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A Fitness Foundation To Build Success On

Build A Foundation

The world’s most impressive buildings and structures stand the test of time because they are built on a solid foundation. The same is true for our bodies.

Success is also not luck, it is the culmination of many years of preparation, focused hard work and a commitment to learn, grow and develop our skills. Then, when the opportunities come, they seem nothing more than final to complete the various chains we had been working on.

Likewise perfect physical health is not luck. We need to prepare, practice the activities that improve our physical wellbeing and commit to leading a balanced active lifestyle.

Our foundation is based around spinal strength, commonly known as core stability.

Core stability is the region bounded by the abdominal wall, the pelvis, lower back and the diaphragm. The main muscles are the internal and external obliques, the transversus abdominis, the quadratus lumborum, the erector spinae and the diaphragm.

The diaphragm has a duel role in that it regulates breathing and the stabilisation of posture in regards to the spine

To break that down, improving core stability helps the way we move, our posture and even the way we breathe.

Key Exercises for Core Stability

Maximise Your Time

Exercise can be fun, in fact it should be fun. If we don’t enjoy it we are unlikely to stick with it. If we exercise hard enough the release of endorphins can bring on the ‘runners high’. However this is overhyped and underachieved. Fun to most people means fast.

Exercise can be short in duration but also efficient. The rise of HIIT (high intensity interval training) has shown the benefits of short burst exercises.

We can achieve more for less when we use as many muscle groups as possible during each of our short burst workouts.

Workouts to Save You Time

Breaking Down Barriers

Don’t let the walls of the gym contain your ambition and scope. True physical power will come to you when you are able to exercise when you like, where you like.

Embrace Innovation

Luckily there are a few people who want to do things their own way. They identify a problem, usually through their own need and solve it. This was true of the Rooboard.

February 12, 2017

Learn To Breathe Naturally Wobbling On One Leg

Blog

How To Avoid The January Fitness Plateau

Dont Plateau Early In 2017

For many people the new year’s fitness resolutions reach their plateau in late January and their new found enthusiasm quickly evaporates.

This is because the initial gains, positive intent and exercises used quickly become repetitive. This reduces the load on the musculoskeletal system and effort asked of the cardiovascular system.

Change It Up

There are hundreds of different exercises available to us at any one time but it is amazing how many people stick to just a few. Variety is key to maintaining a balanced and engaging fitness programme.

Changing our exercise routine daily produces positive and sustainable results. It also keeps us motivated and ensures we train every muscle group in the body.

Alternating between high and low intensity exercise, weighted and body weight training for strength and functional exercises for balance and core stability is very important. By doing this we not only add variety to our workout routines, we also learn how to listen to our bodies.

The playlist below demonstrates a number of high and low intensity workout routines that encourage full body training. These are all performed on the Rooboard but you can still perform without.

When you use a Rooboard you increase the intensity and force the stabiliser muscles to engage. My main point however is the importance of changing it up to keep your workouts fresh, your mind engaged and your body responding positively to the stress placed upon it.

Advanced Abs

Balance training on the Rooboard places an emphasis on muscular symmetry and postural control. By identifying your imbalances and strengthening these weaknesses you will improve your posture and core strength as well as the way your body moves around its centre of gravity. Building a strong core is essential to prevent lower back pain and ward off a possible injury.

Strengthening your core and specifically the obliques will also help you to develop a perfect posture and killer abs as explained by Kellan Lutz in Mens Health. “Staying upright on a horse is harder on your abs than anything and swinging a sword around really hits your core as well as your arms,” he says. Granted, there are no swords or horses at your gym, but the point is that for unreal abs you need genuine instability.”

January 24, 2017

Blog

Core and Balance Training Is More Vital Than Ever

In todays world of seated and sedentary jobs finding a way to increase our functional strength is more vital than ever, especially when we have less time to exercise.

The inventor of the Rooboard explains why core and balance training is beneficial to your wellbeing.

“Core and balance training on the Rooboard is functional and it improves postural strength and stability. It todays world of seated and sedentary jobs this is incredibly important.

Poor posture caused by a lack of core strength is just the start of the body falling into a downward spiral of aliments and aches.

Sciatica, injuries and chronic pain can soon follow. At this point many turn to pain killers and expensive physiotherapy to try and rectify a problem that was incredibly simple to avoid.

