There are literally thousands of different leg exercises you can do – whether you’re at home, in the gym or in a workout class. But with so many options, it can be hard to narrow down which is the most beneficial. However, just about everybody wants to find a lower body workout that is quick, beneficial, and requires little extra equipment.
Bosu ball leg exercises strengthen your entire lower body.
The simple addition of a BOSU ball is an easy way to really increase the benefits of typical leg exercises. A bosu ball looks like a stability ball cut in half, with one flat side and one round, ball-like side. This structure provides tons of opportunities to strengthen and tone just about any area of your body.
What are the benefits of using a Bosu Ball?
Since the Bosu ball has two different sides, you can vary each leg exercise to increase or decrease its difficulty. Placing the ball with the flat side down makes standing on the ball safe and much easier than trying to balance on a ball that has the potential to roll.
Completing any exercise, especially leg exercises, on a Bosu ball forces your body to stabilize and balance, while simultaneously using muscle and strength.
Related: Quick Full Body Strengthening Bosu Ball Workout
Using a Bosu ball when completing a classic exercise such as a squat not only requires lower body strength, but requires balance to remain upright on the ball as well. This added element of balance activates many small muscles throughout the legs and entire body, utilizing more muscles than if you were simply standing on flat ground.
Adding a bosu ball to just about any exercise will greatly enhance the benefits you receive. The simple addition of a Bosu ball is a great way to increase the difficulty of any workout to help you tone and strengthen your muscles more effectively than ever.
What leg exercises can you do with a Bosu Ball?
The fact that the Bosu ball has two different sides greatly enhances its versatility and means that you can complete just about any regular exercise with the bosu ball.
Some of the best Bosu ball leg exercises include squats, lunges, bridges, holds, side steps and leg lifts. Lower body workouts are incredibly effective when completed with a Bosu ball, and can be adjusted for different difficulty levels depending on where you stand on the Bosu ball.
Which side of a Bosu Ball is harder?
Since there are two sides to the Bosu ball, you have the option of completing each leg exercise on either the flat or rounded side. In general, balance is much more difficult on the flat side. Since the rounded side is on the floor, you’ll need a lot of balance to keep the flat side level.
However, standing on the rounded side of the ball is still a great way to activate smaller muscles in your legs. Completing a lunge with one leg on the round side of the Bosu ball activates smaller muscles in your feet, ankles and lower legs to help stabilize your leg while your center of gravity changes.
Regardless of how you choose to position your Bosu ball, you can be sure that you’re enhancing any leg exercise with its use.
Here are some of the best Bosu ball leg exercises for a powerful lower body workout.
10 Bosu Ball Leg Exercises for Strength and Balance
Leg Exercises on the Bosu Ball’s Flat Side
Place the Bosu Ball with the rounded, ball-shaped side down and flat side facing up. Complete these leg exercises by standing on the flat side of the bosu ball.
Single Leg Balance
Begin by standing with your feet together in the center of the Bosu ball. Slowly and with control, bring one knee up towards your chest, as if you were giving it a hug. Take your time with this leg exercise and pause for a moment to regain control if you begin to lose balance.
Slowly lower your foot back down to the Bosu ball, and repeat on the opposite side.
Bosu Ball Squat
Stand with your feet spread slightly apart on the flat side of the Bosu ball. Slowly and with control, send your hips back and lower down as if you were about to sit in a chair. Squat down as far as possible, and then return to standing.
If you are struggling with balance, try this leg exercise on the rounded side of the bosu ball first. As you transition, try extending your arms straight out in front of you as you lower into the squat to help offset some of the weight and encourage optimal balance.
Squat with Deadlift
This Bosu ball leg exercise combines the pervious exercise, a squat, with a deadlift. To begin, complete a Bosu ball squat as outlined above. After returning to standing, move your feet in towards each other, and complete a deadlift.
