6 Best Balance Boards in 2024

Balance is the key to a healthy life that vouches for smoothness of movements and body coordination. It’s a great tool to diversify your training by engaging deeper muscles you fail to incorporate while a functional or free-weight workout. Increase your body strength, and work out your abs and legs with the best balance board.

Check up on the most outstanding models of rocker boards that will improve your spatial awareness and even will become handy for quicker injury recovery.

Top 6 Best Balance Boards Reviewed

1. Revbalance 101 V2 – Top Pick
2. Yes4All Surf Balance Board Trainer – Runner-Up
3. StrongTek Rocker Balance Board
4. RDX W1 Wooden Wobble Round Balance Board – Best Wobble Round Board
5. Yes4All Wobble Balance Board
6. Bear KompleX Balance Board Trainer

Product	Total	Durability	Grip	Portability	Price/Quality
Revbalance	39.5	10	9.5	10	10
Yes4All Surf	39	9.5	10	9.5	10
StrongTek	39	9.5	9.5	10	10
RDX W1	38.5	9.5	9.5	10	9.5
Yes4All Wobble	38.5	9	9.5	10	10
Bear KompleX	38	9.5	9.5	9.5	9.5

1. Revbalance 101 V2 – Top Pick

• Material: wood
• Dimensions: 30” L x 12” W x 1” H
• Item weight: approx. 10 lb
• Weight capacity: 400 lb 
• Surface: non-slip  
• Grip: Durasoft grip
• Level of difficulty: for athletes of all levels
• Additional attachments: roller, MagSwitch roller stop system
• Color: black/blue

The USA-made balance board offers users high durability and versatility that fit athletes of all levels. This training tool will improve your balance, body coordination, and concentration, enhance core stability, and general performance. Due to these specs, it’s our best balance board on the list.

The board comes with a Durasoft grip that prevents it from slipping off its surface, whether you’re shoed or barefoot, and provides good contact with the floor inside or outside the building. The Durasoft technology has non-scratching and non-abrasive features, so it won’t wear out for a longer time.

It’s also equipped with the magnetic MagSwitch roller stop system which allows you to adjust the board according to your level. You can quickly manage the distance between the stops without specific tools. This balance board offers a shorter rolling distance and low difficulty level, while it fits for advanced athletes too giving them full freedom without limits.

The item also offers access to the training library where you can find a proper workout class to upgrade your condition and improve balancing skills.

2. Yes4All Surf Balance Board Trainer – Runner-Up

• Material: wood, PEVA
• Dimensions: 29.53" L x 11.22" W x 5.12" H
• Item weight: 8.8 lb
• Weight capacity: 350 lb 
• Surface: anti-slip PEVA surface 
• Grip: anti-skid top 
• Level of difficulty: for athletes of all levels 
• Additional attachments/modifications/accessories: roller
• Color: black, black/gray/black/green

Look at our second-best balance board trainer that hooked us with its superior specifications and functionality. You’ll enjoy using this tool as a part of a daily fitness routine: it’ll help you to strengthen your abs, improve balance, and coordination, train general strength, and develop muscle memory, and endurance.

It comes with a 15-ply high-quality wood design, with an anti-slip PEVA surface that brings better grip for your feet, no matter whether you train in shoes or barefoot. The fitness balance board is constructed for users of all levels, and it’s easy to adjust the proper distance for you: a shorter position with the side-to-side option, a longer side-to-side position, and absolutely without stops for advanced users.

This training equipment also has a roller wrapped in the TPE thick cover, two shock-absorbing tapes to prevent damage to the surface, and double strips at the bottom with an anti-slipping effect to guarantee excellent friction. 

The board is designed with two adjustable stoppers you can manage within three positions - 11”, 16”, and 22” for beginners, intermediate athletes, and pro users accordingly.

