Best Bosu Ball | Half Exercise Balls for Balance & Core Strength
In this guide, we review the best Bosu ball / half exercise ball for balance and core strength.
At the end we’ve also included a buyers guide to the best bosu balls to help you choose the right one for you.
Let’s begin:
What is an exercise Bosu ball?
The Bosu ball, or half exercise ball, enables you to strengthen your core muscles and improve balance by doing exercises like Bosu ball squats, push ups and ab workouts.
The ball itself is pretty simple but it needs to be high quality if you want it to last. The top part should be soft and relatively unstable, but with a solid base that roots firmly in place during your Bosu ball workouts.
As well as providing reviews of the 6 best Bosu balls, we’ve also included a buyers guide to help you choose the best ball for your buck.
Before we get into that, here are some of the best Bosu ball exercises for abs, legs and balance:
Bosu Ball Exercises for Abs, Legs & Balance
You can use a Bosu ball for abs to increase your core strength and build a six pack. See this video for some of the best core exercises with a Bosu ball:
You can also do Bosu ball squats and other leg exercises for building up your lower leg strength:
Finally, using a Bosu ball for balance and stability exercises is super useful for injury prevention and rehab:
6 Best Bosu Half Exercise Balls:
1 – BOSU Pro Balance Trainer
The Bosu Pro Balance Trainer was designed for use in gyms and other commercial settings but is also perfect for exercise at home. It is made from latex so will withstand heavy use and has a maximum weight capacity of 350lbs. It has a moderately unstable platform, which makes it effective in balance training, but its toughened durability means that it is better suited to strength training.
It is one of the more expensive half yoga balls on our list, but is well priced considering the dual molded platform which is designed to last for years of heavy use. It comes with a hand pump for inflation, access to online Bosu ball workouts and a wall chart.
The Bosu Pro receives mostly positive reviews, but there have been a handful of complaints that the ball popped out of the frame. The quality of the hand pump has also been questioned. Overall, though, this balance ball is well worth the investment and is one of the most rugged half yoga balls in our list.
Pros
- Very durable
- Comes with a host of extras
- Designed for commercial use
Cons
- Pricey
- Hand pump is a bit flimsy
2 – BOSU Pro NexGen Bosu Ball
The Bosu Pro NexGen is an updated and upgraded version of the Bosu Pro. The manufacturers have especially improved the texture on the outside of the ball to give improved grip. There are four marked quadrants, enabling you to easily find your hand or feet positioning even during intensive use.
Like the original Bosu Pro, it will hold a maximum weight of 350 pounds but if you thought the original was expensive, this version costs a little more and is the most expensive half yoga ball on the list. Like the original, you get access to downloadable content as well as a progress wall chart and hand pump.
Most buyers love this Bosu ball for ab and leg workouts, but there have been some difficulties inflating the ball as well as a small number of complaints of the ball deflating.
Pros
- Highly durable
- Designed for pro use
- Plenty of extras
- Improved textured surface
Cons
- Expensive
- Some trouble inflating
3 – DEVEBOR Bosu Ball
The Devebor Bosu Ball is the second generation of this product line. It has a textured finish for improved grip and has 6 anti-slip feet to ensure that the ball remains in place even during heavy use. It has a staggering 800lbs maximum weight limit and the manufacturers claim it takes one minute to inflate to size.
This ball has built-in resistance bands that are attached to the ball using metal clips, although many users may prefer to buy these separately.
A common complaint with this type of ball is how difficult it is to inflate, and several users have complained about the Devebor. Also, some users have said that its design prevents you from flipping it over and using it as a balance trainer.
Pros
- Massive 800lbs weight limit
- Textured finish
- Resistance bands with metal clips
Cons
- Can’t be used upside down
- Difficult to inflate
4 – Sportneer Half Yoga Ball
The Sportneer Half Yoga Ball is smaller and also cheaper than most of the other balls on this list. Its size makes it easier to lift and carry, and it is complete with attached resistance bands that enable a wider range of exercises and activities. It has a maximum weight capacity of 300lbs, which should be more than adequate for the typical user. It also includes a pump and can be used upside down more easily than some other models on the list.
