Sliders, they don’t look like much, but when used properly they will light up your core and help you work muscles you didn’t even know you had. You may not think much of the circular, slippery discs but once you give them a try—you’ll understand the hype. Sliders have the potential to turn average exercise movements such as planks or lunges into super-charged, resistance-packed power moves. Sliders are also great because they aren’t bulky or expensive meaning you can easily keep a set at home so you can make healthy happen inside and outside the gym. If you’re new to sliders, read on and learn all the ways this slick gym accessory can up your workout game and challenge you to push yourself harder!
What Do Sliders Do?
Sliders, much like their name suggests, create slight instability that requires you to work harder to keep your balance and forces your whole body to stabilize you throughout the movement. When your body is working in overdrive to keep you upright, your muscles are firing on all cylinders, making an even greater impact on your workout than without. Think of a reverse lunge, they’re difficult—but you’re able to keep your balance fairly easily as you dip into the position. When you add a slider into the equation and glide back into the exercise, your core begins to power up to keep you aligned and your quads have to work even harder to get you back into standing position as you complete your lunge. Now imagine doing five sets of 10 reverse lunges with the gliders and you’ll have a good idea of how much of an impact those small, non-descript discs can make on a workout.
How Can I Use Them?
Sliders are awesome for many reasons, but their versatility is hard to beat. Because they can be used to modify traditional exercises—you can incorporate them into a myriad of workouts. Upper body, lower body, core—sliders can be used to strengthen every area of your body without strenuous impact as you glide rather than connect with the ground. They are a great addition for anybody no matter their fitness level.
Try 10 repetitions of the below circuit. Complete 2-3 rounds at your own pace with nothing but a set of sliders and medicine ball.
