The boards are great! I tried it for the first time tonight at a friend's house. I would like to go on a ski trip to Steamboat and learn to snowboard. This is a great way to prepare! I had a lot of fun and I'm getting a great Core Work Out!
Thanks Again!
Ramie Anthony
Houston, TX
Product review from Dr. Dale Richardson, Golfing Instructor, Titleist Performance Institute
As I work exclusively for elite professional golfers 25 weeks a year, my review of the "Indo Board" is pertinent to its application(s) in the world of professional golf and more specifically, its benefits to the professional golfer.
The world of professional golf has changed significantly since Tiger Woods's rise to prominence. This unique athlete has "raised the bar" not only with his results but also in his physical preparation and conditioning. To compete, many more professional golfers are concerned with their physical preparation and conditioning, hiring personal physical therapists & fitness experts who focus on core and joint stability, flexibility, strength and aerobic conditioning. The "Indo Board" has potentially a leading role in professional golf in the area of core & joint stability and proprioceptive feedback.
The benefits are numerous for the elite professional golfer. The most common injury to professional golfers, simply put, are back strains & sprains. The "Indo Board" is ideal for the rehabilitation of such injuries and even more so, in the long term stabilization of the core and spine, ie ongoing prevention! Also the "Indo Board" is extremely useful in its application as a proprioceptive feedback tool. Professional golfers are very "body aware" sportspeople, always looking for their "feeling". This is where the professional golfer can benefit hugely from the Indo Board's proprioceptive exercise applications.
Overall, I have no hesitation in recommending the "Indo Board" for the professional golfer and golfers in general.
Regards,
Dr. Dale Richardson
Titleist Performance Institute
Medical Advisory Board
B.App.Sc (Chiro)
Grad Dip Sports Chiro
CCSP
I got your package with the Indo Board and IndoFLO cushion on Friday. I've checked out two of the DVDs and played around on the Indo Board. I really like it! I can see the appeal of training on it. In terms of translating to surfing, I actually find it way harder than surfing. When I got it on Friday, I did about 15-20 minutes on it, and then surfed that evening. It made my 6'2" board feel extremely stable and easy to control - which is cool. Super stoked on you sending the package out to me. I'll continue to train with it and give you more feedback. I even had a couple of my trainer buddies at our studio have a go at it. I think your Indo board, coupled with a comprehensive conditioning plan could keep any land-locked surfer completely dialed in for their next go out. In addition, that same type of plan, will ratchet up the performance of any surfer that isn't cross-training already.
Thanks again for sending it out, and good luck in your contest!
Scott Adams, CSCS
www.surfstronger.com
Indo Crew,
I want to send gratitude from all the Southshore Crew! We had a great season and the Indo Boards were a hit. We were able to utilize the Indo Board in the Southshore Lounge with our coaches helping campers with balance and basics. In addition three campers went home with a brand new Indo. Because of sponsors such as you, our camp is able to survive and make an effect on the public.
Much Regards,
Bryan Meyer
Sales Director
www.southshoresoldiers.com
Hi Folks,
I use your Indo Boards routinely as a balancing tool in our dry land training. I coach diving at the University of Connecticut, and believe there is tremendous transfer value (hoping my athletes buy into the possibilities!). Unfortunately, we recently had one of our boards stolen from the premises, so you should receive in short time an order for another Original board and IndoFLO cushion package.
Thanks, and keep on keepin' on.
Indo Board Balance Trainer / IndoFLO™ Balance Cushion
Mark:
I found the roller to be the best place to start, I have learned the importance of the pelvic position as it relates to the center of balance, foot weight distribution and the necessity of stronger core muscles. I have had success hitting teed-up golf balls, using the omni-directionally IndoFLO™ Balance Cushion, which I deflated to just enough to create the omni-directionally sensation, I was looking for. Overall, I find the Indo Board Balance Roller to be alot of fun, I find myself with the Indo Board Balance Trainer and roller watching TV, rather then just sitting. This has minimized my learning curve dramatically.
Students:
All golf instruction had to be minimized to the backswing and the deflated omni-directionally IndoFLOª Balance Cushion. Most specifically, how the hips turn in-reference to the upper body. Students using the balance board can now see, feel and understand the the hips MUST turn to maintain balance rather then slide.
Other Golf Instructors:
I tested the Indo Board Balance Trainer and IndoFLO™ Balance Cushion with Master Certified Instructor, Denny Alberts, G.S.E.B. PGA Professional, and Greg Smith, G.S.E.M.. After observing students using the Indo Board Balance Trainer / IndoFLO™ Balance Cushion they both agreed with my finding as stated above. As a long time player Mr. Alberts found little trouble finding and maintaining balance on both the roller and the pad and reaffirmed the same benefits, as we saw in the students.
