I live in a small, thin-walled, thin-floored apartment, which means that when I’m working out at home, explosive jumping movements aren’t the best idea. I’ve been struggling with any kind of dynamic moves, to be honest – anything more impactful than squat pulses or Russian twists seems to make my whole apartment shake.
Sliders, also known as disc gliders, are a good solution. Your foot, hand, or whatever’s on the slider stays in contact with the floor the whole time, so you can move around freely without worrying about noise or impact. Not only that, but the addition of sliders makes many basic moves a LOT harder. I feel a ton of extra engagement in my core, and notice that I have to take moves a lot slower as I focus on dragging the slider around, which increases the burn in my working muscles. And the best part might be that, to do an exercise with sliders, you don’t even need sliders. Two small towels on any hard surface will work just fine, or two paper plates on carpet. (If you do want the real deal, try this pair of sliders from Amazon.)
Check out our favorite slider exercises ahead, plus a bonus workout video to get you moving and sweating with the new moves!
Related: Peel Yourself Off the Couch and Use It For This Creative and Intense Full-Body Strength Workout
POPSUGAR Photography / Tamara Pridgett
Croc Walk With Sliders
- Grab a pair of sliders and put the hard side down on the ground. Place your toes on top of the sliders, and come into a plank position. Your wrists should be directly underneath your shoulders, and your back and neck should be in a neutral position.
- Engage your abdominals as you move your right hand forward and simultaneously pull your entire body forward. Repeat this same movement with your left hand. This counts as one rep.
- Continue to move forward with control for about 10 yards. Be sure to maintain a plank position throughout the entire motion, never rotating your hips and torso.
POPSUGAR Photography / Ericka McConnell
Mountain Climber Sliders
- With sliders under your feet, start in a basic straight-arm plank position.
- Then, as if you were actually running, pull one knee toward your chest, dragging your foot on your slider along the floor. As you push that leg back, pull the other knee forward.
- This counts as one rep.
POPSUGAR Photography / Ericka McConnell
Plank to Bear
- Begin in plank position with a slider under the ball of each foot.
- Slowly bend both knees in toward the chest while keeping the arms straight and shoulders over the wrists, and maintain a flat, tabletop back.
- Maintain a stable upper body as you push your legs back to plank.
- This counts as one rep.
