Simply Fit Balance Board Review
I have an extremely hard time buying new fitness products. I am always worried that they are not going to be as good as they look. I thought about buying the Simply Fit board for along time before I actually bought it. My only regret is not buying it sooner. I love it!!! It is a great workout. Of course, it is like any other workout, you get out of it what you put in. I have worn my Polar watch to see how many calories I burned during my sessions on this board and they are always high. I can feel my whole body working while I use it. It is simply amazing. Plus, it takes up barely any room, which I love.
One of my main concerns with purchasing this board, is the board itself. I was worried that it wouldn't be strong enough. It is plastic after all. But I was pleasantly surprised with just how strong it is. I can use it for extended periods of time and it does not break in half (one of my fears) and my kids can climb all over it and sit on it and it does not break. I am very impressed with how well built it is and how strong it is. I seriously had my doubts about being able to stand on the edge of a plastic board and swivel back and forth without it breaking, but you do not have to have those worries. With everything my board has gone through, all the exercises and kids, it does not even have so much as a scratch on it. Impressive!
There is a workout DVD that goes with the board, you can use that but I recommend just getting used to the board first. I also do not recommend being on a wood or linoleum floor the first time you try it, it can be a little shocking how fast it can move. I used it the first time on my wood floor and I thought I was going to fly off. I started too quickly and did not realize how fast it would go on the wood floor. Carpet is much safer. I had my mom try it out and made sure she was on carpet and holding onto the back of a chair the first time she used it, that is what I would recommend doing, it is much safer and it lets you get a feel for the movements of the board. Also, and this is very important, wear shoes! I have tried to do it with no shoes and I do not recommend that at all.
The DVD that comes with it is useful and shows you different ways to use the board besides the basic exercise. I know some people did not get a DVD with there board, here is a link for those of you that are interested in the other moves you can do with the board -
Another plus to the board is that Fitbits register the steps. At first I thought this sounded like cheating, until I used the board. Using the board is a way more intense workout than simply walking. So I think the steps earned while using it are very well deserved. As I mentioned above, I have used my Polar watch to see how many calorie I burn while I use it, I am always impressed with it. It burns a lot more calories than just walking or riding a bike even. I would recommend starting out with using it just a few minutes a day and work up to more. I use it for about 30 minutes at a time now but I started with 5 minutes. It is a new movement for my body and I did not want to be sore from over doing it. You can definitely feel the workout, not only in your abs but also your legs. It is wonderful to feel it while you use it and then see the results after you have been using it for a while. It is also great to realize you are getting stronger. After you get used to it by using it for a few minutes, get on it and see how long you can stay on it for, you will quickly realize that you will be able to stay on it longer and longer, and that is a wonderful feeling. I am not going to lie, when I get off of it, I am sweating and out of breath but I am also so proud that I can use it and stay on it for as long as I can.
I did not take measurements when I first started using it so I cannot tell you in numbers what it has done for me, but I can tell you that my pants are looser around the waist and my legs definitely have more definition. I also can tell the difference in how long I can stay on it for. There is no way I would have been able to stay on it for 30 minutes or more when I first got it, but now I can! If you are just starting out, make sure you take your measurements so you can see what the changes are!
So, in case you need me to tell you, I would definitely recommend buying a Simply Fit Board. I think that people of any age could use it, just adjust the time and pace for different people. You can start out going very slow and work up to a speed that you are comfortable with, just like you can start out at 5 minutes and work up to more time. I have a knee and hip that can be in pain for no reason, which means there are some exercises I can not always do, but this board is low impact and does not hurt anything on my body, another reason to love it!
As I mentioned above, using it on carpet is the best bet. If you do not have carpet, or if you are worried about your carpet, you can buy a mat for it. You can order it here if you want it -
I do not have a mat yet, but I have noticed how flat my carpet looks when I am done so I will probably order one, I am a little worried about wearing a hole through my carpet!!!
If you do not have board yet and would like to order one, here are some links through Amazon where you can order one. The colors are all so pretty!
There are also other boards that are similar to the Simply Fit board, they should provide a similar workout.
