How to Train with the York Fitness Tone Dome

The York Fitness Tone Dome is a fantastic versatile piece of kit which can enhance your strength, stability, posture and all around general fitness. You can work all muscles in the body and create different levels of intensity by using either side of the Tone Dome, the red dome or green flat platform.

Everyone from the novice exerciser to a professional athlete can benefit from using the Tone Dome.

Not only can you perform the traditional balance exercises the York Fitness Tone Dome provides opportunity to really add variation you home workouts.

Take your home training to the next level following our workout guide below.

Whilst performing each exercise in the circuit give yourself approx 30-60 second rest intervals between each exercise (or until you feel comfortable to proceed).

Repeat the circuit below for a fantastic all over body workout.

As your ability improves you can either increase the recommended guideline repetitions or reduce the rest period in between each exercise.

 

Tips

Warm up

Prior to workout always make sure you are thoroughly warmed up. You need to slightly raise your heart rate, mobilize your joints and do a little gentle stretching.

A warm up can be skipping, light jogging on the spot or even stepping on and off the Tone Dome (Red side up). Always do approx 5-10 mins warm up.

Cool Down

Perform 3-5 minutes of light cardio exercise to gradually lower your heart rate and return the body temperature back to resting levels. This exercise should be rhythmical and of gradually decreasing intensity.

Stretching

After workout stretch all the major muscle groups. This will aid recovery and return the muscles to their normal length. Developmental stretching can also be done to increase the flexibility of selected muscle groups.

Neutral Spine

This is a fancy term meaning correct body alignment. Stand with feet as wide as hips and toes, knees, hips chest, shoulders and head all facing forward with arms hanging at sides.

Pull your belly button in towards your spine about 20% (don’t hold your breath) this will help support the back.

Keep your chest lifted in a proud position and shoulders back and down.

Now imagine that somebody is pulling the top of your head up towards the sky. This should give you a very tall and lifted feeling throughout the body. This is Neutral Spine. Always feel neutral spine throughout your body before starting any exercise.

Technique

Remember exercising with poor technique increases the risk of injury and reduces exercise benefits.

Use full range of movement whilst exercising and ensure your joints remain soft and not locked out.

Movements are performed in a smooth and continuous way to activate the core and help with stabilization whilst exercising with the

 

Functional Circuit Workout

1. Jumping Ski Squats

Activates Legs, Buttocks and Core

Starting with one foot on top of the Dome (round side up) and the other foot out to the side facing forward so feet are slightly wider than hips. Bend legs no more than 90 degrees keeping the weight central and knees behind toes. Swing the arms slightly behind you for momentum and power up into a jump over the dome allowing arms to carry on above the head. Land with opposite foot now on top of the Dome to mirror image the start position. Keep repeating side to side without stopping.

 

2. Mountain Runs

Activates Core Muscles

Start with your arms directly under your shoulders, hands placed either side of centre dome and body alignment straight from head to heels with feet hip width apart. Hold this position and bring one knee up towards the top of the dome. With your body still switch legs in a running motion keeping only one foot on the floor at all times.

 

3. Basic Ab Crunch (10 - 15 Reps)

Activates Abdominal Muscles

Sit towards the front of the Dome, legs bent at 90 degrees with feet hip width apart, Lay back over the dome keeping your back straight with your fingertips touching your temples and elbows wide at shoulder height Keeping a gap the size of your fist between the chin and chest. Now contract your abdominals and raise your torso up looking outwards and keeping the gap under chin and elbows wide. Slowly lower back to start. This is 1 Rep.

 

4. Back Extension (10 - 15 Reps)

Activates Lower Back Muscles

Start lying face down on top of the Dome with your chest just over the front edge looking towards the floor, fingertips placed on temples and elbows wide with your feet planted and legs a little wider than your hips. Now contract the lower back muscles and lift your torso up with control. Look forward and keep elbows wide and fingertips still in contact with the head. Hold this lifted position for at least 1 second. Try to work to the count ‘lift two and down two’.

5. Flat Side Up Press Ups (6 - 10 Reps)

Activates Triceps, Chest and Core

Start with the Tone Dome flat side up, this creates a more unstable platform. Hold the outside rim in-line with each shoulder. Walk your legs away until you are in the press up position with a straight back. Slowly bend your arms no more than 90 degrees keeping your back straight and elbows wide! Push back up to the starting position. This is 1 Rep. Try the count down 2 and up 2.

6. Side Plank (Hold for 20 - 60 Secs on each Side)

Activates Core & Side Muscles

Start by positioning yourself next to the Tone Dome lying on one side with your elbow on the centre of the dome. Lift your bottom hip off the floor creating a straight line from your shoulder to your feet. Also keep the head tilted and in line. Now raise your free arm straight up in the air (you can hold the exercise here if you wish) if you want to increase the intensity turn the head to look at your hand.

7. Tricep Dips (8 - 12 Reps)

Activates Triceps

Start with your hands just off centre at the top of the Dome, arms straight but not locked and fingers facing forward. Walk the legs out slightly so your hips are just in front of the Dome knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Keep your hips up at all times and now bend your arms no more than 90 degrees with your elbows pointing behind you. Push down and straighten the arms back to the starting position. This is 1 rep.

8. Knee Tuck Sit Ups (10 - 15 Reps)

Activates Abdominals

Sit on top of the Dome. Lean back keeping your back straight and place your hands to each side and slightly to the back of the Dome. Lift and extend your legs out and in-line with your hips. This is the start position! From here bend your knees up into your chest and bring your body slightly forward, with control return to the start position. Tucking the legs in and extending them out again is 1 Rep.

9. Burpee with Shoulder Press (15 - 20 Reps)

Activates Legs, Buttocks, Arms, shoulder & Core

Start with feet shoulder width apart and hold the Tone Dome in front of chest with flat side facing you. Bend the legs and place the Dome onto the ground Dome side down. From here spring the legs outwards into a press up position keeping a flat supported back (tighten your tummy muscles) and arms straight but not locked at the elbows. Almost as soon as your feet touch you need to rebound them back in to the Dome. Then push through the legs into a standing position whilst raising the Dome above your head. This is 1 Rep.

10. Bridge with Single Leg Raise (10 - 15 Reps each Leg)

Activates Core, Glutes & Hamstrings.

Start by laying on the York Fitness exercise mat, hands by each side palms down and feet placed onto the top front edge of the Dome. Push your feet into the Dome and raise your hips off the floor creating a bridge. Hold this position and extend one leg out keeping it raised in a straight line with your body. Under control bend the leg back and place your foot onto the Dome and slowly roll down each vertebrae of your spine from top to bottom until you are back to the start position. Repeat with other leg.

 

11. Plank with Arms on Dome (20 - 60 Secs) 

Activates Abdominals

Kneeling on an York Fitness exercise mat horizontal under the body, lean forward and rest your hands and forearms on top of the Dome. Keeping your back straight extend one leg away and then the other leg so feet are a little wider than your hips. Keep a flat back and straight legs. Hold this position until you lose correct posture and then return to kneeling.

12. The Superman / Superwoman (3 - 5 Reps, 30 sec hold) 

Activates Core, Lower Back & Glutes, Arms & Legs. 

Starting by kneeing on the red side of the tone dome with hands in front of your knees, extend one one leg back into straight position. With the opposite arm extend this in front of of your head and hold for 30 secs. Repeat with the opposite leg and arm.