One of the reasons I invented the Rooboard is to bring balance and core training out of gyms and into the home and workplace. To make it truly portable and have a single product that could replicate the gains from many different pieces of equipment.

The small size means it can be used for core, balance, stability, fitness and flexibility exercises. It also increases the tension applied to the body by engaging the stabiliser muscles which in turn shortens the workout times.

In today’s busy world when we have less time than ever and may be working remotely and traveling more often what could be more important than a fitness product that improves our functional strength and we can use almost anytime, anyplace.”

January 20, 2017

Fitness

Removing The Guess Work From Ab Exercises

Dont Guess – Do

The only way to truly remove the guess work from your ab exercises is to isolate the muscles of the core before you start a contraction. The Rooboard creates instability which in turn forces the muscles of the core to engage to maintain stability. This means your core muscles are fully engaged before you start your ab exercises.

Your core strength can define your quality of life. Poor posture can lead to back pain, injury or illness. These 4 exercises are designed to improve postural strength by strengthening the muscles that support the spine. By adding a dynamic element the Rooboard isolates the correct muscles by forcing the core muscles to engage.

1. KNEE LIFT BALANCE CRUNCH

2. OBLIQUE CRUNCH

3. SIDE STEP PLANK

4. V SIT UP WITH LEG LIFT

The Problem

Our surfing fitness group in London required several different pieces of exercise equipment for a comprehensive core, balance and fitness workout. Most of this equipment was too heavy or bulky to transport during the daily commute and many pieces would damage indoor flooring.

The Solution

Our inventor, Mason Gilmour-Platt, a life long surfer and fitness expert, designed a single product that would replicate the exercises performed on multiple pieces of equipment. He created a product that is indestructible and compact enough to fit in a backpack with room for a laptop and your lunch. In doing so he also created a unique micro fitness product that is transforming the core strength of its users.

Boost Productivity

One of Londons best kept secrets. The Rooboard™ is being used by entrepreneurs and business leaders alike to boost productivity by shortening their workout times and increasing physical gains.

The compact size and unique design features enable the Rooboard to be used in almost any location at any time of day. These short muscle hacks have positively disrupted the way many people approach their fitness training and schedule their workout sessions.

December 13, 2016

Blog

I Transformed My Physical Wellbeing With A 30cm Product

Self-designed Wellbeing

I work in community development for a large London based housing association and design strategy to enable communities to connect, work, develop and increase wellbeing. Before this I spent sixteen years in the health and fitness industry, an industry I still have a very strong affinity with.

I also have a passion for fitness, especially functional fitness and body weight training. As a life long surfer I know the importance of physical power, speed and balance in my sport and I know how to train for it.

I feel like I have tried almost every exercise, every fad and every piece of fitness equipment over the last decade. Some have been great, others woeful and many have been pure infomercial marketing scams.

At differing times I have been extremely fit, muscled, strong and flexible. What I am now is balanced and at 45 years of age I feel I am in the best all round shape of my life.

The catalyst for this was designing and instructing my own fitness program called Surfgym and from that designing my own fitness product called Rooboard.

The Rooboard replicates many of the exercises that can be performed on a balance cushion, gym ball, slant board, balance board, stability disc and fitness step. But individually it has many more exercise options than the other products.

It doesn’t come with a flashy infomercial or fitness models on the box but it could be the best piece of exercise equipment you have never used.

Mason Gilmour-Platt

Wellbeing Options

The Rooboard opens up exercise and fitness options that you may have only previously performed in a gym. Core strength is one of the most important training elements and it provides the foundation to build your strength, fitness and stability. The Rooboard empowers you to build incredible core strength and balance and you do not even have to use a gym. Best of all it will not hurt your budget.

September 25, 2016

Lifestyle

One Foot Forward, Wobble, Adjust And Improve

The Need To Improve

Most of us need to improve our stance. This will help will help with stability, balance, agility and importantly release pressure from the spine.

Hunching over and bending the head at a 60 degree angle adds 60lbs worth of pressure to the spine. Most of us do this every day whether we are sitting at home, the office or in car.

But how many of us know the secret to releasing pressure on the spine and how easy it is?

