Burpees used to feel hazardous. Bridges were equally risky. Even star jumps carried a sense of danger.
Touching my toes? Intimidating. Jogging? Enough to send me reaching for chocolates. And a double scoop of ice cream.
I’ve been very unlucky with fitness attempts. I once dropped a medicine ball on my foot and fractured a toe. That ended my short-lived gym career. A kettlebell gave me a hernia on the first try. A resistance band snapped in my face.
I bought a hula hoop online, but couldn’t even get into it. I got stuck in a Cossack squat until my husband came home to rescue me. I managed to injure my back rolling out a yoga mat.
The only deadlifts I did involved groceries. And even then, I needed a nap afterwards. I had nightmares about not walking 10,000 steps. My only sit-ups were when someone brought me breakfast in bed.
Even reading about Pilates was exhausting. Fitness instructors chanting “motion is lotion” or “use it or lose it” made me want to hide under the covers. Trainers on YouTube and TikTok told me to future-proof my independence. Meanwhile, dusting the living room left me with a stitch.
Something had to change.
Discovering the BOSU Ball
Then I found the BOSU ball. Balance training. Mobility coaching. All in my own living room.
My favorite piece of furniture now is a 10-inch-tall, 13-pound dome with six rubber feet. It doesn’t scream torture like gym machines. Instead, it sits in the corner, quietly motivating me.
The BOSU Ball was invented by David Weck. It’s an inflated rubber dome attached to a rigid platform. Flip it dome-side up for an unstable but safe surface. BOSU stands for Both Sides Utilized. Clever, right?
Once I associated toe taps with line dancing and mountain climbers with… actual mountains. Now they’re exercises I do at home. They work muscles I didn’t even believe I had: quadriceps, calves, deltoids, abs, hip flexors, and more.
Small Wins, Big Gains
No more guilt about skipping the gym. I play with my BOSU indoors, lose weight, and move without collapsing afterwards. I’ve even perfected the Dead Bug, strengthening my stabilizers and building real balance.
What’s a Dead Bug? Sit with hips forward on the dome, knees bent to the chest, hands for support. Once balanced, stretch arms and bend knees at 90 degrees. Hold, or add intensity by lowering opposite arms and legs. Eight to twelve reps later, I feel invincible.
A V-Sit? Same dome, different challenge. Sit, balance, lift legs. Hold the position. Add difficulty by straightening legs or crunching.
Bridges and planks? No longer daunting. I even invite friends over to demonstrate oblique twists and advanced Bird Dogs. I can hold one for quite a while, thank you very much.
For a Bird Dog: place the BOSU flat side down, get on all fours, then lift opposite arms and legs until parallel. Keep hips square and core tight. It feels surprisingly elegant.
Why It Works
Using both sides of the BOSU, plus add-ons like The Helm push-up bar, builds balance, coordination, ankle strength, and flexibility. More importantly, it makes me feel capable.
And yes, I now end every session with a few bicep curls. Sometimes with water bottles. Sometimes with wine.