Slowly and with control, lift one foot into the air, extending your leg straight back behind you. While lifting your leg, simultaneously bend forward at the hips and reach towards the floor with your opposite hand. Continue until your leg and back are completely straight, parallel to the floor. Return back to standing and begin with another Bosu ball squat.
Ankle Tap
Begin this leg exercise by standing with both feet together in the center of the Bosu ball. Lift one foot a few inches from the floor and kick it out slightly to the side, moving away from your opposite foot.
Next, move this foot back in towards your opposite ankle – to its original position. Continue with a few more repetitions before switching sides.
Leg Exercises on the Bosu Ball’s Round Side
Place the Bosu Ball with the flat side down and the rounded, ball-shaped side facing up. Complete these leg exercises by standing on the rounded side of the bosu ball.
Lunge
A lunge can be completed essentially the same way with or without a Bosu ball. Begin by standing about a foot behind the bosu ball. Take a step forward with one foot, planting your foot in the center of the ball.
Bend at the knee to lower down into a lunge, maintaining balance with your front foot. Reset back to standing behind the ball and repeat on the opposite side.
Reverse Lunge + Push
This Bosu ball leg exercise takes a typical lunge and reverses it. To begin, you’ll want to stand on top of the bosu ball with both feet together. Take a step backwards with one leg, maintaining balance as you lower your back foot towards the floor.
Next, lower down into a lunge position. As you return to standing, push off with your front foot (the foot on the Bosu ball) and kick your leg straight into the air in front of you. Lean back to bring your foot in, so you end up standing behind the Bosu ball. Return to standing on the Bosu ball and repeat.
Side Lunge
The side lunge is another bosu ball leg exercise that is completed the same way with or without it. Begin by standing with both feet together on top of the ball. Take a step out to one side, planting your foot firmly on the floor.
Bend at the knee of your outer leg and lunge to that side, while the opposite foot remains balanced on the Bosu ball. Return back to standing on the ball and repeat on the opposite side.
Hip Lift
This simple leg exercise may not look difficult, but can greatly help improve the strength of our hips and glutes. Stand with both feet together on top of the Bosu ball. Next, lift one hip higher than the other. This should cause one foot to rise slightly higher in the air, lessening its pressure on the Bosu ball.
As your foot rises, maintain balance with the opposite leg. Lower your hip back to level and complete a few repetitions on the same side before switching to the other.
90 Degree Jump Squat
This Bosu ball squat is perhaps one of the most challenging leg exercises you can try on a Bosu ball. Begin this exercise slowly, and practice control throughout each movement. Note that it will take quite a bit of practice to get used to how much to rotate and where you’ll need to land on the Bosu ball to do so successfully.
Stand with your feet spread slightly apart on top of the Bosu ball. Send your hips back and lower your body into a squat, as if you were about to sit on a chair. While lowering, extend your arms straight out in front of you to offset the weight.
Next, bring both arms down to your sides as you straighten your legs and jump into the air. While airborne, rotate 90 degrees. You should land with both feet on the bosu ball, turned 90 degrees to face a different direction.
Side Step + Squat
The addition of a Bosu ball can greatly enhance the strengthening benefits of this leg exercise. Begin by standing with both feet together on top of the Bosu ball. Maintain balance on one leg while stepping out to the side, off the Bosu ball, with the other.
With one foot on the Bosu ball and one foot on the floor, lower down into a wide squat. Rise back up and return to standing on the ball. Repeat on the opposite side.
These bosu ball leg exercises are a really effective way to strengthen your lower body and gain incredible balance. You’ll activate many muscles with each movement, and gain control and strength that does not come from typical leg exercises.
Try one or two of these exercises a day, or complete them all together for a powerful Bosu ball leg workout. Focus on control, go slowly, and remember to celebrate progress – not perfection.
More leg exercises and workouts:
- 20 Minute Bodyweight Leg Workout
- Lower Body Toning Tabata Workout
- 6 Full Body Balance Exercises for Runners
