These Balance Boards Will Hit Your Core and Glutes in a *Whole* New Way
Whether you're into surfing, skateboarding, or snowboarding, balance is an instrumental part of leveling up in your sport—which is where balance boards can be useful. When you can't be outside crushing your movement style of choice, your best bet is hopping on a balance board to challenge your core, leg, strength, and balance all at once. So if you're looking for a way to get better at your sport without ever stepping over your doorstep, we found the best balance boards at various price points to help you do just that.
Best balance boards at a glance:
Best overall: Bosu The Original Balance Trainer ($130)
Best for beginners: Yes4All Premium Surf Balance Board Trainer ($96)
Best for skateboarding: URBNFit Wooden Balance Board Trainer ($70)
Best for stability: StrongTek Professional Wooden Balance Board ($33)
Best for surfing: Revbalance Swell 2.0 ($190)
Best for experienced trainers: Revbalance FIT 3-in-1 Exercise Balance Board System ($200)
Best portable: Everymile Wobble Balance Board ($40)
Best for standing desks: Fezibo Anti Fatigue Mat Wooden Wobble Balance Board ($65)
Best budget: Amazon Basics Wood Wobble Exercise Balance Board ($17)
Best splurge: FluidStance The Original ($370)
In This Article
- Dave Candy, DPT, board-certified specialist in orthopedic physical therapy and owner of More 4 Life PT
- Tom Miller CPT, CPT, CSCS
Benefits of balance boards
While balance boards can be a great stepping stone for people who want to improve, say, their surfing skills, the workout accessories will help with nearly any workout goal. Research shows that incorporating balance boards into your exercise routine may increase your energy expenditure, or the amount of energy you use to maintain essential body functions. Because they're an unstable surface, they're not only ideal for practicing balance, but they're also great for increasing your core strength. “They [also] help strengthen multiple muscle groups at the same time in your feet, ankles, and hips,” says doctor of physical therapy, board-certified specialist in orthopedic physical therapy, and owner of More 4 Life Physical Therapy in St. Louis Missouri, Dave Candy DPT. “They also help retrain your joint proprioception, which means your joint's ability to know where it is in space.” Plus, if you get creative, they can pretty much help you work any other muscle you can think of. (Have you tried holding a plank on a balance board? It's a whole new ball game.) If you want an easy tool for leveling up these all-important skills at home, keep scrolling to shop the best balance boards—no matter your budget.
What to look for in a balance board
In the world of balance boards, there are two types seen most frequently, according to Dr. Candy. “There are balance boards that only tip in one direction (front/back or side/side) or balance boards that are essentially a platform balanced on top of a half sphere,” he explains. “These types of balance boards challenge your balance in all directions simultaneously.” Dr. Candy recommends the all-direction balance boards for the most effective balance training, but cautions that balancing on one foot (without a board) is always a trusty exercise if you’re less experienced with boards, or if you’re looking to improve your balance to prevent falls. “I typically do not recommend a balance board for reducing fall risk in older adults,” says Dr. Candy. “If you're having falls just walking on level ground, then you probably need to improve your balance on the ground alone before progressing to an unstable surface.”
“The width of the half ball also makes a difference,” says Dr. Candy, positing that the smaller the ball, the greater effect the board will have on your ankle stability, due to the reduced turn radius on the ball.
The 10 best balance boards for working every single muscle in your body
The URBNFit is a great way to hone your skateboarding, surfing, and snowboarding skills right from your living room. This board comes with its own app to help guide your workouts, so you can start strengthening your core and legs—stat.
Promising review: “I bought this to help build my core, and general balance. Its transformed my balance. This board really gives you a lot of freedom to learn funky new tricks.”
Specs
Material: Wood
Length: 26 inches
Style: Surf / Roller
Pros
- Includes an app for guided workouts
- Great for improving skateboarding, snowboarding, and surfing skills
- Made with non-slip grip tape
- Easy glide roller
- Helps improve balance, agility, and strength
Cons
- Not beginner friendly
- Grip tape peels after some use, according to reviews
Originally $35, now $33
This wobble board’s slip-resistant surface will help you feel safe and secure as you learn your balancing skills. With a 4.8-star rating for sturdiness and stability, you can rest assured that this board is both affordable and well-constructed.
