When using the bosu ball during squats, your body recruits your core and stabilizing muscles in order to stay balanced. Squats work your entire lower body including your quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. Adding a weighted plate not only works your upper body muscles such as your biceps, triceps, and shoulders, but it also decreases your stability making the exercise very challenging. Only add the weighted plate, dumbbells or barbell if you can do a regular squat on the bosu ball with proper form. Do not squat the same amount of weight on the bosu ball that you normally do on the ground. Start off with a smaller weight and add weight slowly. To help maintain your balance, you can do this exercise next to a wall.
Instructions:
1) Slowly place one foot at a time on the bosu ball (bubble side down) and stand up straight. (Use a wall if you need to help balance yourself)
2) Once you are balanced, slowly descend down until your thighs are parallel with the ground. Slowly return to starting position (arms should be extended out in front of you as you squat down to help stay balanced).
3) Try 3 sets of 10.
Instructions with weighted plate on bosu ball:
1) If using a weighted plate, hold the plate with both hands and start by extending arms to the left side of the body.
2) Slowly squat down and bring the weighted plate across the body to the right side of the body as shown in the top left picture.
3) Return to starting position and do 3 sets of 10 on each side.
4) Try switching it up and hold the weighted plate out in front of you while you do the squat. (bottom left picture)
5) Push the weight out in front of you when descending down and as you return to the starting position, bring it in toward your chest.