Unfortunately, this is another half yoga ball that suffers for being difficult to inflate. Also, the resistance bands aren’t great. You will want to replace them after you’ve got the hang of exercising on this type of equipment.
Pros
- Comes with resistance bands
- Can be used upside down
- Cheap Bosu ball
Cons
- Difficult to inflate
- Resistance bands aren’t great
- 300lbs maximum weight is the lowest in this list
5 – BELEBOOM Bosu Ball
The Beleboom Balance Ball is the latest iteration that is smaller, lighter, and sturdier than the original. It has a maximum weight capacity of 800lbs thanks to its 5mm thick PVC coating. It also has a swirly textured surface that should prevent you from slipping and sliding, even if the surface gets damp. It also comes with resistance bands, which attach via metal clips for additional stability, and it comes with a towel.
According to reviews, the included pump isn’t much to write home about, and a lot of people have had to use an alternative to inflate their ball. The Beleboom is reasonably priced, roughly in the middle of our list, and the resistance bands aren’t very resistant, so you should consider buying these separately. There have also been some reports that it is too firm, even if you let a little air out.
Pros
- 800lbs weight capacity
- Comes with resistance bands
Cons
- Resistance bands don’t offer much resistance
- Quite firm
- Difficult to inflate
6 – ZELUS Half Yoga Exercise Ball
The Z Zelus Half Yoga Bosu Ball is cheap to buy. It has a 330lb weight capacity, features 6 anti-slip feet, and includes resistance bands attached to the base. Unfortunately, the resistance bands are attached using plastic clips, and they don’t offer much resistance, but they can be replaced with better alternatives.
It includes a pump and the manufacturers claim it’s easy to inflate in under 5 minutes. Buyers, unfortunately, disagree with this. A number of people have reported that the device came without air plugs. Others have said the ball has a tendency to deflate.
Pros
- Anti-slip feet
- Quick to inflate
Cons
- Weak resistance bands
- May tend to deflate
Bosu Ball Buyers Guide
A Bosu ball is ideal for ab and leg workouts and can also be used as a balance trainer. Usually they have some form of textured top, which is useful to prevent slipping, and most models in our list have resistance bands attached that help with balance and can be used as an extra workout aid.
Often, the bands provided with the ball are very low resistance. If you need something stronger, we recommend buying a resistance tube with handles:
All of the Bosu balls can be used with the flat surface on the ground with the soft side up, making them ideal for ab and leg workouts. Some are also designed to be turned over and used to improve stability.
However you use it, you need to ensure that it is rugged and tough enough for regular use and that it will cope with the weight you will be placing on it.
Inflation
The half yoga ball needs inflating before use, and this is one area where virtually all of the models struggle. Some of the worst models continually deflate with use but a more common problem is that the pump provided fails to do a decent job of inflating the ball.
You can use an alternative – in most cases, this means using a bicycle or ball pump to inflate the Bosu ball.
Texture
The textured surface is another area worth considering. Although you will usually be wearing sneakers when working out on this device, if the texture is poor quality or barely there, you might find it difficult to stay on the ball.
This is especially true during intense ab and leg workouts when the surface of the Bosu ball can get damp. Some models have extra texturing and even use the design to guide your hand and feet placement.
Verdict – What Is The Best Bosu Ball?
Although half yoga balls all look similar, because there isn’t much you can do with a hemispherical design, they differ in quality and performance.
Hopefully, using our reviews you can find the ball that best suits your needs. We found the BOSU Pro Balance Trainer to offer the best combination of quality and cost. It has been designed for commercial use so is heavy-duty and very tough.
We hope you enjoyed this guide to the best half exercise Bosu balls for balance & core strength.
Follow our YouTube channel for exercise videos like this glute workout:
