# Wondering about training for Balance?



## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

I was wondering if the vet's here knew of any specific types of off season training that would help train/improve my overall balance on the board?

Lately I've been trying some squats with an overturned Bosu Ball, I balance on the flat base in my general snowboarding stance while doing squats or holding a squat position while going heel-toe. Sometimes I even do this while switching a 10-15lb medicine ball from hand to hand. 

Will have to wait & see if this helps any while on the board, but my balance seems to have improved some! (...at least I don't fall off the ball like I did at first!)

Is there anything else you would suggest I add to my workouts that would help with overall balance for boarding?


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## a bag of it (Oct 2, 2011)

Slack lining


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## Qball (Jun 22, 2010)

A skate deck and a piece of pvc pipe


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## Toecutter (Oct 11, 2009)

Yoga works on balance, as well as strength and flexibility.

If you don't have much time or exercise equipment available, then one simple exercise is to see how long you can stand on one leg. Make a game of it and see if you can beat your PRs.


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## Frozen (Apr 21, 2012)

I'm not a vet but I built a "balance board"? It's a good tool for balance and will improve your confidence when approching rails. Decent workout too. I wouldn't use it but if you workout at home then you might like it. Some people on here built it from lumber but I built mine cheaper. Either way is fine.

What i did was get a log, 4'-whatever' is fine. Then split some wedges (shims whatever) off another log and jam them under your log on both sides at either end. Done. Strap in and jump off and on. Try boardslides and noseslides (your not really sliding), pressing whatever. 180-270-360 on off. The shit is pretty fun especially for those of us with shorter seasons. Oh and it wont fuck your board up besides pretty small scratches on base. I don't give a fuck personally, but if you do you could staple old carpet to the log and I bet your base would be fine.


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## lonerider (Apr 10, 2009)

chomps1211 said:


> I was wondering if the vet's here knew of any specific types of off season training that would help train/improve my overall balance on the board?
> 
> Lately I've been trying some squats with an overturned Bosu Ball, I balance on the flat base in my general snowboarding stance while doing squats or holding a squat position while going heel-toe. Sometimes I even do this while switching a 10-15lb medicine ball from hand to hand.
> 
> ...


Doing everything on an unstable platform if really going to help.

These videos are what other snowboarders are doing.

The double bosu 180 and 360 show here is really good (the full video has a few more things)






Gretchen Bleiler Indo Board workout





Lol... and Nate Holland Boardcross training


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

lonerider said:


> The double bosu 180 and 360 show here is really good (the full video has a few more things)


Honestly, I have that video (have the sub) and I really didn't like the jumping on the bosu balls. Looked to me like a recipe for a sprained ankle - if not worse.

I've been using this at the gym at work:

Extreme Balance Board from Fitterfirst

Really good core workout as well as balance work. And it's forcing me to get off my heels, which is something I tend to have a problem with.


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## RockyMTNsteeze (Oct 21, 2012)

I use to have a homemade balance board not to long ago. My beefcake room mate broke the crappy board in half.

Another person suggested a skate deck and a PVC pipe. I have never tried that. My balance board was a skate deck and a big bottle of coke filled with water with duct tape tightly wrapped around it. It worked awesome and was fun. Make sure nothing breakable is around when you use one. Put the bong away.

This fall I have been skate boarding more in preparation for snowboarding. Riding a bicycle is good too. Bicycles are low impact and good for your knees. I am one of those seasoned snowboarders that have good knees, it may be because I ride bicycles a lot. I think skateboarding was very effective. I have been snowboarding and I am not getting sore legs.


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## DrnknZag (Feb 7, 2010)

Toecutter said:


> Yoga works on balance, as well as strength and flexibility.
> 
> If you don't have much time or exercise equipment available, then one simple exercise is to see how long you can stand on one leg. Make a game of it and see if you can beat your PRs.


Yoga for sure. Balance comes from the core, so work them abs.


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## mjd (Mar 13, 2009)

Vew Do balance boards. Super fun!


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## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

Thanks for all the feedback. I appreciate it.

