How To Ride the INDO BOARD Balance Board: A Beginner’s Guide

There’s nothing I find more fun than riding my INDO BOARD and Roller because there is nothing more satisfying than doing something so very well. For nearly 14 years, I was solely the Director of Social Media and Sponsorship at INDO BOARD, and for nearly 24 years, I encouraged clients, students, and customers to live healthy and fun lives. For great examples of what people are doing on their INDO BOARDS, check out INDO BOARD’s amazingly fun social community on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. 

Meanwhile, here’s my simple guideline to teach you and to help you maximize the fun factor on your INDO BOARD.

• On top of a carpet, a gym mat, or even a yoga mat, place your INDO BOARD at a low angle on top of the Roller. Do not place your INDO BOARD on a bare hardwood floor or on slick concrete when you are first learning because slick surfaces will greatly increase the action.
• Stand facing your INDO BOARD. 
• Grab on to a door frame, a chair, the back of a couch, or a friend to be  “handlebars.”
• With your INDO BOARD at a low angle, first, place one foot on the end of the INDO BOARD that is touching the floor.
• Next, place your other foot on the opposite end. Both feet should be pointing straight ahead. No duck feet!
• Make sure your feet are a little wider than the width of your shoulders.
• Eyes are forward. If you want to look down, look down with your eyes while keeping your head positioned as if you’re looking straight ahead.
• While holding on to your friend’s hands, or a chair for support, think “Up” while keeping both knees always bent. 
• Next, push with the upper foot while counterbalancing with your other foot. 
• Keep your knees always bent a little more than you think they should be!
• Keep your head, shoulders, and hips stacked in a straight line over your ankles while keeping your knees always bent. In other words, do your best not to bend forward at the waist.
• If your knees are splaying outward, bring them in so that your knees point straight ahead. If your knees and feet our pointing outward, you’ll find yourself in a very unstable body position! If so, bring your knees inward and pointing straight in front of you.
• Remember to breathe!
• Next, push with your feet and legs to get the Roller in the center of the board. Try not to move your INDO BOARD because it’s going to want to move. Move slowly. Control is key.
• Once you feel comfortable being centered, take a breath, let go of your handlebars, but keep your handlebars within grabbing reach. Make your legs do the work and keep the roller centered.
• Next, slowly push your INDO BOARD to one side – and then back to the center. 
• Next, slowly push your INDO BOARD to the other side – and then back to the center. Repeat.
• When you start to feel fatigued, slowly lower one end of your INDO BOARD to the floor while keeping your knees always bent!

And that completes your first INDO BOARD and Roller lesson!

The learning curve is about 15 minutes of actual balance time.

If you’re curious about how to ride our safe version, the INDO BOARD, and IndoFLO Cushion, the concept is very similar to the Deck and Roller.

How To Get Started on the INDO BOARD and IndoFLO Cushion

One of the great things I love about the IndoFLO Cushion is that I never have to go looking for that “Always missing hand pump!” because the IndoFLO Cushion is mouth inflatable! So, let’s get started!

• Remove the IndoFLO pin. Inflate the mouth-inflatable IndoFLO Cushion with two breaths and put the pin back in it. This is easily done by bending the cushion just below the pin inside the cushion. Gently push the pin out with your fingers. This should give you what we call “Medium Inflation.”
• With the IndoFLO Cushion placed on the floor, place your INDO BOARD centered on top of your cushion.
• Place your feet on your INDO BOARD a little less than shoulder-width apart.
• Keep your knees always bent with your head, shoulders, and hips in a straight line above your ankles with your knees a little more bent than you think they should be.
• Do your best not to bend forward at the waist.

The IndoFLO Cushion allows for 360 degrees of instability and wiggly fun! Moreover, any static exercise can be done on the INDO BOARD and IndoFLO Cushion. Your central nervous system will get a good wake-up while on the INDO BOARD utilizing the IndoFLO Cushion.

10 reps X 3 sets of bicep curls, anyone?

For more information on how to get started using the INDO BOARD and IndoFLO Cushion, Click here.

Georgette Akai Austria is the Former Director of Social Media and Sponsorship at INDO BOARD. Other aspects of her job included blogging, computer graphic design, digital and print ad design, video editing, community leadership, working at tradeshows, and promoting the INDO BOARD Brand for nearly 24 years. Most of all, she loves to surf. Find Georgette on Facebook page here.