return to Vew-Do Balance boards home page return to Vew-Do Balance boards home page

Fitness, Tips and Tricks

Once you have mastered the basics of the Vew-Do Balance Board and can maintain a stable position on the board without using a spotter, try the following tips, tricks and fitness exercises.

  • Fitness - for exercise training and rehabilitation try these out at your local gym or with your physio, if they haven't got a Vew-Do board tell them they should have
  • General Sports - whether you play sport for fun or just want to be the next Harry Kewell, Lleyton Hewitt or Lauren Jackson try these out
  • Skiers and Boarders - of any type, get ready for the snow or water
  • Tricks - for those who want to go to the extreme

Fitness

Squats and ThingsKnee bends on a Vew-Do Balance Board

  • Start by standing centrally on the board and slowly doing
    squats while keeping your back straight (repeat)
  • Bend your knees further and then grab the ends of the
    board with either hand (repeat)
  • For the ultimate in Balance and Flexibility - Bend your knees and hold one end of the board. Then remove one
    foot from the board keeping both ends of the board off the floor, balancing on one hand and one foot.
    (see picture - if you can do it, take a picture and we'll put it on our site)

Weights

  • Incorporating weights into your Balance training routines will help your core stabilising muscles. Start off with small weights and do some of the exercises you would do in the gym and you'll start working muscles you never knew you had.

Vew-Do Push Ups and Roll Outs

  • Position yourself in a regular push-up position expect hold the ends of the board rather than the floor. Whilst balancing the board on the 'rock' do 10 push ups.
  • Whilst in the push up position roll the board out with your arms to each end stop, while doing this most of the weight will be transferred to one arm.
  • For those who are getting serious, combine the above two, roll the board out to one end and then do your push-ups.

Boxing

  • If you have the luxury of a Punch Bag, stand on the Vew-Do board close to the bag and start boxing in the usual way whilst remaining balanced - not as easy as it sounds.

Extreme Exercises with a Vew-Do Board and a Medi Ball

  • Doing these exercises provides two unstable platforms and works wonders for your core stability.
  • Instead of putting your feet on the floor when doing the Vew-Do push-ups, put them on a 65cm Medi Ball (Swiss Ball), so your feet are above the level of the board.
  • Sit on a 65cm Medi Ball with your feet on a Vew-Do board (even that's not easy), pick up some weights and build a routine doing some curls, side stretches and whatever takes your fancy.
  • Standing close to a wall put a Medi Ball in the small of your back between you and the wall, then hop on the Vew-Do board. Starting in an upright position slowly bend your knees and roll the ball down the wall until your knees get to the 90 degree angle, hold, and then slowly return to the upright position - all whilst remaining balanced on the board.

We and our team are dreaming more exercises every day - if you have
any you would like to share with us drop us an email.

Return to top


General Sports

Ball ControlShooting hoops while balancing on a Vew-Do Balance Board

  • Bounce a basketball or other ball against a wall (or throw to another
    person) and catch it on the rebound, all the while remaining balanced.
  • Practice shooting hoops whilst balancing on a Vew-Do board.
  • Get a partner to throw a ball to you which you hit back with a bat or
    racquet.
  • Try kicking (or juggling) a soccer ball while standing balanced on the
    board one-footed.
  • 3 ball juggling on the Vew-Do board increases total co-ordination (if
    you can do 4 or 5 you should probably join a circus)

Return to top

 

Skiers and Boarders

Most of us head off to the snow, waves or ramp without doing any form of warm up exercises, so a simple 10 minutes on a Vew-Do board will help us get our muscles working and body in tune so we can make the most of our day, minimising the risk of injury.

Skiing

  • One of the best exercises for skiers is to learn to 'bark the dog'. Stand in a skier's stance with your feet parallel and roll the board out until it hits the end stop with a 'bark' - then roll to the other end. Keep this going from end to end whilst remaining in control.

Boarders

  • By now boarders will have naturally adopted a front foot forward style, either normal or 'goofy'. Instead of rolling the board backwards and forwards go up on the 'edge' of the rock (not possible on the Balance 101) while remaining balanced.
  • For those days when its too wet/hot/cold, go to the Tricks section to fine tune those skills.