Summary:
The quality the Indo Board Balance Trainer is unsurpassed by anything I have seen. The quality of wood and workmanship in the board is very impressive to say the least! Durability of the Indo Board Roller is a unbelievable, this durability and longevity of any product in todays age is just not seen any more. For core training and balance I have yet to find another product that is as much fun and easy to use, I emphasize fun here, this thing is a real hoot! Golf application - when used with the IndoFLOª Balance Cushion, students are not as intimidated as they are by the roller. This is especially true with older students. There understanding of the necessity of core training and balance becomes apparent immediately.
I would like to thank you the for opportunity to demo and evaluate your product, I would recommend the Indo Board Balance Trainer with roller and IndoFLO™ Balance Cushion to any teaching professional that wants immediate student understanding of balance, foot balance feeling and how it pertains to the golf swing. For students, if you don't master balance in your golf swing, you will be plagued will endless frustrations and lack of understanding of the imperativeness of alignments necessary for even the shortest golf swing.
Thank you,
Mark Olsen
Medicus Certified Golf Instructor
Authorized PowerBlock Personal Trainer
www.medicusgolfinstitute.com
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Indo Board Balance Session
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The hardest part of answering this question maybe that it will come off as (a) a shameless product endorsement, which in some way it is and (b) come off as incredibly arrogant but here goes. Either way, this board is tremendous for development, is heard over heels above anything else in the market and just oozes style. But of course since the developer of the board, Hunter Joslin toured with surf legend Larry Bertlemann, ya' just knew it would. But returning to the question, first...I need to point out stated within the Renegade Concepts of Training™ we are seeking to stabilize ourselves within a destabilized environment such that we are able to project, accept and re-direct maximal force. Stabilization and the ability to control movement is hand-in-hand with training movements, not musculature, perfecting posture and varying loading with non-conforming objects/surfaces/mediums within a chaotic and rapidly changing environment. It needs to be pointed out that this may be the most plagiarized component of Renegade Training as many strength "guru" (or just well published children) gleam us for information and make use it to build there own systems but never truly understand it or are even able to perform it themselves correctly. But then again, why would you ask anyone whose training is limited to the weight room about fluidity of movement... Secondly and I have scoured trade magazines / catalogs extensively on this...virtually every picture I see in one of these "balance" training programs or equipment advertisements, shows the individual, including the "guru" in a horrible postural position, extremely tight and definitely unable to perform without any strength, fluidity of motion or grace. I have found their demonstrations as questionable displays of athleticism and the training effect would be minimal if any and likely detrimental. Simply, they the experts are not prepared properly and it shows. Again...I apologize for sounding arrogant...but to compare our use to what they are calling "training" is ridiculous. My exhibitions on lifting on an Indo board has been after years of regimented training and simply being able to perform Clean and Jerks, Drop Snatches with 135 lbs wasnÕt really that tough at all given proper training and only the early stages of progressive movements that exhibit mastering body control that starts with the earliest stages on enhancing tactile response. But all of that still doesn't truly answer your question of Indo board superiority so let me explain... Balance or the ability to find equilibrium is maximized somewhere in the pre-pubescent years. Please note, I said maximized...the upper threshold but this isn't a question of finding the upper limits and taking your average skater and turning him into the artistry of Christian Hosoi. How the ability to be find equilibrium lays in the notion of balancing yourself in movement, postural position, dynamic range of motion from the catalyst of motor pattering, tactile response. As we consider standard lifting / exercise parameters...the one common theme and equal problem that we have in training is that movement is generally minimal and pre-programmed. Reaction is virtually eliminated and the environments rarely if ever change. Lifters continuously program themselves to the ritual to being able only to perform with just the right conditions, the right gear, music, set up...the list is endless. Yet in truth the only thing stable, static in sport, training or life...is the weight platform and thus the training effect to real life/sport activities is limited. This also relates into why I generally train in standard clothing with no warm-up...I train to be able to "go" on a split-second notion and don't condition myself to pristine environments. No wave is similar, no event in life is similar...or simply if there is one thing you can count on in life, it is that unpredicted events will occur. Returning to my example of lifting...if not simply, a lift is a lift is a lift and if my numbers are correct over my training career...I have performed somewhere around 300,000 -400,000 reps in Squats and I can safely say...not all that much has changed. On the other had...every action or reaction in sport offers variation in movement, some extremely subtle. Adding air disc's to your training can definitely have some benefit to enhance neuro-muscular firing patterns (i.e. split lunge to Indo Flo