3. StrongTek Rocker Balance Board

• Material: Lauan wood
• Dimensions: large - 17 ½” L x 13 ½” W x 3” H/ extra large - 23 ½” L x 15 ¾” W x 4” H
• Item weight: 4.4 lb
• Weight capacity: 350 lb
• Surface: anti-slip surface
• Grip: with anti-skid strips
• Level of difficulty: for intermediate athletes
• Additional attachments/modifications/accessories: not available
• Color: black

As other balance boards, this multilayer wooden rocker board targets to develop strong abdominals, engage leg muscles, i.e., hip adductors and abductors, improve agility, coordination, reaction time, and general endurance. This training tool is great for all who want to enhance their stamina, balance skills, body condition, and also recover from injuries and surgical interventions.

It’s made from a Lauan ¾ multilayer wood that is more durable than birch or pine timber. The top of the balance board has a well-gripped surface that will help to keep you in place safely, both being shoed and barefoot. 

The board comes with anti-slip and anti-scratch pads, as well as has the curved bottom edges to grip the floor well. You also get an additional pair of anti-slip strips at the bottom that you can replace when the first set is worn out.

The board features a maximum tilting angle of 20 degrees and can be used just to tilt left to right. It’s perfect for diversifying standard exercises and trying their variation with balance development. So, it’s good to try low-weight squats, diamond push-ups, and some weight lifting like arm curls, shoulder presses, etc. 

4. RDX W1 Wooden Wobble Round Balance Board – Best Wobble Round Board

• Material: wood, plastic
• Dimensions: 15.75" L x 15.75" W x 2.95" H/ 0.8” thickness
• Item weight: 2.2 lb
• Weight capacity: 265 lb
• Surface: anti-slip, varnish cover
• Grip: anti-slip
• Level of difficulty: for beginners to intermediate athletes
• Additional attachments/modifications/accessories: not available 
• Color: black, blue, orange

Here we have the best wobble board that is perfect for numerous fitness goals: you can implement it for strengthening your core, improving posture, toning up the whole body, and also it can be used for rehab therapy. Everyone can start working out with this equipment, there’s no difference what your fitness level and sports background are. It’s good for beginners and intermediate users for home gym training.

This round balance board has an anti-slip textured surface with a premium grip enabling you to focus on body coordination. It’s made of sustainable wood with a durable varnish finish, while the bottom is made from break-proof plastic for better stability and contact with the surface.

The balance board for beginners rotates at 360 degrees and tilts at a 15-degree angle that is suitable for performing high-intensity side-to-side, back-to-front, and stretching training. Also, you can upgrade your workouts by performing more advanced variations of common exercises like push-ups, planks, working out with a dumbbell, and even doing lunges and squats.

So, generally, it’s an unusual wobble balance board that will bring you new opportunities to enhance your balance progression and be able to sculpt your body effectively.

5. Yes4All Wobble Balance Board

• Material: wood
• Dimensions: 15.5” L x 15.5” W x 3.3” H
• Item weight: 3.08 lb
• Weight capacity: 300 lb
• Surface: anti-skid surface
• Grip: sandpaper-like grip
• Level of difficulty: for beginners and seasoned athletes
• Additional attachments/modifications/accessories: not available
• Color: black, blue, purple, red, other unique design surfaces

This is the second option of a wobble balance board on our list that is designed to improve balance, gain better abs stability, tone up muscles, and can be used for multiple exercises like push-ups, planks, squats, one-leg stands, lateral raises, and other modifications of common exercises.

As it can rotate at 360 degrees, it adds up to the extra challenge to keep the balance and facilitate functional restore while tilting backward and forth and side to side.

Being made from high-quality wood, the board has a 0.7” thickness and features 15 degrees of the tilting angle. It has a non-skidding surface with a sandpaper-like grip that will keep you sturdy on the board.

