BOSU Cardio Mashup

I was very excited to do Bosu Cardio Mashup. In fact, one of my Christmas presents this year was a bosu ball that I wanted primarily to do Yvette‘s bosu workouts. Since then I have found a lot more bosu workouts; workouts by Fit Body by Julia and Mindy Mylrea specifically, but some others on YouTube, and Linda Wooldridge created a Barlates bosu collection DVD which I have already ordered. I previewed this workout as I do most workouts before I do them and noted that, as usual, Yvette and class were wearing weighted gloves. The “mash up” component of this workout is using the bosu for the majority of the moves, but you are also doing a lot of kickboxing. I normally would have worn my own weighted gloves for anything that involves as much kickboxing as this workout contains but using a bosu is new to me and I decided to give this a run through w/out weighted gloves the first time. I did have my one pound boxing grips nearby and I used them for most of the boxing segments, but my weighted gloves are 2 pounds so they would have increased the intensity of the entire workout. And now that I’ve done the workout, I will use them the next time. However, even without them this was an intense workout.

Bosu Cardio Mashup is a major winner but a bosu is definitely required to get the full effect of this workout. You can substitute a square step for many of the moves but it will definitely be far less intense. Using a bosu was definitely a challenge. I didn’t know what to expect. I did use it earlier this week in PHAT #3 but it is used much more comprehensively in this workout. A little background on a challenge that is unique to me–each of my heels have 2 plates and 12 screws in them. This greatly affects my balance so I cannot do any balance related move that requires me to stand on one leg for a long period of time (I still do the exercises but I modify–either by holding something for balance or by tapping one toe on the ground) but the bosu enables me to challenge my balance on two feet. Which I absolutely loved. I hate modifying exercises but you do what you have to do to make things work for you, right? But this workout required no modification and was full of balance challenges! Standing on the ball with two feet is a challenge in itself! There were a lot of very difficult (for me) exercises in this workout (balance-wise). It was an excellent workout and I am so glad I got my bosu so I could do this workout. I will definitely be returning to it.

BOSU Cardio Mashup is 71 minutes long; 12:30 minute warm up and 2 minute stretch. Equipment: bosu ball, 5 pound dumbbells and 8 or 10 pound dumbbells (I used 8-15 pound dumbbells). Yvette is also wearing weighted gloves. I used one pound boxing grips for the kickboxing moves but in the future I will wear my 2 pound weighted gloves. The weights listed below are what I used but I think Yvette was using the same weights. For everything that states 5 pound dumbbells are used–that is definitely what she is also using, but the heavier weights are what I used (again, I think she was lifting the same weight but I am not positive). The first part of the bosu mashup workout is done in 40 second intervals. At the 56 minute mark she has you get your mat and heavier dumbbells out (you are also still using the bosu). The final 10 minutes or so is sometimes done to 40 second intervals and sometimes she counts reps.