disc can truly fire up the hamstrings or performing a bench press on a swiss ball to enhance retraction of the scapula) yet still are predictable to some degree, are limited in use and very early in the broad development stage of a Renegade athlete. Much of that can equally be replicated by simply limiting a soft or random surface, such as grass, dirt or sand. More advanced surface mediums would be lifting in water, preferably with random waves. So where does the Indo fit it? Again unfortunately some use it to "balance" themselves and stand on it like a stiff tree, trying to stop the board. However that is an error as like that tree in the wind it will break and the training benefit is limited. The Indo when used properly takes the leap forwards that all over boards, disc's can't make claim to... ...you walk, stroll, turn, move on the Indo...all with exhibiting perfect posture and grace that stresses the development of dynamic range of motion but in an unpredictable and random manner with subtle tactile response from contact with the board that is the first stage of motor skill development. Basically get on the Indo and get your flow on! John Davies is the founder of the Renegade Training system. He is the author of 5 books, 800 + articles as well as producer over 80 DVD's in the Renegade library. Renegade Training with a powerful group in certified trainers worldwide has established itself as the world wide leader in health, fitness and performance based training. For more information on the Renegade system, visit www.renegadetraining.com |
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Indo Board for Physical Therapy and Proprioception Development
Dear Mr. Joslin,
As you are aware of, proprioception development is enhanced with the use of both open and closed chain workouts. Surfing has a unique ability to train the body in both of these areas with a larger development of open chain workouts. Even the board is stationary (closed chain), and the surface underneath it is in constant motion (open chain). You then add the body motion above the board and you have a well balanced movement. As proprioception can be defined as "body awareness", sports such as surfing, wakeboarding, skateboarding, snowboarding, and others of similarity can enhance this neurological component. The Indo Board is the only true on-land simulator that truly delivers what these sports offer. Other devises control the cylinder too much, thus changing the natural motion and receptors reaction in the lower extremities.
Sincerely,
Dr. Terry Weyman, D.C. CCSP, Sports Chiropractor
Chiropractic Sports Institute
Letter from Patrick O. Flaherty MSE, CSCS
Dear Mr. Joslin,
It has been a pleasure to incorporate the Indo Board Balance Trainer into my strength and conditioning programs. Since meeting with Jerry Madrid in April and acquiring my first Indo Board Balance trainer, it has become an increasingly valuable and evolving tool for my programming. The Indo Board provides a nice progression from the linear and lateral movements of the traditional stationary balance boards. The movement of the board on the cylinder creates a greater challenge to the proprioreceptors of the activated muscles thus intensifying the training effect.
I have used the Indo Board with many of my clients, including those on personal training programs, sports-specific training programs and with the police and fire departments where I lecture. Developing proprioception is critical to injury rehabilitation, injury prevention, and proper muscle sequencing for strength/power development. We combine the board with the use of additional implements including stability balls, tubing, medicine balls, free-weights, and sporting implements (i.e. bats, hockey sticks, footballs, etc.). We have also included exercises where the hands are in contact with the board rather than the feet, allowing us to work the upper body, the lower body and specifically the core from various positions.
Depending on the population we are working with, our use of the Indo Board will vary. For example, our goal for the athletes within our program is to have them complete sport-specific skills from an unstable position in order to enhance the core strength and power development of the given skill. Personal training clients benefit from maximizing their number of muscle contractions, for instance, a biceps curl on the Indo Board changes from a very isolated low calorie burning exercise to a high intensity total body workout.
Finally, I am constantly encouraging the police officers and fire fighters that I work with to incorporate proprioception exercises into their exercise programs. The job site is extremely dangerous and unpredictable, and developing proper balance skills and power sequencing can spare them serious injury or possible death. Fatigue and bulky clothing compound their dangerous work environment, and they need to be well conditioned and possess the necessary skills to keep them safe on the job.
Some of the exercises we have used include lower body exercises such as squats and split squats, single leg squats, lunges, foot inversion/eversion lunges, and calf raises. Upper body exercises consist of pushups with one or two feet on the floor; pushups with one or two feet on a stability ball, pushups with the feet on the Indo Board and hands on the floor, and a whole series of upper body work where the muscles of the core are especially exercised.
The muscles of the core are especially strengthened with alternating dumbbell movements. Two core isolation exercises we have been working on include an abdominal roller type movement and a trunk rotation exercises; both are done with the hands on the board. Finally, we are currently developing exercises to enhance power conversion that include throwing and jumping type activities. This is just a short list of exercises we are experimenting with and we are coming up with more each day.
