INDO BOARD BALANCE SESSION

Question: How about some clarification on labile surface training. I know you love the Indo board, why? How is the Indo different from Airex pads, dynadiscs, wobble boards, etc.? Meaning my impression is your not crazy about the "functional" guru's approach to balance training. What makes the Indo board different?

The hardest part of answering this question maybe that it will come off as (a) a shameless product endorsement, which in someway it is and (b) come off as incredibly arrogant but here goes. Either way, this board is tremendous for development, is heard over heels above anything else in the market and just oozes style. But of course since the developer of the board, Hunter Joslin toured with surf legend Larry Bertlemann, ya’ just knew is would.

But returning to the question, first…I need to point out stated within the Renegade Concepts of Training ™ we are seeking to stabilize ourselves within a destabilized environment such that we are able to project, accept and re-direct maximal force. Stabilization and the ability to control movement is hand-in-hand with training movements, not musculature, perfecting posture and varying loading with non-conforming objects/surfaces./mediums within a chaotic and rapidly changing environment.

It needs to be pointed out that this may be the most plagiarized component of Renegade Training as many strength “guru’s” (or just well published children) gleam us for information and make use it to build there own systems but never truly understand it or are even able to perform it themselves correctly. But then again, why would you ask anyone whose training is limited to the weight room about fluidity of movement…

Secondly and I have scoured trade magazines / catalogs extensively on this…virtually every picture I see in one of these “balance” training programs or equipment advertisements, shows the individual, including the “guru” in a horrible postural position, extremely tight and definitely unable to perform without any strength, fluidity of motion or grace. I have found their demonstrations as questionable displays of athleticism and the training effect would be minimal if any and likely detrimental. Simply, they the experts are not prepared properly and it shows.

Again…I apologize for sounding arrogant...but to compare our use to what they are calling “training” is ridiculous. My exhibitions on lifting on an Indo board has been after years of regimented training and simply being able to perform Clean and Jerks, Drop Snatches with 135 lbs wasn’t really that tough at all given proper training and only the early stages of progressive movements that exhibit mastering body control that starts with the earliest stages on enhancing tactile response.

But all of that still doesn’t truly answer your question of Indo board superiority so let me explain…

Balance or the ability to find equilibrium is maximized somewhere in the pre-pubescent years. Please note, I said maximized…the upper threshold but this isn’t a question of finding the upper limits and taking your average skater and turning him into the artistry of Christian Hosoi. How the ability to be find equilibrium lays in the notion of balancing yourself in movement, postural position, dynamic range of motion from the catalyst of motor pattering, tactile response.

As we consider standard lifting / exercise parameters…the one common theme and equal problem that we have in training is that movement is generally minimal and pre-programmed. Reaction is virtually eliminated and the environments rarely if ever change. Lifters continuously program themselves to the ritual to being able only to perform with just the right conditions, the right gear, music, set up…the list is endless. Yet in truth the only thing stable, static in sport, training or life…is the weight platform and thus the training effect to real life/sport activities is limited. This also relates into why I generally train in standard clothing with no warm-up…I train to be able to “go” on a split-second notion and don’t condition myself to pristine environments. No wave is similar, no event in life is similar…or simply if there is one thing you can count on in life, it is that unpredicted events will occur. Returning to my example of lifting...if not simply, a lift is a lift is a lift and if my numbers are correct over my training career…I have performed somewhere around 300,000 -400,000 reps in Squats and I can safely say…not all that much has changed.

On the other had…every action or reaction in sport offers variation in movement, some extremely subtle. Adding air disc’s to your training can definitely have some benefit to enhance neuro-muscular firing patterns (i.e. split lunge to bosu ball can truly fire up the hamstrings or performing a bench press on a swiss ball to enhance retraction of the scapula) yet still are predictable, are limited in use and very early in the broad development stage of a Renegade athlete. Much of that can equally be replicated by simply limiting a soft or random surface, such as grass, dirt or sand. More advanced surface mediums would be lifting in water, preferably with random waves.

So where does the Indo fit it? Again unfortunately some use it to “balance” themselves and stand on it like a stiff tree, trying to stop the board. However that is an error as like that tree in the wind it will break and the training benefit is limited. The Indo when used properly takes the leap forwards that all over boards, disc’s can’t make claim to… …you walk, stroll, turn, move on the Indo…all with exhibiting perfect posture and grace that stresses the development of dynamic range of motion but in an unpredictable and random manner with subtle tactile response from contact with the board that is the first stage of motor skill development.

Basically get on the Indo and get your flow on!

shameless product endorsement wearing
the new argyle from R~Style