The Best Simply FitBoard Balance Boards
Getting a healthy body is about more than running on the treadmill and lifting weights Balance and proprioception are also vital, though often neglected aspects of overall fitness. Balance Boards are a relatively recent innovation on the fitness market which are designed to strengthen the body, enhance your balance and assist in rehabilitation.
Fresh of ABC’s Shark Tank show, Simply FitBoard has become a popular player on the balance board market. In this article, we provide an in-depth review of the Simply FitBoard.
The maximum weight limit here is 400 pounds, much more than what the competitors have to offer
The board looks elegant and stylish, boasting colors such as atomic orange and bright magenta
A guide and DVD are included to help you start using the board
The board allows you to twist it, activating even more muscles
A Youtube channel exists that shows you what you need to do on the board
Has the tendency to crack after a few months
Slips and slides on hard floors
Hard to use if you have balance issues
Features
Simply FitBoard comes in five different colors. Simply FitBoard is a stylish looking unit that looks modern and elegant. It comes in a range of five colors with cool names like atomic orange and bright magenta. The Simply FitBoard has a better look than most other boards on the market.
The Simply FitBoard is quite similar to other balance boards on the market. Its biggest point of attraction is that it has a weight limit which is higher than most of the competition. The max weight limit on the Simply FitBoard is 400 pounds. This compares to an average of 250 pounds for the rest of the market. The Simply FitBoard measures in at 26 x 113/4 inches and weighs just 3 pounds.
The unique design of the Simply FitBoard provided you with the balance motion that you get with all other balance boards. However, you also get an additional twist-action with this board. This allows you to work your body through a whole new range of motion and planes of exercise.
Ease of Use
Once you have done a few sessions following the basic pattern above, you should be ready to advance your workout. One way that you can do this is to hold a light pair of dumbbells when you are standing on the balance board. There are also many advanced workouts that you can find on the Simply FitBoard YouTube Channel.
Also, there are plenty of exercises you can do on the board, fit for beginners, intermediate and advanced users alike. Many of the mimic the exercises we're already familiar with, like squatting, but they take it to a new level by making you balance on the board at the same time. One exercise, called the standing rock, is just made for beginners. You only have to keep steady on the board and do your best to remain upright. This does sound silly, but it's actually quite difficult if you don't have your sense of balance developed! Squatting on the plank is considered to be an intermediate move, simply because you need to keep the proper form while balancing yourself. A great advanced move is the spiderman plank. You just have to place the board underneath your hands while you do the plank, and then you'll have to worry about not falling over next to trying to survive the actual exercise!
Accessories
The first one is Simply FitBoad- Low Impact Workout. The Low Impact workout is designed for beginners and the elderly. It provides you with different workouts over a 30 minute DVD. These workouts are easy to access for people who have no pre-existing balance skills and folks who are struggling with the effects of old age. The six workouts that are included are the following: Round One: Let’s Get Onboard, Chest & Shoulders, Round Two: Back on Board, Oblique, Biceps, and Shoulders, Back on Board and Cooldown stretch. The DVD also includes a recommended nutrition guide.
The Simply FitBoard 21 Day Challenge combines cardio and strength training into a 40-minute workout program (that’s what the Amazon page claims - the actual workout time is about 28 minutes). The workout is to be done for 21 consecutive days. The workout does require the use of hand weights as follows: Beginners - 2-5 pounds, Intermediate 6-8 pounds, Intermediate 6-8 pounds.
The Simply FitBoard Core and Buns Workout DVD provides you with six workouts that are specific to your core and buns. This workout DVD also presents you with a nutritional guide.
The Simply FitBoard 30084 workout mat is a customized workout mat exclusively for use with your Simply FitBoard. It measures 25.5 inches by 18 inches, making it ideal to place under your board. The mat is made from thick rubber, providing a good level of protection to keep your FitBoard scratch-free and your floor safe as well.
With the Simply FitBoard Mat, you will able to train on any surface, whereas without it you will be limited to a rug or carpet. You can even train outdoors with the Simply FitBoard - just lay your workout mat on a flat surface and then place your Simply FitBoard on top of it.
Does it work?
A large number of elderly folks have recorded that they have markedly increased their balance, proprioception and overall confidence when they began using the Simply FitBoard.
Safety Hazards
If you are a person who struggles with balance issues, you will probably not be able to balance on the Simply FitBoard without holding onto a wall or something else to balance on. However, it won’t take long for you to build up your balancing ability.
Of the two thousand or so reviews on amazon, about half a dozen of them mention that the board cracked after only about two months use. That is only around .025% but it is still worth taking note of.
Durability
However, the plastic the board is made out of is not without fail. Plenty of users reported that the board does last a long time, although it does sustain scratches and bumps, yet a quarter of them reported that the board tends to break after the two-month mark, as we already mentioned. The board is quite cheap so you can always just go buy a new one, but that doesn't make it any less disappointing when your new favorite tool breaks underneath your feet!
The Final Word
Even though the board has its own share of troubles, like slipping around on hardwood floors, cracking under all of that pressure, and being difficult to use if you're a complete beginner, it truly is a nifty little product that is sure to improve your balance and tone your core!