In the pursuit of ways to make exercising more fun this year, we tried out the GoBalance Sport wobble board to see if could help improve our balance, strength and fitness
With my January fitness goals still fresh in my mind, I’m on a mission to try and make exercising as fun as possible this year. Rather than slogging it out in the gym or forcing myself to classes I don’t want to go to, I’ve decided to see which bits of fitness equipment I can use at home to help improve my health, strength and fitness.
With limited space in my flat, I’m after things that will not only make a massive improvement to how much I enjoy my workouts, but also won’t take up too much space at home. That’s why I was keen to put the GoBalance Sport board to the test, with it promising a fun and different way of working out.
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What is the GoBalance Sport?
Simply put, it’s a balance board with electronic capabilities. You use it just like you would a regular one, by standing on it and trying to maintain your balance and posture, but with the added benefit of a built in bluetooth chip and a connected app that gives you a whole host of different ways to use it.
There’s only two bits of equipment; the board, and an inflatable disc that it rests on. The GoBalance Sport set comes with a pump to fill or release the amount of air inside it, and a comfort mat to put on top for when you’re doing exercises that require leaning on it. This means everything can be neatly tucked inside a cupboard or under a bed or sofa, taking up minimal space.
It has a 3D sensor that detects how you’re moving the board, and the interactive app gives you everything from workouts to games to do whilst using it. The 12 free games range from snowboarding to puzzles, whilst the workouts walk you through a series of planks, glute bridges and core workouts that can all be done on the GoBalance Sport.
Who is it suitable for?
The GoBalance Sport is suitable for all ages – even my 70 year old dad had a go and absolutely loved it. It’s easy to modify too; you can alter how much air pressure is in the inflatable section, which will increase or decrease the difficulty to suit your abilities.
Our review of the GoBalance Sport
This was a really fun and different way of exercising. I’m a big fan of anything that gets your body moving and working without feeling too much like it’s a workout, and this did exactly that.
It took a while to get used to the motion – I also may have been over enthusiastic and inflated the disc a little too much, which made it harder! The setup also couldn’t have been easier – simply download the GoBalance Sport app onto your phone or tablet, fill in your details, and it’ll give you 12 free games and free exercises to do with the board.
I do wish there was a way to get it to play through my tv, however I couldn’t find the app to download anywhere on my smartTV. I found it tricky to use my phone whilst balancing on it, so had to resort to propping my iPad up in front of me instead, which was fine during the workouts, but made some of the games a little harder to do. The app does say you can simply cast your phone screen to the TV to be able to view it that way, so this is definitely something I’ll look into.
However, aside from that issue, I found the GoBalance Sport fun and super easy to use, and I could instantly feel the workout it was giving my legs and core muscles after just a few minutes playing on one of the games. The snowboard simulator is my personal favourite, in case you were wondering.
This is definitely something I can see myself getting out and using regularly, as it takes literally seconds to set up and you can do it for as much or as little time as you like. The GoBalance Sport is exclusively available at Very for £99.99.
Alternative options
If the techy element doesn’t bother you and you just want a simple balance board to work on your core strength and stability on, the P2I Balance Board at Mountain Warehouse is a straightforward bit of kit. Costing £34.99, it can be used to boost muscle strength and improve balance and stability during your workout.
For a family-friendly version, the Stay Active Level Out Balance Board, £24.99, is another electronic balance board, but with the added bonus of interactive games built into the board. You can choose from three modes of play, and it calls out different moves that you have to complete on the board – think Bop It, but standing up.
However if you want to get your hands on the GoBalance Sport, you can pick it up for £99.99 at Very now.