Overall, I feel the Indo Board Balance Trainer is an excellent product that all of my clients will benefit from. It is challenging and provides an intense, fun workout for all levels. I will continue to use and develop exercises on the Indo Board that will maximize the results of my clients.
Thank You,
Patrick O. Flaherty MSE, CSCS
Strength & Conditioning Coach/Personal Trainer
DC Fitness & Sport Performance
I use the Indo Board with my personal training clients and in my athletic conditioning classes because it adds very crucial elements in training: balance, stability, coordination and proper transference of force between the joints of the body. Typical strength training machines barely scratch the surface. Free weights are as rigid as machines but little stability and coordination is required when sitting or lying on a bench or standing on the floor.
When performing exercises on an unstable surface the stabilizing muscles become extremely active, coordination and is enhanced and the body's center of balance is reinforced. Taking traditional strength training exercises and performing them on the Indo Board has revolutionized athletic conditioning and functional strength training.
Thanks, Rocky Snyder
Rocky Snyder is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and a Certified Personal Trainer through the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA) since 1993. The NSCA has the only health & fitness certifications that are nationally accredited.
Rocky owns the Pleasure Point Fitness center in Santa Cruz, California. He has over 20 years of experience in exercise science.
Rocky has been voted "Best Personal Trainer" of Santa Cruz County by Good Times Magazine for 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002. He has written several articles for fitness magazines and have been interviewed by Muscle & Fitness Magazine, Surfing Magazine and Girls' Surf Life Magazine.
Letter from Mike Mahler
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I was skeptical when I first heard about the indoboard for sports training. However, it looked like a lot of fun and I wanted to give it a test drive before drawing any conclusions. Well, I am glad that I did. The second that you get on the indoboard, you will have no doubt that indoboard training will increase body awareness and balance. Just because you are not on an Indo Board when you play sports does not mean that what you get from it is not beneficial. Increased balance is always a good thing as an athlete and training on the indoboard will get you there. I have played around with other balance boards, but the Indo Board Balance Trainer is by far my favorite. "Learning how to stay calm and peform difficult exercises on an indoboard will certainly take your training to the next level." Mike Mahler, Strength Coach and Fightscene Columnist |
Dear Everyone,
My name is Nikki and I'm from Brunswick, Maine. I'm a dancer and I love surfing (yeah i know, in Maine). I am wicked stoked about this upcoming season and to see how the Indo Board works for me. Our seasons are pretty short up here and this is the perfect way to keep in shape. There are a few upcoming competitions and it was definitly the advantage of an Indo Board that is a HUGE feeling of security.
Thanks again!
Nikki
Letter from Mark Sher of Inland Surfer
Hey Hunter,
I finally picked up an Indo Board from my local board shop and have been using it for a few weeks now. I use the IndoFLO™ Balance Cushion when I workout (any exercise I do standing up, I now do on the board) and stand on the board with the roller when I watch TV. I can already feel my knees and quads getting stronger. Since I got mine, many of my friends have picked one up too. Everyone really likes the results.
Just wanted to let you know...
Mark
Letter from Indo Enthusiast
Hi Indo Board,
I'm 36 years old with a demanding corporate job at a Fortune 500 company. I've been surfing for 30 years and I'm lucky if I get to surf 3 or 4 times a month these days. I can't stand the gym and I'm always trying to find different ways of cross training, so I can stay on my short board and not be forced to ride long boards due to lack of fitness. Since I started using your Indo Board, my leg strength and balanced have improved tremendously. You have truly created a product that will allow me to further enjoy my passion for years to come!
Thank you,
Derek W. Zirkle
Los Angeles, CA
Letter from Indo Enthusiast
Hi,
I first came across the Indo Board in summer of 2005 when Hunter Joslin came to the BSA Surf Center on Fistral Beach. Right then I was hooked, because just through trying it for a couple of minutes, I could see how much it would benefit my surfing!
I have only had my Indo Board for two days and already I can see some amazing benefits! My hips, knees and ankles are Sooooo much more flexible and my posture is better too! Goodbye Butt-out-itis!!! I think it could be a while before I get on to some of the tricks I've seen some of you guys doing...wow!!! But, I am so happy to have an Indo Board, I think every surfer, probably every boardrider, should have one! The benefits, even after just an hour or two are amazing!
Tidy up your surfing and have more fun while you do! Get an Indo Board everyone!!!!!
Many thanks for a great product and hours of fun,
Emma Boyce