With training our balance and stability can improve markedly. These subtle changes in the way our body moves around its centre of gravity and the speed in which it does so, can have a huge impact in our quality of life and sporting performances.

Once the preserve of athletes, the benefits of balance and stability training are slowly moving into the mainstream consciousness. This type of training improves postural strength, spinal stability and coordination.

Balance training is functional. This means we are engaging several muscle groups at the same time using a natural flow and transition through the movements. Strength training usually involves isolating a single muscle while we apply stress to it. When we add the balance component we also engage the stabiliser muscles.

Balance and stability training will improve our posture, lower back strength, reactions, range of motion and functional strength. It will also improve our sporting performances. For sports like surfing, snowboarding and skating, balance training should be a vital part of every training programme.

The Ultimate In Balance Products

Originally designed to make training faster, more effective and portable for surfers who work in the city of London. The Rooboard has evolved into the ultimate fitness and exercise product for proactive and productive lifestyles.

The Rooboard balance board has been designed to make balance training fun, affordable and portable. The small size means it can be transported easily. The non-sink design also means it can be used on almost any surface. It can be used for balance, core, HIIT and strength workouts making it the most versatile balance board on the market. View some of the design features here. The Rooboard also has an excellent selection of workouts and exercises for your every need.

September 24, 2016

Launching Your Own Fitness Product Is Easier Than Ever

Exercise

Nine Base Exercises To Build Your Body Upon

Base Your Body

Use these nine base exercises on our mini balance board to build a strong and stable foundation for your strength, fitness and sports specific training.

Balance and stability training on the Rooboard provides a prefect base for dynamic balance and core training.

There are three exercise each for balance, core and upper body strength.

Use two pads with the Rooboard to become accustomed to the deck and the amount of movement it creates.

As you progress the balance and core exercises can be performed with a single pad. The narrow press and press-up can also be performed with a single pad.

The Rooboard is the first balance board designed to be used for not only for balance training, but also high intensity interval workouts. We know that reactive balance and stability need to be developed. The Rooboard will change the way your body unconsciously moves, reacts and explodes into action so you can perform fearlessly, with total confidence in your capabilities.

The Rooboard adds a dynamic element by introducing instability. This forces you to engage the core which in turn increases the intensity and isolation of the core muscles.

Think Posture

Flexible working practices and hot desking may be good for our business but it can be bad for our body. Many sectors are reporting higher levels of sickness caused by hot desking.

Desk heights and office chairs can take time to get accustomed to. Sitting for long periods places a lot of stress on the spine. Fortunately our muscles, particularly the core muscles, will strengthen to support the spine.

Our muscle memory then takes over and most people will work pain free with their postural positioning being maintained unconsciously.

However, hot desking or flexible working can throw our muscle memory off. With our core muscles attuned to our normal or previous office set-up even a small change in desk height, screen height and chair type can cause discomfort, throbbing back or neck pain or even severe muscular injury.

How To Beat The Hot Desk Back Pain Blues

Our posture can say a lot about the health of our muscle functions. Poor posture is usually caused by a lack of core strength or muscular imbalance. This will lead to injuries and back pain and can quite often result in extended leave from work or doing the things we love to do. Slouching and slumping are indications of this lack of core strength. A study found that slouching may even make you feel sad.

The exercises performed on the Rooboard for balance and stability are also scalable. From seated exercises with very little physical exertion to high intensity interval workouts there is an exercise and routine for every requirement.

The Rooboard is being used by hundreds of people for rehabilitation, sports specific training, fitness and improving functional movement and strength – especially in older users.

September 16, 2016

Blog

Insanely Easy Exercise Hack To Boost Productivity

Insanely Simple Hacks

Rooboard’s insanely simple muscle hacks will shock your muscles and increase your strength and stability gains. It does this by creating instability which forces the stabiliser muscles to engage. This increases the intensity of your exercises and shortens your workout times.

The Rooboard was designed to empower exercise and fitness by enabling you to exercise where you like, when you like. Being able to exercise for fitness, strength and balance last thing at night, first thing in the morning or even at work and complete a full muscle quivering workout in as little as 10 minutes is becoming the norm for many people in today’s busy world. They are also the very things the Rooboard was designed to enable us to do.

