15 years of Sensoboard: Interview with inventor Moritz Martin - "The fun factor is important"

Sensoboard is celebrating its 15th birthday this year. How did it all start back then?

In May 2000, I was once featured in the "Who is actually..." series in surf magazine, back then as a successful surfer in the Olympic Mistral class and in the "Raceboard class". During my active time from youth to adulthood, I collected a total of 19 titles as German champion and became vice world champion in the raceboard class in 2009. The idea for the Sensoboard came out of my sports studies, as we did a lot of research work with vibration training methods. My idea was to develop a simple mechanical system that manages to activate the human reflex system. All balance boards and other balance training devices fail to do this because they are too sluggish or too predictable in their movement deflection.

What were the milestones in your history?

The first milestone was our participation in the ispo brandnew award in 2010, when we presented the Sensoboard to the global public for the first time. One of the first users at the time was Björn Dunkerbeck, who was testing the latest trends for ISPO. At the same time, a patent application had already been filed for the system. Fortunately, we were granted patent protection in the same year.

Björn Dunkerbeck was one of the first users of the Sensoboard."

What distinguishes your boards from simple balance boards?

The main unique selling point of the Sensoboard compared to other devices is the completely random movement deflection and the high reaction speed, which requires real-time regulation.

How do you develop new products?

We always develop our training equipment with the aim of offering real added value for users. Even with the sport-specific add-on modules for stand-up paddling, for example, the aim is to make the training effects as usable as possible for the target sport, while of course not forgetting the fun factor. When choosing materials, it is important to us that the equipment is visually appealing, lasts a long time and, above all, is made from sustainable materials.

You work with some prominent athletes, who are they in the water sports sector?

Numerous top athletes from the water sports sector, but also from various disciplines in general, regularly train the neuromuscular system with the Sensoboard. We do not currently have any sponsorship agreements with athletes, which is why we cannot name any names here.

Your boards are now available in different versions. Which is the bestseller?

The Sensoboard has now been on the market for 15 years and models have been developed for different purposes. These hardly differ in terms of the training effect, but mainly in terms of the dimensions of the standing surface, the materials or the surface covering.

The latest product is a basic plate aimed at foilers. How exactly does it work?

Since this year, we have also been offering a rotation platform that is particularly suitable for water sports, especially wingfoiling, because you have the opportunity to practise manoeuvres and movement sequences with the wing.

You also offer special chairs and office boards, what is your most successful product?

Our most successful products are the Sensoboard and the drySUP, our dry trainer for stand-up paddling, but the Sensochair is also very popular for the home office.

With our surf school, we bridge the gap between dry training and active time on the water."

What are your plans for the future?

This season, we are particularly pleased to be able to open a water sports school on the Kinzig reservoir not far from our company site, where we offer training and hire and, after 15 successful years with Sensosports as a company, are building the bridge from dry training to active time on the water.

• More info at sensosports.com