6. Bear KompleX Balance Board Trainer

• Material: wood
• Dimensions: 5” L x 30” W x 12” H
• Item weight: 8.8 lb
• Weight capacity: 300 lb
• Surface: anti-skid surface
• Grip: has anti-slip tapes
• Level of difficulty: intermediate to advanced users 
• Additional attachments/modifications/accessories: roller
• Color: black

Bear KompleX balance board is the next trainer that aims to strengthen abdominals, enhance body coordination, and improve balance generally. It can be useful for training and improving balance skills for surfing, snowboarding, skateboarding, and other exercises. You’ll be able to work out never-used muscles that can’t be reached during conventional strength-oriented or cardio training.

The board is crafted from high-quality thick wood, with an anti-slip surface that provides a secure grip. The top of the board has non-slip lines of scratchy material to avoid slipping. The roller is covered in soft foam, namely felt.

Additionally, the board is equipped with safety-stopping blocks on each end, so it doesn't roll out from under you. Besides that, there are bumpers to prevent injuries when holding the handle holes with your hands.

6 Benefits of Using Balance Boards

Balance and coordination are the basis for everything we do, it keeps us stay upright, and have a sense of perception of the surroundings. Besides balance itself, a well-rounded movement involves mobility, flexibility, and strength. That's why balance exercises are essential for our daily lives: all functional movements involve balance and stability to bend, reach, turn, and twist easily. It brings numerous advantages for our general well-being and keeps us fit and shaped.

✅ Improve Balance and Performance

A balance board is perfect to control your body stability and spatial coordination, which are key points in performing any exercise and generally keeping your body upright and moving.

Also, it's good training equipment for surfers, skaters, and snowboarders who need to control their bodies and direct themselves right when gliding snowy hills, ocean waves, and performing different twists on the skateboard.

✅ Enhance Reaction and Motor Skills

Training balance facilitates cognitive functions and improves reaction. Additionally, a balance board workout is useful for memory improvement and concentration. It's clear that to balance on the board longer, you need to have good concentration and motor skills. With regular exercising, your body will be able to react to physical challenges quicker and you'll master balancing soon.

✅ Strengthen the Core Muscles

Balance exercises are a good addition to your full-body training that activates your core muscles. It makes hidden deep abdominal muscles work actively. A strong core means correct posture and an overly attractive toned body. By doing regular exercises on the balance board trainer, you'll train your abs, abductors and adductors, and glutes. You'll strengthen these muscles and won't suffer from lower back pain and finally will get the six-pack abs as a bonus.

✅ Tone up the Entire Body

To keep balance you should engage the whole body to preserve stability, both large and small muscles are working together to keep you upright. So, you get an effective full-body training that is more intensive than working out with free weights. Although it diversifies your training mode and trains your body more efficiently, try to do standard exercises more advanced due to the balance board. Besides these perks, a balance board can be applied for the elderly to maintain their general condition.

✅ Useful in Rehab Therapy and Preventing Injuries

Since balancing on the rocker board strengthens your lower body muscles in particular, it means you strengthen your ligaments as well. As a result, there will be fewer knee or ankle injuries, and you’ll recover from surgical interventions or previous trauma much faster. A balance board will be useful for runners and wakeboarders greatly because these athletes are more prone to getting knee injuries, i.e., anterior cruciate ligament injury.

✅ Improve Posture

Balancing exercises can develop good posture and keep your spine straight because you’ll be able to strengthen the deep muscles of the trunk that are difficult to train. The stronger the spine you have, the better your body will be stabilized and you’ll succeed to keep balance easier. Generally, with a well-built and trained body, your posture will be much healthier and look more attractive.

Which Type of Balance Board Is Best?

Today, there are several types of balance boards on the market that fit users of different fitness levels. These are the same training boards, but you can distinguish them by the way they move relative to the pivotal point. To say simply, it means the difficulty of keeping the balance.

1. Rocker Board

This board type is easy in construction and use, which come in rectangular shapes, and feature one or two wooden pivots. The pivot itself looks like half of a cylinder that is placed along the rocker board. If there are two semi-cylinders, they are placed on opposite sides of the board. You can balance backward and forward only, or change the position and rock from side to side.

