Should I be doing instability exercises?

Have you ever walked into a gym, seen someone doing squats on a Bosu ball and wondered "What makes that different from a regular squat"?

Don't worry, you're not alone. Many gym goers perform exercises on a Bosu ball without really knowing what benefit it provides. There are many reasons to do exercises on an unstable surface like a Bosu ball but there are also a few reasons not to.

Instability exercises can help athletes and those going through injury rehabilitation by increasing strength in injury prone areas such as the ankles and the knees. It can also improve overall balance which benefits athletes improving balance for a sport, an older client reducing risk of falling, or a client rehabilitating an ankle or knee and working to increase strength back to 100%.

However, instability training is not for everyone. If you're new to weight training and aren't confident in your form with certain exercises, attempting to perform exercises on a Bosu ball can pose an injury risk. Performing exercises on an unstable surface makes the movement more difficult because you must balance yourself while maintaining proper form.

A beginner should focus on establishing good habits with form before trying to incorporate instability training. Those who are more experienced can certainly add instability training to their routine, as this will provide the previously mentioned benefits.

However, if absolute strength is your ultimate fitness goal, instability training should actually be kept to a minimum because it forces you to use less weight, putting less resistance on the muscle, which causes less muscle growth overall.

Whether you choose to incorporate instability training into your routine or not depends on your fitness ability and goals. It is always important to make sure you master form before attempting any program that involves instability training.

Brian Maher is the owner of Philly Personal Training, a Philadelphia-based studio offering 1-on-1 personal training, physical therapy, and nutrition counseling. Philly Personal Training is the only personal training studio or gym in Philadelphia that requires its personal trainers to possess a college degree in an exercise-related field, as opposed to a basic certification.

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