Promising review: “The board is well-made. No rough edges. Nice finish on all pieces. The top is similar to a fine grit sandpaper. Much easier than the round board with the plastic ball in the center. I bought this to practice to paddle boarding during the winter. The teeter totter movement simulates paddle boarding better than the round balance boards.”
Specs
Material: Wood
Length: 17.5 inches
Style: Wobble
Pros
- Sturdy, durable build
- Medium difficulty suitable for experienced and beginner balancers
- Anti-slip and anti-scratch pads
- Compact design can be used anywhere
Cons
- Some reviews claim it is too easy
Originally $137, now $130
“One of my favorite types of balance platforms is a BOSU,” says Dr. Candy. “It’s like a half swiss ball attached to a platform.” The Bosu Trainer can be used ball-side up or down for a variety of training exercises. “With the ball side facing the ground, it makes a wide-diameter balance platform that’s good for training hip stability,” explains Dr. Candy. “With the ball side facing upward, you can stand on the soft side of the ball and it will challenge your ankle balance more (especially if standing on one foot). As a nice side benefit, you can also use the BOSU in this position for core stability work such as crunches.”
Promising review: “Following a severe spinal cord injury, my physical therapist suggested I purchase this product to help strengthen my feet, ankle, and leg muscles so that I could walk a little more naturally. I have only had a short time, but I am finding huge improvements in my balance, I’m having less pain, and starting to walk with a little more grace.”
Specs:
Material: Rubber
Length: 26 inches
Style: Inflatable
Pros
- Great for a variety of training exercises
- Low impact
- Ideal for beginners and experienced trainers
Cons
- Inflating it can be tricky
Surfers, this one’s for you. The bigger size of this board emulates the length of a surfboard, so you can practice heel-to-toe and side-to-side balance. You can also set a shorter rolling distance when you first get this board to keep it beginner-friendly, then slowly increase the distance as you become more skillful.
Promising review: “I’ve bought and tried other balance boards and this is the best I’ve ever used. The size is so much better and I love the magnetic stoppers. Everything is well made and the composite material feels strong. The roller is nice height/width and you can remove the stoppers to practice spinning on axis. The top mat is a thin dense rip grip foam… grippy in bare feet. Graduated from the carpet to hard floor and it sits in our dining area with lots of room around it and we’ll just jump on for a few minutes when strolling through the house.”
Specs
Material: Unknown
Length: 35 inches
Style: Surf/Roller
Pros
- Great for water sports experts and beginners
- Magnetic stop system allows you to adjust roller distance without any tools
- Traction surface is comfortable enough for use with or without shoes
- Allows for a variety of both heel-to-toe and side-to-side balance training
- Doesn’t scratch your floor
Cons
- Pricey
- Some reviews claim the roller is too small
Train your balance, core, and leg strength with this highly-adjustable option. This balance board comes with a “360 air cushion” that you can use to practice more static balancing, as well as two sizes of rollers. The Revbalance board is also “built tough, by the tough, for the tough,” so just know it’s extra durable.
Promising review: “I’ve had the Revolution FIT 3-in-1 for several months now and love using it! I’m glad I went with the 3-in-1 because I was researching online to find equipment to improve my stability for running long distance, snowboarding and potential surfing lessons. The semicircular foam roll functions well as a stability wedge when paired with the board, saving me the trouble of shelling out an indecent amount of money just for a separate stability wedge.”
Specs
Material: Toughlite
Length: 30 inches
Style: Surf/Roller
Pros
- Great for building balance, core, and leg strength
- 360 air cushion offers static balance training
- Versatile design
- Durable construction
- Includes digital guide
Cons
- Reviewers say the quality doesn’t totally justify the price
Tom Miller CPT CSCS, a certified personal trainer, certified strength and conditioning specialist, and Fitness Volt content strategist, recommends this balance board by Amazon Basics (which has over 4,200 5-star ratings!). “[It’s] made of wood and contains an anti-slip pad for a more secure grasp,” he explains, and the 360 degree rotation offers plenty of training possibilities. Use it to strengthen your balancing skills or to intensify push-ups and planks for an optimized workout.
Promising review: “Great product! I had been wanting to try a balance board at my standing desk but the high prices on the others made me hesitant because I wasn’t sure if I’d even like it. Picked this one up and wow, it’s awesome. Sturdy little dude, wide enough that it’s comfortable, I don’t ever really feel like I’m going to fall down. It has convinced me that balance boards are awesome and a needed addition to a standing desk. My knees & lower back don’t ache from standing now & I can stand for longer.”