2. Roller Board

A roller board includes a round or rectangular surface and a roller. Training with this equipment resembles surfing: you need to keep balance without any support and spotter. This type of board is more challenging, so we don't recommend it for beginners. The board can have guard rails on the opposite side of the board to keep a roller more controllable within a specific area.

3. Wobble Board

This type features a round or rectangular board and a pivot that looks like a semi-sphere or semi-dome, known as a wobbler. The construction allows you to balance in any direction due to the 360-degree rotation option. The bigger a dome is, the greater wobbling you'll have. This type of balance board is more difficult than a rocker one and will fit better intermediate to advanced athletes.

4. Spring Board

This balance board comes with a spring on the bottom. To be more precise, you have two rectangular surfaces with one, two, or three springs attached to them. As you stand on the board, the spring pushes you back, so you keep your balance. Some believe it's pretty difficult to balance on spring boards. Although, the mechanism is the same: you need to find your center of mass, distribute it, and keep balance with controlled bouncing. These boards provide more intensive training than wobble and rocker ones.

5. Curved U-Shaped Board (Flow Board)

Another option is a curved board that can be used even by children to help them learn to keep balance, stimulate the vestibular system, and support muscles to keep the posture right. Adults also can use it to develop a sense of balance and generally improve their muscle tone. This board is made of wood and has a U shape that distinguishes it from other board types.

How to Get Started and Tips When to Use a Balance Board?

When you just get started balancing on the stability board, you need to be highly careful and follow important yet simple tips to use this tool securely:

1. Wear flat-soled training shoes to be one level with the board and feel well.
2. Distribute your weight along the board evenly by bending a bit toward the heels.
3. Listen to your body and feel each motion by stacking your hips, trunk, and shoulders in line - it'll help to find the proper center of mass.
4. Start with minimal controllable movements, i.e., shifting the weight from one leg to another, to feel stability.

Don’t be afraid of adding balance board exercises to your daily training even if you have never balanced on it before. You’ll succeed to keep your focus and balance longer with each repetition as long as your body gets used to the feeling of being on an unstable surface. Use it to develop your sense of spatial perception, make your body more mobile and agile, increase your movement coordination, and keep yourself well-toned.

What to Look For While Choosing a Balance Board?

1. Durability

As usual, all balance boards are made from plastic or wood with plastic elements. To make the board durable, the manufacturers craft multilayer surfaces with extra protection coating.

2. Grip

This is apparently the most important feature you should pay attention to when choosing a balance board. The grip pattern on the surface vouches for good contact with your shoes or feet (if you prefer balancing barefoot). Balance boards usually come with an anti-skid top to bring you excellent traction. Additionally, you can find anti-slip strips along the board.

3. Portability

Generally, a balance board is a decent training tool for home gyms, and it also has a compact design. So, a user can place their feet on it and there'll be enough space for slight movements. A great advantage of mini balance boards is their lightweight making it possible to transport easily wherever you go.

4. Price/Quality

The product price should correspond to its quality and functionality. When analyzing several tools, consider whether it's not overpriced.

5 Basic Exercises on the Balance Board

Here's a list of simple but demanding exercises you should try to upgrade your training routine. You'll skill up your performance of more complex variations of standard exercises by feeling your body balance and coordination.

1. Standard Standing 

This is a starting point you should begin with when learning how to balance on the board. This exercise trains your spatial awareness and sense of visual perception. Begin with standing with both feet shoulder-width. Learn to feel your body, and keep yourself steady with the correct posture. Move your head, and arms, with eyes up and down, and side to side.

2. Squatting

Because of the dome-like bottom, you should maintain balance. Consequently, you won't be able to squat as low as you can when on a solid surface. However, this squat variation can help you to strengthen your legs and core. You need to place your feet a bit wider than your shoulders and try to do mini squats at the start by bending your knees slowly. Don't squat deep until you will feel stable on the board. You can also hold the squatting position for several seconds and then rise back up.

