Alternate Scissor Switches Onto BOSU
This exercise provided courtesy of Billy Polson, founder and co-owner of DIAKADI Body training gym, voted best personal training gym in San Francisco by CitySearch in 2006.
Benefits
Scissor switches are the most murderous of lunges, since you change your leg position in mid-air. The additional challenge of doing them on a BOSU ball makes them even harder by adding a balance challenge. You'll need to use additional leg strength in order to push off against the ball, and to engage your abs and lats to control your landing. Go for minimal wobbling.
Muscles Worked
Legs
Starting Position
Stand upright about one foot behind a BOSU ball positioned flat side down on the floor. Step your right foot forward onto the ball and drop your left thigh and knee behind you in a lunge. Your upper body should be only slightly inclined forward, and your back flat. Do not let your front knee come past your toe (see Photo 1).
Exercise
- From the starting position, jump powerfully up into the air with both legs and switch your legs in the air, so that you land with your left foot on the ball and your right foot back, sinking down into the lunge as your feet come to the floor. Do not let your back knee touch the floor, and do not push forward over the front foot. Focus on maintaining your balance—engage your center and obliques to keep from tipping side-to-side (see Photos 2 and 3).
- In the lunge with your left foot on the ball and your right foot back, again jump up with a powerful thrust from your legs, and switch your legs in the air. Land with your right foot forward and left foot back in a lunge, again controlling your downward motion through your legs and torso. Continue to alternate scissor switches for a set of 12 scissors (see Photos 4 to 6).