Its compact size will fit in your backpack with room for your laptop and your lunch. It was designed by a Londoner to compliment busy lives and provide a disruptive alternative to the gym.

Core Strength

Leg Strength

Upper Body Strength

HIIT

Why Balance?

Why did I invent the Rooboard?

August 31, 2016

Londoner Carries His Own Micro Gym To Work

Lifestyle

Wobble Board Strength Training For Athletes

Wobble Board Strength

Independent fitness start-up Surfgym launched the Rooboard Wobble Board and Core Trainer after years of using alternative equipment.

Designed in the United Kingdom by Mason Gilmour DipSpSt, a former triathlete, fitness trainer, health club manager and life-long surfer. The Rooboard was created to fulfil specific training requirements within tight parameters. These being, it had to produce solid results, be extremely durable (in order to take a thrashing) and be easily transportable.

The Rooboard was born out of a passion to increase fitness, strength and balance. It had to increase muscular symmetry, strength and performance for action sports like surfing, skating and skiing. And, it had to fit busy proactive lifestyles and be extremely portable, as in the daily work commute, flights, hotel rooms and those cheeky moments when you want to workout quickly and discreetly.

The Rooboard you are hopefully about to add to your fitness routine, is the culmination of many years of prototypes, testing and feedback. We think of it as the Swiss Army knife of fitness equipment – it brings many different pieces of equipment together, in one durable and functional package.

A Design Innovation In Wobble Board Training

Most balance boards or wobble boards have either a sandpaper like grip surface or raised plastic knobbles. This makes them abrasive and uncomfortable. Many can only be used for standing exercises while wearing supportive footwear.

The Rooboard has an indented EVA grip surface which is also raised above the deck for extra shock absorption. This means it can be used in bare feet, from the hands, forearms and for seated exercises without scraping or inflaming your skin.

Rather than placing the fulcrum or instability point against the floor or ground like most balance boards or wobble boards, which can cause floor damage or sinkage (outdoors) the Rooboards instability comes from the density of the EVA balance pads and their convex contact with the underside of the deck.

The Rooboard has been designed it to be used on almost all surfaces including hardwood, laminate and carpet without causing damage. It can be used with two pads or a single pad to increase the instability and intensity of the exercises.

Visit the Rooboard fitness channel for workouts and exercises.

August 30, 2016

Blog

Fitness Tips After Relying On Your Commute For Exercise

Life After The Commute

If you are one of the record numbers who are now working from home you might be wondering how you get your daily exercise done if you previously relied on your commute for your fitness.

Many Londoners can walk from 6-10,000 steps a day during their commute. When they work from home this can drop to a little as 1000 steps a day, which is a considerable drop in activity levels.

1000 – 3000 steps a day is considered sedentary with 10,000 steps being a well publicised goal for health benefits.

The thing is, you don’t have to do 10,000 steps a day for health benefits. By incorporating many different exercises at different intensities you can achieve greater health benefits from far fewer steps.

Fitness In The Home Office

The Rooboard balance board has been designed to be used in small spaces. It can be used indoors or outdoors and increases the intensity of the exercises performed. From full body training in a single workout to isolated muscle group training it makes home office fitness fun and functional.

Stability In The Home Office

Physical balance and stability while working from home is vital to maintain a strong and stable posture. Having a strong and stable spine with muscular functionality is important for a comfort and a pain-free work day.

Four exercises to test your balance, core strength, stability and basic fitness. Perform each exercise to failure or till the edge of deck touches the ground. This means you have lost control or form. If your trailing foot touches the ground while performing the single leg balance exercise you must either swap legs or move to the next exercise.

1. Single leg balance

Balance for as long as you can. Swap to the other leg if your trailing foot touches the ground or the edge of Rooboard touches the ground. Move to the next exercise once you have completed for both legs.

2. V Sit-up with leg lift

Sitting on the Rooboard keep your legs straight out in front. Using your abdominal muscles lift your feet at least a foot off the ground. Continue to failure or till you lose form.

3. Close grip press up

Perform as many press-ups as possible. Continue to failure or till the edge of the Rooboard touches the ground.

4. Plank with cross step

Starting in the plank position perform as many cross steps as you can as quickly as you can. Continue to failure or till the edge of the Rooboard touches the ground.

August 18, 2016

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