3. Plank Variations

Plank is one of the favorite exercises of every gym goer that activates and strengthens the abdominals greatly. By doing this exercise with a balance board, you'll make your core on fire. Despite focusing on one muscle group, you'll have to concentrate on keeping balance and controlling your arms placed on the unstable board. You can start with a wide-leg plank that is easier than a plank with legs close to each other. Then, you can switch to another plank modification, a moving plank, by involving your elbows.

4. Tricep Dips

You can engage not just your core, but also work out arms well by performing tricep dips. All you need to do is to place your hands behind you on the board, facing away from it. Keep your feet together with your knees bent. Slowly lower and raise your body with the help of the strength of your arms. This exercise may be challenging because you don't see the board and can't control your balance through extra visual contact. You should rely on your spatial perception and your own physical condition.

5. Mountain Climber

It's a good cardio exercise that can pump up your heart rate and help you to burn calories. It engages the quadriceps that work constantly, with your arms, shoulders, and core stabilizing your body. Place your hands on the board, while your body is in a push-up position. Bring one leg up to your chest and return to the initial position. Then repeat with another leg. You can increase the speed of the 'climb' by almost running in one place. 

FAQ

Are Balance Boards Worth It?

Yes, with a balance board, you’ll improve your general physical condition and maintain mental stability as well. You’ll be able to work out your leg muscles, and abdominals to stabilize the whole body. Additionally, you’ll develop your balancing skills and concentration.

Is It Good To Stand On A Balance Board All Day?

There’s no need to stand on a balance board for a whole day as it won’t bring any benefits. You’d better train with this tool moderately at the beginning: perform several basic exercises for a maximum of 10 minutes. We recommend using a balance board as additional equipment for your general workout.

Conclusion

After a comprehensive analysis of the balance board reviews of the most popular models, we succeed to outline what types of this tool are the most demanding ones, what features are useful for users, and what models will be a better fit for novices, intermediate users, and professionals. All in all, we defined our best balance board that is Revbalance W1 V2. This is a balance board that will fit every user of any level by making it applicable to a wide audience. It offers good technical specs: it’s equipped with the Durasoft technology with non-scratching and non-abrasive features, so it’ll prolong the serving time of the board.

Find something controversial or have some doubts about what balance board to select for your home training? Write your questions below the review and we’ll respond to you as soon as possible by providing you with an ultimate answer to your queries.

Also read:

• Push Up Bar Exercises
• Functional Fitness Games Open Equipment List
• Sandbag Workout
• How to Use Push Up Bars
• Home Gym Ideas on a Budget
• Best Arm Blaster
• Best Neck Harness
• Best Pulley System for Home Gym
• Best Functional Trainer for Home Gym

References:

1. BALANCE TRAINING: DOES ANTICIPATED BALANCE CONFIDENCE CORRELATE WITH ACTUAL BALANCE CONFIDENCE FOR DIFFERENT UNSTABLE OBJECTS? //Pubmed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33344014/
2. Comparison of effect of wobble board training with and without cognitive intervention on balance, ankle proprioception and jump landing kinetic parameters of men with chronic ankle instability: a randomized control trial //Ncbi: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9523631/
3. Effect of wobble board training on movement strategies to maintain equilibrium on unstable surfaces //Sciencedirect: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0167945717304864
4. Evidence supporting balance training in healthy individuals: a systemic review //Pubmed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19910803/
5. Balance exercise facilitates everyday life for people with multiple sclerosis: A qualitative study //Pubmed: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6220996/
6. Effects of Balance Training Using Wobble Boards in the Elderly // Journals: https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Fulltext/2011/09000/Effects_of_Balance_Training_Using_Wobble_Boards_in.34.aspx
7. The Effect of a Proprioceptive Balance Board Training Program for the Prevention of Ankle Sprains: A Prospective Controlled Trial // Journals: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0363546503262177