1. Burpee jump onto bosu, landing in a squat and hold squat to count of 3; ends w/ squat hold on ball to slow count of 8
2. Step hop side to side while pushing 5# DBs overhead
3. Lateral step hop over bosu, squat w/ one foot on bosu and lift leg to side, alternate sides (one foot is always on bosu)
4. Pulse squat 3x then jump squat pushing 5# DBs overhead
5. Burpee w/ hands on bosu and when you stand jab, cross, uppercut
6. Do a full sit up w/ low back on bosu and when you sit up, raise to a squat and pulse 4x
7. Hop steps side to side w/ cross punches (5# DBs)
8. In straight arm plank w/ hands on bosu, tap opposite shoulder 6x, jump feet in and do 2 jacks
9. Turn bosu up side down (flat side up), in straight arm plank holding edges of bosu, rock bosu side to side
10. 3 shuffle punches to side + one cross punch
11. In plank w/ hands on bosu (ball side up again) walk hands to side onto floor, back onto ball, then to floor on other side of ball
12. 3 alternating hammer punches on ball + one side kick
13. Stand on bosu, squat to count of 4 while slowly raising 5# DBs in front of you, hold squat for a second then stand
14. Repeat #12 starting w/ other lead
15. Turn bosu up side down (flat side up), in straight arm plank holding edges of bosu, jump feet in, stand and raise bosu overhead
16. Hop steps side to side w/ upper cuts (5# DBs)
17. Bosu still upside down, in straight arm plank holding edges of bosu, plank jack, jump feet into hands, stand and jack while pushing bosu overhead; ends w/ plank hold
18. 2 alternating hammer punches on top of bosu + 2 cross punches
19. 4 hops on top of bosu then lower to squat and hold for 4 counts; ends w/ squat hold on bosu while windmilling arms side to side
20. With hands on bosu, jump feet out to plank, jump feet back in then squat jack
21. Sit on bosu and do full sit up, tapping hand to floor on opposite side of body (across legs)
22. Lateral jump squats over bosu, one foot always on bosu and touching bosu with hand when squatting
23. Plank jacks w/ hands holding edges of upside down bosu
24. Side jab-cross w/ knee raise hop
25. Bosu still upside down, in straight arm plank holding edges of bosu, bring knee to same side elbow outside of body, alternate legs
26. Repeat #24 on other side of body
27. Full sit up while sitting on bosu; add a stand + jump or tuck jump after each sit up
28. Hop to count of 4 w/ high punching bag hands then squat and do 4 upper cuts
29. Sit ups on bosu w/ hands crossed on chest
30. Cross punches; changes to 4 cross punches + one jump knee
31. Push up w/ one hand on bosu, walk over bosu to other side and do push up w/ other hand on bosu
32. Repeat #30 on other side of body
33. Burpee w/ hands on bosu–at top of burpee jump on bosu then jump off
34. Turn bosu up side down (flat side up), in straight arm plank holding edges of bosu, bring knee to opposite elbow under body, alternate sides
35. Shuffle 3x to side then squat, tapping hand to floor
36. Straddle jumps on and off bosu
37. Cross punches w/ 5# DBs
38. Full sit up on bosu and at top of sit up do one cross punch, alternate sides (5# DBs)
39. 3 shuffle punches to side, one cross punch, cross step back and side kick
40. Step + alternating knee smash on bosu
41. Alternating plank punches w/ hands on bosu
42. Repeat #39 on other side of body
43. Step on bosu and tap other leg to floor beside bosu, alternate sides
44. Turn bosu up side down (flat side up), in straight arm plank holding edges of bosu, step feet out and in
45. Start behind bosu and run to one side and tap the floor, run back to start then run to other side of bosu and tap the floor, keep alternating sides
46. In straight arm plank w/ hands on bosu, alternate raising straight arm to side
47. Step hop laterally over bosu and do 2x overhead punch jacks beside bosu
48. Step on bosu and tap other leg to floor beside bosu–do a front punch each time you step to side, alternate sides (5# DBs)
49. Wacky jacks (pendulum legs w/ jack arms but arms are moving in opposition to each other)
50. Alternating hammer punches to top of bosu
51. In straight arm plank w/ hands on bosu do alternating swimmer arms
52. Lateral hop on top of bosu then to floor on other side, do one burpee on floor

Place mat on floor and bosu on top of mat. Make sure all of your dumbbells are close by.

1. Lay on side/hip on bosu, bottom leg bent and top leg straight, bottom forearm on mat, top hand behind head, raise and lower torso toward straight leg; add bending top leg and bringing knee in to tap top elbow (hand still behind head)
2. Kneel w/ knees on bosu and do straight arm side raises (8# DBs)
3. Repeat #1 on other side of body
4. Stand on bosu and do slow squat to count of 4, stand with overhead press at top of move (10# DBs)
5. Sit ups w/ bottom on bosu, at top of sit up come up into squat and squat pulse 4x
6. Uneven squat w/ one foot on ball–pulse squat 3x then stand w/ both feet on ball and press DB overhead (one 15# DB)
7. Jump into sumo squat bringing DB down between legs, jump feet together while curling DB then press DB overhead; ends w/ pulsing sumo squat (one 15# DB)
8. Repeat #6 on other side of body
9. Curtsy lunge pulse 3x then jump squat on top of bosu; ends w/ squat hold on top of bosu
10. Repeat #9 on other leg
11. Alternating overhead press (15# DBs)
12. Jumping jacks while holding bosu overhead

For more info on Yvette Bachman and other (free) streaming workouts I’ve sampled and reviewed, check out my Streaming page.