Bosu Ball Workout-Chest, Core, and Quads

If you want a workout that engages more muscles and improves your balance and strength, you need to incorporate this Bosu Ball workout into your routine! It focuses on your chest, core, and quads and will leave you sweaty and feeling good!

Just two weeks ago, home workouts supplemented my gym workouts. Oh, how quickly things can change. Now, home workouts are my only option and most people in the world have to workout at home if they want to exercise. (If you’re reading this and aren’t sure what I’m talking about, check the publication date and it’ll all make sense.)

I’m thankful to be building up a nice collection of home workouts. Some of my favorites are this 20-Minute Full-Body HIIT Workout, this Dumbbell Arm Workout, and this At-Home Circuit Workout.

I’m happy to bring you a Bosu ball workout today. This is one that targets your chest, core, and quads. If you don’t have a Bosu ball, it’s a perfect addition to your home gym. Let me tell you a little more about it before I get to the workout.

What is a Bosu Ball?

The formal name for a Bosu ball is the Bosu Balance Trainer. It made its debut in 2000 and is a versatile fitness training tool. Although it’s commonly referred to as a “ball,” it’s actually not a ball at all. One side is a solid, flat platform and the other side is a soft dome that resembles an exercise ball.

What the Bosu Balance Trainer offers is an unstable surface, so whatever exercise you’re doing, you’re engaging a lot of different muscles to keep your balance. It’s because of this unstable surface that you engage many more muscles than you would if you were doing it on a flat, stable surface.

There are many different ways to use a Bosu ball–it can be used dome side up or flat side up, and almost any exercise that you normally do can be done with a Bosu ball. Whatever you do on it, you’re getting that added benefit of engaging those stabilizing muscles. You get a mini workout just trying to stand up on the Bosu ball!

Let’s get to the workout!

Bosu Ball Workout

Workout written by Coach Anthony Dodds

This Bosu Ball workout focuses on the chest, core, and quads, and you’ll get your heart rate up, too. It starts with a warm up without the Bosu Ball, and then it moves into two rounds of work. The first round alternates between two exercises with and without the Bosu Ball, and the second round alternates between two different Bosu Ball exercises.

Equipment Needed

For this workout you’ll need a Bosu Balance Trainer, some dumbbell weights (light to medium weights) and a mat (optional).

Warm Up

Complete two rounds of the warm up without BOSU ball. Take minimal breaks.

Warm Up Set 1

Running man 30 reps
Full burpee (push up & jump) 15 reps
Running man 30 reps
Full burpee (push ups & jumps) 15 reps

Warm Up Set 2

Push ups 30 seconds ( as many as you can)
Crunches 30 seconds (as many as you can)
Push ups 15 seconds (as many as you can)
Crunches 15 seconds (as many as you can)

Warm Up Set 3

Running man 15 reps
Full burpee (push ups & jump) 5 reps
Running man 15 reps
Full burpee (push ups & jump) 5 reps

Warm Up Set 4

Push ups 20 seconds ( as many as you can)
Crunches 20 seconds( as many as you can)
Push ups 10 seconds ( as many as you can)
Crunches 10 seconds ( as many as you can)

After completing all four sets of the warm up, go right into a 1-minute plank.

BODY OF WORK WITH BOSU- CHEST, CORE & QUADS

The body of work alternates between exercises with the Bosu Ball and without it. Only use the Bosu Ball where indicated.

Round 1

The main Bosu Ball exercise for this round is a chest fly into a closed grip chest press. You’ll want to use a weight that will allow you to sustain increasing number of chest flies, so it will be lighter than what you normally use for chest press.

You will lay on your Bosu Ball and do the number of indicated chest flies into a closed grip chest press. That equals one rep and you’ll complete the number of reps indicated. Here’s how it looks.

Laying on your Bosu Ball, start with the chest fly, with dumbbells and arms extending to your side.

Bring your arms over your head to meet in the middle while you continue to lay on the Bosu Ball.

After you’ve completed the indicated number of chest flies, go right into a closed grip dumbbell press. Bring the dumbbells to your chest and press them back up.

With each set, you’ll notice the number of chest flies increases while the number of total reps decreases.

BOSU Ball – Chest fly into a close grip chest press x 12 ( 1 rep of each movement = 1 total rep)
V-ups -30 total reps
BOSU Ball – 2 Chest fly into 1 close grip chest press x 10 ( 1 rep of each movement = 1 total rep)
Weighted Toe touches -30 reps
BOSU Ball – 3 Chest fly into 1 close grip chest press x 8 ( 1 rep of each movement = 1 total rep)
Weighted Russian Twist -60 total reps ( medicine ball or weight )
BOSU Ball – 4 Chest fly into 1 close grip chest press x 6( 1 rep of each movement = 1 total rep)
Plank kick through -30 total reps (hands on BOSU) or for modification on the floor
BOSU Ball – 5 Chest fly into 2 close grip chest press x 4 ( 1 rep of each movement = 1 total rep)
Bicycle – 30
BOSU Ball – 6 Chest fly into a close grip chest press x 2 ( 1 rep of each movement = 1 total rep)
Planks-Hold a 30-second side plank, 30-second side plank opposite side, 30-second High plank (push up position), and 30-second low plank

Round 2

For this round, you will alternate between two exercises that both use the Bosu Ball, explained below.

Bosu Ball Push-Ups

You will complete your push-ups with one hand on the Bosu Ball and the other hand on the floor.

Start in the regular push-up position; your arms will just be uneven. Lower your body as far down as you can and repeat.

You will complete a set number of reps on each arm.

Bosu Ball Goblet Backward Lunges

For this exercise you’ll have one leg elevated on the BOSU ball and the other leg on the ground behind you.

Hold a dumbbell under your chin. Lower your weight down into a lunge, and then back up.

BOSU Push-Ups-10 total (5 each arm)
BOSU Goblet Lunges– 15 each leg
BOSU Push-Ups– 8 total (4 each arm)
BOSU Goblet Lunges– 12 each leg
BOSU Push-Ups 6 total (3 each arm)
BOSU Goblet Lunges– 9 each leg
BOSU Push-Ups-4 total (2 each arm)
BOSU Goblet Lunges– 6 each leg
BOSU Push-Ups– 2 total (1 each arm)

Activewear Details

Of course I have to tell you about my ZYIA Active outfit! For this Bosu Ball Workout I’m wearing:

Blue Floral Pocket Light N Tight Capris (retired)
Coral All-Star Bra

Zyia has boutique-style inventory with new items dropping every Wednesday. That means that certain styles will only be around for a little while and you won’t have everyone wearing the exact same leggings you have! Check out all of their leggings and other products here: Shop Zyia Active.

I hope you enjoy this Bosu Ball workout! If you try it, please snap a picture and tag me on Instagram!

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