The INDO Board is a unique balance training device that has been developed over the course of 38 years of personal use by the company owner, Hunter Joslin. The name "INDO" simply comes from indoor, as this device evolved as an indoor surfing simulator.
The purpose of the INDO Board is to create a greater sense of balance in the user while also strengthing the leg muscles used to balance the body. Besides the obvious training benefits, the INDO Board is also a blast to use.
The Mini Pro INDO Board is a 39-inch long by 12-inches wide. This model was designed to reduce the weight and surface area of the Pro for riders who really like a loose action and want to throw lots of tricks. The top of the Mini Pro is covered with a grippy substance that isn't too abrasive. This surface allows the user to decided whether or not shoes are necessary when using the Mini Pro. The Mini Pro INDO Board sits on top of a 8.5-inch roller which allows the board to roll side to side, depending on how the user's weight is distributed. The user's balance is developed by rolling the board side to side while trying to maintain a central balance. Once the user gets comfortable with the basic task of balancing, they can attempt more complicated tricks such as ollies, shuvits, grabs, and stalls.
Personally, I had no experience with any kind of balance board before, and coming off a mid-summer knee injury, I needed something that would get my legs back in "riding condition." Rehab can only do so much to get you back in shape and I was hoping the Mini Pro INDO Board would get my legs back in riding shape. I was somewhat surprised that I was able to stay standing on the board right away. I was a bit out of control, but I was able to spend about 45-60 seconds on the board before I needed to tap an edge. I also noticed that I could really feel a burn in my legs after about half and hour of playing around on the Mini Pro.
After about three weeks of playing around on the Mini Pro for a half an hour a day almost every day, I noticed that my balanced had improved and that I was actually very comfortable on the board. I am now able to walk up and down the board and recently have been attempting "crossovers," much like you would see a surfer do while riding a wave. The big test came the other day, however. Up here in the Northeast, we supplement wakeboarding with snowboarding in the winter. I was able to get up riding the other day and found that my work on the Mini Pro had truley payed off. My balance has returned fully from where it was before my injury and I noticed that when I got a little off balance, I wasn't phased by it as much as I used to be.
I also noticed that the Mini Pro helped me in some situations that would be similar to boardsliding a rail. If you take a look at the manner in which an INDO Board works, it's exactly like boardsliding. The way you distribute your weight on an INDO Board is almost identical to boardsliding on your wakeboard and will help you boardslide that big rail you've been dreaming about. If you get good enough, maybe you can even ride it more on your nose like Murray tends to do.
All in all, the Mini Pro INDO Board is a great way to get that "board fix" when you can't go riding. It also helps you build a greater sense of balance, and can be used any time, even while watching your favorite wakeboard video. I used it as a way of rehabilitating my knee, but I asked my orthopedic doctor about using a balance board before I did it, and if you plan on using the Mini Pro INDO Board as a rehabilitation tool, we here at Wakeboarder.com suggest that you talk to your doctor before you start using the Mini Pro.
To see how an INDO Board works, check out this video clip from the INDO Board Web Site: Video Clip
The Mini Pro INDO Board is a 39-inch long by 12-inches wide. This model was designed to reduce the weight and surface area of the Pro for riders who really like a loose action and want to throw lots of tricks. The top of the Mini Pro is covered with a grippy substance that isn't too abrasive. This surface allows the user to decided whether or not shoes are necessary when using the Mini Pro. The Mini Pro INDO Board sits on top of a 8.5-inch roller which allows the board to roll side to side, depending on how the user's weight is distributed. The user's balance is developed by rolling the board side to side while trying to maintain a central balance. Once the user gets comfortable with the basic task of balancing, they can attempt more complicated tricks such as ollies, shuvits, grabs, and stalls.