Specs:
Material: Wood
Length: 15.75 inches
Style: Wobble
Pros
- Great for all fitness levels
- Offers 360 degree rotation
- Affordable
- Non-slip surface
Cons
- Too slippery on hardwood, according to reviews
- Not challenging enough for experienced balance trainers
Originally $90, now $65
Want to work on your balance while answering emails? The FEZIBO has you covered. Although this board offers less range of motion, it’s ergonomically engineered to help you to strengthen your core and legs throughout the work day. So if you’re just looking to squeeze in some low-key strength training while you punch the clock, this board is for you.
Promising review: “I really like this board. I have another pad that I was using with my standing desk, and it was okay, but this is much better. The ability to shift my weight simply by slightly leaning from one side to the other is very comfortable and natural. I stand almost all day, and this board helps keep my legs from getting tired and my feet from getting sore. I highly recommend this product.”
Specs
Material: Latex, rubber
Length: 20 inches
Style: Wobble
Pros
- Great for working from home
- Ideal for beginners
- Non-slip and anti-scratch
- Anti-fatigue massage points help keep you engaged while you work
- Portable design
- Helps relieve muscle stress and boost circulation
Cons
- Might be too easy for experienced balance trainers
Great for beginners, this board lets you switch between 11, 16, and 22 inches of rolling, depending on your skill level. It features two removable stoppers and four screws so that you can customize which level you need and want. For the pros, the stop can be totally taken out for full freedom. Crafted with 15-ply premium wood, this board can carry as much as 350 pounds, and its anti-skid PEVA grip provides better grip for your feet. It’s also one of the best options to use for wooden floors (it won’t scratch them).
Promising review: “We are thrilled with these boards (we have 2 now). They are smooth, strong, and well balanced. We have tested this with weights from 35-200+ pounds. All good. They’re being using for yoga, as balance trainers, as bridges, as car ramps, and as nugget accessories. Again, all good. I recommend these HIGHLY.”
Specs
Material: Wood
Length: 29.5 inches
Style: Roller
Pros
- Adjustable design is good for beginners
- Durable plywood construction
- Anti-skid grip
- Won’t scratch floors
Cons
- Reviewers say the included screws aren’t long enough
- Might be too easy for experienced users
If you want more surface area to work with, this round board is for you. You can practice side-to-side, back-to-front, and circular movements to really challenge yourself. Once you become more advanced, you can also use this to make strength training moves (like glute bridges) a little more challenging.
Promising review: “This is something that you can add to your fitness routine and it will be a total winner. It is great quality and will not break after a few uses. This is something that can boost the difficulty of other exercises or just stand and try to keep your balance! I think this is the way to get a small amount of exercise in without needing to block out a full hour, use it for a few minutes whenever you have time.”
Specs
Material: Plastic, TPR Material
Length: 15.75 inches
Style: Wobble
Pros
- 360 degree rotation offers a versatile balance practice
- 15 degree tilting angle
- Portable handle design
- Durable construction
- Suitable for all training levels
Cons
- Surface is too slippery, according to reviewers
- Not very wide
This good-looking board (we love the chic and sturdy bamboo top deck) is a sleek addition to your at-home work setup. FluidStance conducted its own study on 400 of its users, and found that a majority of participants felt more productive after using their boards for just a one-week period. Don’t underestimate this board because it’s pretty: Its withstood the weight of FluidStance’s founder’s truck(!!!) driving over it.
Promising review: “Having a standing desk can be draining if all you’re doing is just staying upright working in front of a screen hours at a time. The Fluidstance Original balance board brings motion to the work desk and is superbly built with a fabulously elegant design. It keeps me active and engaged when I wasn’t expecting much at the beginning. This is truly a gem for an active lifestyle accommodating the workspace. Worthy investment for your health and longevity. Certainly beats a visit to the chiropractor!”
Specs
Material: Bamboo, Aluminum
Length: 26.5 inches
Style: Wobble
Pros
- 360 degree tilt base offers a versatile balance training
- Great for standing desks
- Sturdy bamboo deck
- Helps improve strength, stability, and focus during the work day
Cons
- Pricey
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