lot of instability work in my TRX classes, which, I suppose, are a bit of instability training in and of themselves!
Have done some BOSU lunges in teh past, but could definitely use more instability stuff in my workouts.
I love instability training! Nothing as crazy as squats on a stability ball, but the Bosu is my all-time favorite piece of exercise equipment. TRX is a close second. There are just so many ways they can be used to vary your workouts and both are great for total-body. A higher percentage of muscle activation? Yes please. I can only imagine how challenging the TNT core bar would be. I would definitely love to try it out!
Wow, the 2nd exercise pic looks great. I think I should give it a try! Thx for the inspiration.
I love instability training and would love to try out this new tool.