I started thinking about this balance training because last summer, I got really good at "Track Stands" on my MTB. (…balancing on the bike without dabbing.) Now, whenever I have to stop on the trail or take a ride on the road, I don't have to put my feet down to scope the trail or wait out traffic at a stop light, whatever. Just balance on two wheels till I can continue on. (...my record is about 4-5 minutes at a really looong light!) 

Well after that, at the start of last season's riding. I noticed on my first day out, that I seemed to be a LOT less awkward on the board! I was amazed because I was riding better after the whole summer off than I was at the end of my first few months of riding. 

I wasn't aware that you could "Train" for Balance. (_…I guess I sorta figured you either had "it" or you didn't._) It's good to know it appears I was mistaken about that! (..To be completely honest, I'm actually amazed that I am getting as good as I am, progressing like I am snowboarding!) I have never been what you would call a "natural athlete"!

This season I'd like to try and get comfortable (...or even just marginally successful!) at sticking a landing & riding out after getting any sort of "Air"! Thought some more intensive balance training couldn't hurt my chances of making that happen!

This sport is the most fun I've ever had with my clothes on!!!!


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## Lamps (Sep 3, 2011)

chomps1211 said:


> Thanks for all the feedback. I appreciate it.
> 
> I wasn't aware that you could "Train" for Balance. (_…I guess I sorta figured you either had "it" or you didn't._) It's good to know it appears I was mistaken about that! (..To be completely honest, I'm actually amazed that I am getting as good as I am, progressing like I am snowboarding!) I have never been what you would call a "natural athlete"!
> 
> This sport is the most fun I've ever had with my clothes on!!!!


The good news is that you can train for balance, the bad news is that as you age your balance deteriorates so us older dudes need to train just to stay even....


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## RagJuice Crew (Apr 8, 2012)

Saw this from Mitch Tölderer and Bibi Tölderer-Pekarek (Jones riders), worth checking out:


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## lonerider (Apr 10, 2009)

Donutz said:


> Honestly, I have that video (have the sub) and I really didn't like the jumping on the bosu balls. Looked to me like a recipe for a sprained ankle


That's what I thought too... especially since i personally used to be super prone to rolling my ankles(they are so loose when my feet dangle in the air my feet and rotated over 45 degrees inward so the side of my foot is closest to the ground). However I tried it (just the straight airs at first, then air with grab, then 180 on to the floor, then 180 staying on the bosus) and after two weeks I've moved up to 360s and I say that if you are realistic in your abilities (i tried a 540 and fell on my ass) and very gradually increase the difficulty that double bosu works really well (I'm 33 years old with multiple ankle, ACL and MCL tears on both knees in the past so I am pretty careful about not re-injuring myself)


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

For a cheap balance board, a 1 or 2 liter soda bottle filled with water and an old skate board deck with out the trucks...do it on a cement/wood floor it will be fast or start out on a carpet and it will be slower. For jump squats throw in back/front side 180's. After you get your balance and leg strength...at least for me, core strength...or the lack there of....real put the limit my riding...for a couple of winters I tore ab muscles and could barely ride for a month each winter.


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## RockyMTNsteeze (Oct 21, 2012)

^^^^^

don't forget to wrap duct tape around it. This makes the bottle more grabby and keeps it from bursting open.


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## lonerider (Apr 10, 2009)

chomps1211 said:


> Thanks for all the feedback. I appreciate it.
> 
> 
> This season I'd like to try and get comfortable (...or even just marginally successful!) at sticking a landing & riding out after getting any sort of "Air"! Thought some more intensive balance training couldn't hurt my chances of making that happen!


I found the double bosu jump gives you immediate feedback on when you are off balance (as DonutZ said, this training is no idiot-proof and you can injury yourself if you aren't smart about your difficulty progression). 

Start out just bouncing a little without leaving the ground... then practice hoping on and off the double bosu setup from the ground (again you will get immediate feedback on whether you were off-balance on the takeoff or landing).

I've built my own balance board using a 2'x2' piece of wood, and a circular piece of particle board (cut the circle and half and attach the two half-circles to the bottom of the board with screws/glue... using a 2"x2" stick between the two circles to support it).


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