If you have been following me for a while, you know how passionate I am at finding local businesses and entrepreneurs that are creative and thoughtful to the environment. I love supporting people making a positive difference in this world, and if they are in my own backyard, that’s even more exciting.
A little while ago, I discovered the company, MTL Balance Board. The Montreal company is responsible for creating handmade balance boards, made completely of recycled wood since 2018. They were featured on the hit show, Dans L’Oeuil du Dragon (the French version of Dragon’s Den) in 2020. The founder of the company, Nicolas Loiselle conducted a very attractive pitch with his team and grabbed the attention of all the investors. A deal was struck with founder and CEO of Duvernois Creative Spirits, Nicolas Duvernois. Since then, the company has been growing exponentially with amazing success.
How MTL Balance Board was Created
During a vacation to Costa Rica in 2017, Nicolas Loiselle began learning how to surf. While he was there, local surfers suggested balance boards to Nicolas, as a form of practicing the art of surfing out of the water. When he returned to Montreal, what began as gifting balance boards he made to his close friends and family, turned into his passionate business. Currently, MTL Balance Board has a variety of balance boards, even a board for children, and the company has athlete ambassadors in multiple sports using their boards for training.
Why Use a Balance Board?
The first time I saw an ad from MTL Balance Board, I was intrigued but reluctant. I first thought this was a tool to improve balance strictly for hockey players. I was wrong. After doing a bit of research and then testing out the board with my family, it is clear a balance board can be used for multiple reasons. And as luck would have it, we have used our MTL Balance Board for something even more (more on that later).
In theory, balance boards, as the name implies, are used to help you increase your balance capability. They can be used also be used for motor skills, reflexes and core/abdominal strength. This means a balance board is perfect for any training in a board sport (think surfing, paddleboarding, snowboarding, skateboarding, etc.). If you take the idea of balance and mobility further, it is easy to see how practicing with the balance board can help hockey players train off the ice, with a hockey stick in hand and a ball on the ground.
We are not a hockey family, and none of us surf or snowboard, so I was unsure if this would be interesting for us. So I dug a little further. For the person that wants to strengthen their core but wants to try something unique, the balance board can be used while practicing yoga or push-ups. Much like a yoga ball or a rocking seat, a balance board is perfect or someone who needs to move frequently while working and needs an outlet. For children that fidget at school or while studying, a balance board helps them with this too.
To give you a quick taste of other ways to exercise with the MTL Balance Board, here is a recent video they made:
Our Family Experience with the MTL Balance Board
The company sent us the basic model and as soon as it was out of the box, the boys were on it. What I loved about the idea of having the balance board in the home in a central place was that it has allowed us all to use the MTL Balance Board whenever we are nearby. Whether we are watching tv, talking on the phone, or having a conversation in the living, someone is on the board. When friends come over, it is the same thing. The MTL Balance Board is attractive and when it is placed in a hub space, it is almost impossible to not use it.
Why is this good? Because we are moving more. We are engaging out core and strengthening our balance, all while just hanging out.
But then, we had another reason to use the MTL Balance Board and it came in handy on a daily basis. My son broke his ankle and needed surgery. One major and critical aspect of recovery was to work on the ankle and strengthen the leg that had been in a brace for weeks. He needed to retrain his leg and ankle to work properly. The MTL Balance Board came at a good time for him! Specifically for my son, he uses the MTL Balance Board every day as a form of physio. Depending on how he places his foot on the board, he is working different areas of the leg and ankle.
Why MTL Balance Board?
When you start to look for balance boards, there are many options out there, and at different price points. I already mentioned how happy I am to support local businesses, so for this reason alone, I was really excited about MTL Balance Board. But as a customer looking to purchase a balance board, let me give you a few more reasons why supporting this Montreal business makes better sense.
The quality of the MTL Balance Board is superior. The company uses Russian cherry wood to create the boards, making them extremely strong and long-lasting. In fact, the boards are so strong, they can withstand close to 400 pounds. This means they are even strong enough to help you as you balance and lift weights at the same time, upping your training even more.
The MTL Balance Board company uses a circular economy business model. To see why this is important and how it works, feel free to click on the link . This will show you start to finish, how the boards are created.
MTL Balance Board has a great variety of boards and the option to personalize your boards with a laser cut (perfect for gifting). As I mentioned, we have the basic model called Classic – Standard. It comes with a cylinder to place the board on, and the board itself has stop notches underneath, to prevent you from falling. It does take some serious practice, and at first it makes sense to hold on to a chair or the wall for added help, until you get the hang of it.
Other varieties are for different levels of balance and strength. Accessories are available for your board, such as a 4-inch ball instead of the cylinder, a wall mount for storage, and grip pad for the floor. The company also has a 60-minute training program to maximize your training and versatility of the board.
As a family, we love our MTL Balance Board, and I think you will love it too. It makes for a perfect holiday gift for teens and adults alike. To find out more about MTL Balance Board, visit their website.
Disclosure: Thanks to MTL Balance Board, I was gifted a board to facilitate this review. As always, all opinions are honest and my own.