Return to top



Tricks

Before attempting any trick, read and follow all safety precautions
outlined in your instruction manual.
And always use a spotter!

Shuv-it - A basic skateboarding manoeuvre, the shu-vit is a trick that can be performed on a Vew-Do and it’s definitely one to impress your friends!

  1. Begin by balancing in the centred position over the rock.
  2. Once comfortable and balanced with equal weight distribution on each foot, try jumping off the board, while shoving your front foot forward and your back foot backward.
  3. If equal pressure is applied at the same time the board will naturally spin 180 degrees under your feet, thereby allowing you to land back on the board.
  4. This manoeuvre can be done both backside and frontside. You can also try shoving the board 360 degrees.

Ollie

  1. To learn the ollie the rider must first learn to shorten up their stance towards the tail end of the board.
  2. This requires the feet to be approx 12 inches apart on the very tail end of the board.
  3. Once in this stance, crouch down from the knees with arms extended out to the sides whilst remaining balanced over the rock.
  4. Next apply a quick downward thrust with the back foot while dragging the outside of the front foot along the length of the decks surface. (It’s this front foot drag that allows the tail of the board to come up and out of the rock.)
  5. As the tail of the board comes up, you must raise your arms upward while levelling off both feet beneath your body.
  6. At this point you should begin spotting your 3/4 inch landing groove and stick it with your weight evenly distributed between both feet. Yaaa! You landed it!

Ollie 180 - This trick has only been` performed regularly by one rider, Del Hawbacker. It is probably one of the most difficult tricks to do on a Vew-Do Balance Board.

  1. Begin - by learning to land and execute an ollie. once comfortable with doing Ollies, begin attempting the 180 degree as you lift off from the rock.
  2. At this point start rotating your body 180 degree from the original direction you were facing.
  3. During the rotation it will be necessary to have the board rotating in the same direction under your feet allowing for a smooth 3/4 inch perfect landing.
  4. Most people who try this trick, come close, but it doesn’t count unless; you land it standing on the board AND balanced!

Ollie Shuv-it - If you think you are good at ollies and shuv-its, it is now time to combine the two.

  1. First nail your Ollies. Then your shu-vits. Now you are ready.
  2. Try Olliying as high as possible then at the peak of your ollie, when your feet have levelled off, try throwing a shu-vit in the mix.
  3. Once the board is back under your feet, eye up your landing and stick it!
  4. If you can land this trick on a regular basis, we’ll be using you when we need someone to demonstrate the Vew-Do Boards in your town!

Kickflip

  1. To kickflip on your board, crouch down into the Ollie position on the tail of your board.
  2. Now you place your front foot on the the heel edge of the board and pressure with your toes on the edge.
  3. As you Ollie, slide your front foot up and off the board.
  4. As the board comes around 360 degree rotation, catch it and pressure the board back into the rock.
  5. Absorb the shock and stay balanced. then go brag to all your mates.

Grabs - (front side and backside) To avoid running over your fingers, grabs should only be performed on our performance series' boards.

  1. Like in any board sport, the trick to doing grabs is to remain balanced and low.
  2. While balanced in the middle of the board, try grabbing the front side of the deck by bending down from the knees. This will lower your centre of gravity making it easier to grab.
  3. Try grabbing with either hand on either rail of the deck. Be sure not to grab the subdeck or else you might run over your fingers.
  4. Once you have the grab, try poking it out by riding to the end stops while holing the grab.
Tricks on a Vew-Do Balance Board

For more trick tips go to http://www.vew-do.com/, including:

  • heal flip
  • 180 shu-vit
  • 360 shu-vit
  • One footer
  • Shu-vit switch stance
  • Morse code
  • French toast hold the mayo
  • Tuck knee method
  • The weasel

and more.....

Return to top

 

PO Box 612
Cammeray NSW 2062
AUSTRALIA
PH: 1 800 081 180

All rights reserved: Text/images copyright © 2001 by Oakley Brothers International
Website design/artwork copyright © 2001 by Cybamuse Media Services