Sometimes, taking vacations and staying in hotels with gyms, no matter how small they are, is a really great way to either take your workout in a whole new direction because you may not have all your devices at hand that you usually do, or to try a new piece of equipment, gadget, or fitness accessory.

We recently went on a tiny little getaway to Pittsburgh, and stayed at a Doubletree Hotel, where there was a pretty decent little gym. It even had that nice new tile that minimizes impact on your joints laid down, and smelled or new rubber – not at all like dirty socks and sweat like most gyms end up smelling!

So, needless to say, we enjoyed the one time we got to visit it on our two and a half day stay.  One of the pieces of fitness equipment this particular hotel gym had was a Bosu ball. A Bosu ball is something I’ve seen in other gyms and seen in ads, but I had never had the opportunity to try it.

I literally had no idea what I was doing because there were no directions on the exercises you can do posted in the gym.  So, I figured I’d wing it. I ended up flipping it, ball side down, flat side up, and using it as a balance board for me to stand on and do my squats. 

Boy, let me tell you, the Bosu Ball added a whole new dimension of difficulty to my squats. You really have to focus on balancing your body when you’re standing on the small flat board, and you don’t realize it until you get up on it. 

I was quivering and shaking the whole time. I only did twenty squats, and that actually seemed like an eternity to me, so I know I got a totally kick butt, different workout on the ball. I also know that I was utilizing muscles I rarely use since I was out of breath and shaky after only twenty slow squats, which I figure would help shape my butt and thighs and maybe even firm up some of my cellulite.

There is actually a lot more you can do with the Bosu ball that I didn’t try.  You can use it as an ab cruncher, by sitting on top of the ball part of it with your butt planted in the middle and your legs coming up to your chest, then back out and extended for an extended crunch.

You really work and tone the abs and stabilizing muscles a lot more, and your butt, because you are trying to keep yourself balanced the whole time, not just working the abs by doing mechanical crunches. I’m a fan of the Bosu ball, and will use it again when I have the opportunity, especially now that I know more ways to use it!