Swifty Fitness Balance Boards have been a way for us to stay active when unable to get outdoors in recent months. From surfers who can’t get to the beach to skiiers that have had trips cancelled to people who are just looking for a new way to move from the comfort of their home; the balance board has given many of us a chance to try something new and get active in a fun way.
SHOP OUR HOME FITNESS EQUIPMENT
BALANCE TRAINING SUITABLE FOR ALL
Balance training is something we can all benefit from, which we know all too well from our adult scooters. Balance is of fundamental importance to scooting and one of the first things that you feel tested when you head out on your first ride.
We all have a weaker side when we scoot and finding out your weaknesses and training them helps us gain a greater understanding of our movements as a whole. Which is in part why we introduced the Swifty balance Board.
Balance boarding is a brilliant way to test and train the movements you go through on a scooter but in a whole new light. It trains the same muscle groups scooting does while also getting you thinking about your coordination, proprioception, reaction time etc.
Balance boarding focuses on smaller, functional movements that we use in our daily lives. Helping grow an understanding of things like foot position and knowing how to adapt our centre of gravity can benefit us all, whether in sports or general movement. Because after all, we aren’t just about scooters.
With the addition of Swifty Fitness to our brand we have expanded what we do into home fitness equipment too. As many of us have found ourselves stuck at home over recent months we’ve understood how much we can do from our house or flats and home fitness is one of the top ways we can take some control back over our days.
Learn more about Swifty Fitness
SPECIAL EDITION BALANCE BOARD
Swifty co-founder Jason has a particular love for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and trains at the local Stockport Gym Factory BJJ! Through lockdown he felt the benefits that balance boarding was bringing to some of the key areas he was training for BJJ, so introduced it to Factory BJJ head coach Adam Adshead.
Adam is a friend of Swifty’s and was our guest for The Swifty Podcast Ep 9 where he and Jason discuss the how Adam has built up the company and made sure it's adapting to stay both competitive and independent within the industry - Listen to the full episode here
We love working with local dynamic businesses that we admire so much and have a personal connection with, so we’re happy to announce our Swifty X Factory BJJ special edition balance board!
The beautiful special edition board comes with a unique new design from the Adam which he explains below -
‘V for Victory, X for Defeat.
Victory and Defeat play a part in all areas of our lives from A-Z.
It's all about balance; riding out the defeats and not glorifying victories too much.
This will ensure consistent progress in anything you do.’
Adam generously donated 2 prints of the boards artwork have now been given away to 2 of the first 10 people to purchase this special edition balance board!
BALANCE BOARDING AND BJJ
We had brief chat with Adam ahead of our collaboration about the benefits of balance board for his sport, the role of artist in his life and how he uses his board!
Prior to this collaboration had you tried balance boarding before?
Yes, I've had a few goes on other people's boards at the gym but never had my own. They're a lot of fun and a lot easier to get the hang of than I first thought.
What is the importance of balance in BJJ, is it something focused on in training?
Balance is hugely important for BJJ but it's something that we rarely work in isolation. In terms of trying to stop yourself from getting thrown or swept to keeping good posture when trying to pass the guard - having better balance will really boost a lot of areas of your game.
Are there any similarities between BJJ and Balance Boarding?
The thing I like about both is the micro-adjustments you have to make. The landscape in sparring is always changing; so you constantly have be aware of your positioning, your posture, hand placement etc - I feel it's the same when I'm on the board and I like that crossover between the two.
How have you worked balance boarding into your existing fitness schedule?
I really like to work my Balance Boarding in between sets when lifting weights. It's important to rest properly in between sets, so I jump on the board for a few minutes to work on my balance to maximise my home workouts.
BJJ and Balance Boarding seem worlds apart at first as exercises, how have you used the board to improve the skills of your sport?
I started to get into Yoga last year and I really found it helped my BJJ in terms of improved balance, posture and body control. Whilst I am still new to Balance Boarding I can see that using the board regularly is going to work those same areas but in a different and more dynamic way.
You’re clearly a keen artist and designer – how does this play into your lifestyle?
Thank you! I am very much a hobbyist on both fronts but I've always enjoyed creating things. I remember my coach Chris Haueter saying "I'm not a Martial Artist, I'm just an Artist" and instantly I thought I feel exactly the same way. I really love the creative outlet of sparring in Jiu Jitsu but have always enjoyed designing artwork whether it's for clothing or training kit for my club or just painting a canvas.
What’s your favourite exercise or move to do on the board?
Well, I'm still very much a beginner so at the moment I just try and keep my balance for as long as possible and I will add in the odd squat to simulate level changing in Jiu Jitsu. I am looking forward to adding in more exercises but want to be comfortable with the basics to begin with.
Will balance boarding play a role in how you coach and train with your gym in the future?
Not really but it has made me realise the importance of training your balance, so it will be something I do suggest to my guys if they are looking to work on this part of their game.
Do you see the Balance Board as something you'll be adding into your routine long term?
Yeah, 100%. Even though I train BJJ full time, there will be times when I'm training on my own at home and this is a great bit of kit to keep things fun and work my body in different ways other than sparring.