Balance: Training with WAFF
WAFF comes in three different sizes, meaning it can be used for various body-benefitting applications.
Last updated
WAFF comes in three different sizes, meaning it can be used for various body-benefitting applications.
Last updated
You can also use it to decompress your back by lying down on top of it. These are just a few of the many use cases.
WAFF is perfect for workouts at home as well as on the go. Exercising at home or far away is easy, fun, and challenging with this light, portable, all-levels training tool. Adding bodyweight exercises to your workout routine is a great idea for all levels of fitness and being able to exercise anywhere any time is an added bonus. In fact, it’s this convenience factor that makes WAFF even more ubiquitous. Unlike other equipment, WAFF Minis is small and can fit into any space. They can provide an added challenge to your workouts and also be combined with other equipment to spice things up..
WAFF challenges you to build both balance and strength. However, you need basic balance skills before using these tools. You can progress your balance workouts using various pieces of WAFF equipment.
Some of the balance training workouts you can do with the WAFF include:
Just as the name implies, this is a push-up exercise using WAFF equipment. Start with the equipment under your knees and hands. If you are an expert at push-ups, extend your legs, placing your toes on the WAFF. Make sure you balance well. You can then squeeze your glutes to stabilize your hips before you start moving.
Move your chest slowly to the floor, then push back until you are at the starting position. You can do this in three sets of five reps or more, depending on your fitness level.
To do this exercise, your lower and upper back should be on the WAFF trainer. Ensure you are stable on the trainer. Lie backwards and bend your legs, so your knees are over your hips. Your lower back must be in a neutral position—don’t arch it too much, nor should it be flat.
Once you feel well supported, extend your arms upward until they are vertical. Inhale until you fill your lungs with air. Contract your abs as you exhale and, slowly but carefully, extend your right or left arm behind and opposite your leg. Stretch your hand until your leg and hand are almost horizontal (parallel to the floor). Again, inhale as you return to the starting position. Repeat with the other hand. You can do three sets of 20 or 10 reps on each side.
To do the overhead squat, you can start by standing on the WAFF with your feet slightly apart (about your hip width). You can start with the pads close to a wall to test whether you are stable.
You can then squat slowly, being careful about your stability. Extend your hands above your head in a V-shape and let them stay in that position. However, you can extend your arms in front if you feel too unstable. You can also place the pads in front of a chair or bench and squat until only your back touches the chair or bench. Return to your starting point and repeat as many times as necessary.
This is a variation of the overhead squat exercise. Stand upright on the WAFF with your feet about hip distance apart. Position your body in an athletic or squat position by attempting to reach your glutes towards the wall behind you, maintaining a high chest position. Place your hands in front of your face with your elbows bent and your palms facing forward.
Make sure you are stable, then move your hands to the left and right while allowing your head and torso to rotate as your hands move. Track your hands with your eyes as they move. Next, keep your head and torso still as you move your hands—let only your eyes move.
For this exercise, have both your feet on the device and your back heel hovering off the trainer (split stance). Drive your back knee down, so it’s pressing through your front foot. Rotate your upper body toward your knee that’s closer to the floor.
Your eyes should focus straight ahead as you rotate. This will enhance your stability. You can return to your starting position after the rotation. You can do three sets of 10, with 5 reps on each side.
This exercise will improve your balance and strengthen your triceps. The first step is to lie on the WAFF facing down. Extend your arms down by your sides. Your thumbs should be pointing up. Keep your hips tucked into the equipment, keeping your neck and head aligned with your spine while gazing at the floor.
Flex your feet as you push your toes into the ground. Maintain the tension you feel in your triceps as you sweep your arms from your hips to your head. You can then return to your starting point slowly. You can do three sets of 10 reps each for better results.
Balance training is important because it can help you do almost everything, including standing up from a chair, walking, leaning over to pick something up, or saving yourself from falling. Balance training will help you develop strong muscles that can help keep you steady even in challenging situations. It’s also not just about being able to improve your balance—it’s about using reactive surfaces as a feedback mechanism to get you to activate your muscles, increase body awareness, intensify your training, prevent injury, and more.
The above workouts are great for “balance training” using the WAFF. Some of the exercises can feel intense if you are a beginner. That’s why it’s advisable to gradually progress the exercises in accordance with your fitness level.
