Balance Board

A beginner compound strength exercise that works the calves.

Balance Board — Starting position Starting position
Balance Board — End position End position
Difficulty Beginner
Type Strength
Equipment Not specified
Primary Muscle Calves
AI Rep Counting Log manually

How to Do Balance Board

  1. Place a balance board in front of you.
  2. Stand up on it and try to balance yourself.
  3. Hold the balance for as long as desired.

Muscles Worked

Front
Back

Primary

Where Balance Board does most of its work.

Secondary

Assisting and stabilising muscles.

Alternatives to Balance Board

10 movements that train the same primary muscle, closest substitutes first — same kind of training, then variations of the movement itself, then a similar difficulty.

  1. 1 Barbell Seated Calf Raise

    Barbell Seated Calf Raise

    A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the calves, using a barbell.

    beginner Barbell
  2. 2 Calf Press

    Calf Press

    A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the calves, using a machine.

    beginner Machines
  3. 3 Calf Press On The Leg Press Machine

    Calf Press On The Leg Press Machine

    A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the calves, using a machine.

    beginner Machines
  4. 4 Calf Raises - With Bands

    Calf Raises - With Bands

    A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the calves, using a resistance band.

    beginner Resistance Bands
  5. 5 Dumbbell Seated One-Leg Calf Raise

    Dumbbell Seated One-Leg Calf Raise

    A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the calves, using dumbbells.

    beginner Dumbbells
  6. 6 Rocking Standing Calf Raise

    Rocking Standing Calf Raise

    A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the calves, using a barbell.

    beginner Barbell
  7. 7 Seated Calf Raise

    Seated Calf Raise

    A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the calves, using a machine.

    beginner Machines
  8. 8 Smith Machine Calf Raise

    Smith Machine Calf Raise

    A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the calves, using a machine.

    beginner Machines
  9. 9 Smith Machine Reverse Calf Raises

    Smith Machine Reverse Calf Raises

    A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the calves, using a machine.

    beginner Machines
  10. 10 Standing Barbell Calf Raise

    Standing Barbell Calf Raise

    A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the calves, using a barbell.

    beginner Barbell

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles do balance board work?

Balance Board primarily works the calves. The hamstrings and quads assist as secondary muscles.

What equipment do I need for balance board?

The source dataset does not record equipment for balance board. Check the instructions above before you set up.

Balance Board: is it suitable for beginners?

Yes. Balance Board is rated beginner. Movements you can learn in a session, with a low skill floor and a forgiving failure mode.

What can I do instead of balance board?

Barbell Seated Calf Raise, Calf Press, Calf Press On The Leg Press Machine train the same primary muscles and are listed with 7 more alternatives above.

Can Fitnit count my balance board reps automatically?

Not automatically yet. Fitnit's AI rep counting covers push-ups, squats, dumbbell curls, crunches and pull-ups today; balance board can be logged manually in the app, and tracked movements are added over time.

Photographs and step-by-step instructions from free-exercise-db, a public-domain exercise dataset. Muscle mapping and alternatives by Fitnit.

Track Your Balance Board with AI

Fitnit automatically tracks push-ups, crunches, squats, pull-ups, and curls with advanced body tracking technology — and you can manually input any other workout too. Start free — Pro is $8.99/month.