For more than a decade, the BOSU ball has challenged athletes to improve their strength and balance, thanks to its inflated dome, which creates an unsteady surface. Now, the BOSU’s Stax Elevation System supplements the original balance trainer, providing additional cardio benefits and improving stabilization by elevating the surface.
The Stax Elevation System includes one BOSU Stax Riser in black, two BOSU Stax Holders in grey and a DVD of exercises and drills. We recently demo’d the drills using the Stax System and three BOSU balls. We were already believers in the athletic benefits of the BOSU trainer, and the Stax Elevation System is a welcome addition. It can not only improve performance, it’s also a fun way to enhance athleticism.
The system’s additional height changes exercise angles, increasing intensity and working the muscles in new ways. It also allows for more advanced movements, which will challenge regular BOSU users. Finally, the elevated surface offers opportunities for agility work and explosive drills, with jumps.
The BOSU DVD isn’t a workout in of itself, but a tool to facilitates a plethora of exercises that  improve strength, core stability, explosiveness and endurance. The exercises can be performed on three levels: normal BOSU, BOSU with a Stax Holder, or BOSU with a Stax Riser and Holder. Many of the suggested exercises are familiar, such as Counterbalance Squats and Single-Leg Counterbalance Squats, which use the varying heights to increase the challenge to your lower body.
Counterbalance Squat

• Stand with feet shoulder-width apart in front of the highest BOSU ball
• Maintaining posture, lower hips toward the ball while extending arms out in front
• Once butt touches BOSU, drive up through heels while lowering arms to start position

Sets/Reps: 1×3 per level
Single-Leg Counterbalance Squat

• Stand with one foot touching ground in front of the highest BOSU ball
• Maintaining posture, lower hips toward the BOSU ball while extending arms out in front
• Do not allow off-foot to touch ground
• Once butt touches BOSU, drive through heel while lowering arms to start position

Sets/Reps: 1×3 per leg per level
We found one of the more challenging exercises to be the Side Lunge, which builds strength in the quads, hamstrings and glutes. But doing it on the BOSU Stax Elevation System will prepare you to stick those awkward landings in the middle of a game, thus preventing injury.
Side Lunge With BOSU Stax Elevated System

• Stand with one foot in middle of BOSU ball and the other off to side
• Slowly bend planted leg knee, lowering other foot toward ground while maintaining posture
• Keeping bent knee behind toes, engage quad, hamstring and glute to extend hips back to starting position

Sets/Reps: 1×3 per leg per level
High-intensity plyometric exercises force you to keep your feet moving and stick landings on top of a BOSU ball. You’ll feel your body working and developing power and stability. After all, jumping on a stacked BOSU and maintaining your balance is no easy feat! Use their suggested exercises or work with a trainer to intensify exercises you are already performing.
The BOSU Stax Elevation System is available at BOSU.com for $160.
Photo:  sicksport.com