All athletes can agree that they all require good balance. No matter what your sport of choice is, balance training is something you should be doing – and the good news is it’s easier and more accessible than you might think. The athletic minds behind the Indo Board (based in Florida) understand the importance of good balance – in really any aspect of life but most certainly in sports.
Whether you are balancing on a paddle board, working on your tre flips or mastering the half pipe, balance is a key element to your success. Thanks to our friends at Indo Board, every athlete (and non-athlete) can have a balance training facility right in their own living room with the 3-piece set including a board, roller and cushion. No need for a gym membership, all you need is a little bit of space and the desire to learn something new. A small section of carpet will help too if you are on wood or cement floors.
Indo board
First things first, pick your Indo board. Graphics vary, which means you can find one that suits your personal style. Indo Board makes a couple different versions of the actual board but we prefer the Indo Original for the best range of various training needs. The Original size offers a nice, large platform for a comfortable stance and enough room to move around a little bit when you get better at your balance skills. The board has a nice grip applied to the top of the board but is still soft enough to go barefoot without killing your feet.
Indo roller 
Next, select the Indo roller of your choice. Indo offers three sizes in the roller and each is made to work with a specific board. The mini roller has a 5″ diameter and works best with the mini original and mini kicktail decks. The medium size – sometimes referred to as the ‘original roller’ has a 6.5″ diameter and works best with the Original Indo and Kicktail boards (this is the size we recommend in our suggested 3-pack) and finally, the Pro roller with an 8.5″ diameter, to be used with the Pro and Mini-pro decks only. (we say start with the original size and work your way up to the pro kit – 8.5″ is pretty high off the ground for beginners.)
IndoFlo cushion
There are two ways to go about using the Indo cushion. You can purchase it along with the roller to give yourself more variation to your workout – or you can skip the roller and use the cushion alone. The Indo Cushion offers a more fluid instability platform versus the sometimes ‘jerky’ movements you might get with the roller. There are also a whole slew of other exercises you can do with the Indo Cushion that you can’t do with the roller, so even if you are a fan of the roller, the cushion is a great accessory to pick up as well.
For the surf or paddle board customers, Indo Board makes another cushion – the Gigante. This 24″ diameter cushion inflates up to 12″ high and can be placed on solid ground, underneath your surfboard or paddle board to practice your balance off the water. Indo recommends inflation of 5 to 9 inches depending on your board’s fin system. Another fun way to build that core strength on flat land!
what next?
Good news, each Indo Board comes with a how-to DVD so you can get started on your balance training. Also, you can modify several yoga and pilates style workouts to incorporate your new balance board. Using the cushion, you can do many classic poses like the plank, the tree or downward dog and really crank up your workout.
Want some pointers on how to get started on your balance board? Check out an article written by our good friend and amazing SUP Yoga instructor, Mary Lou Cerami.