The Ultimate Fat-Burning Glider Workout

Did winter leave extra padding around your abs, hips, and thighs? It’s time to set that fat on fire with the incredibly handy gliding discs in your workout toolbox. New York Sports Clubs trainer Morgan Anderson has programmed this deceptively intense workout with gliders in order to decrease stability overall and up your burn—big time. Pace yourself: Even the first move starts out with two sets of 50 reps, and that’s just the gliding discs warmup. For this reason you’ll keep the weight lighter than usual and the pace brisk. You’re about to find out what a range of new stimulus you can create by adding one simple, portable exercise tool that glides across the floor.

OUR MODEL: Rebecca Kennedy, Nike Master Trainer, New York, NY

SEE ALSO: 5 Fat Burning Routines

Side-plank Upper-body Opener (shown):

• Place each foot on a gliding disc. Squat down and place palms on the floor in front of each foot.
• Slide both feet back into a plank.
• Rotate feet, hips, and shoulders to the side and open one arm to the ceiling (C). Keep hips lifted by pressing the supporting arm into the floor. Rotate back into plank and slide feet back into tuck position. Repeat to the other side.
• REPS: 8 to each side

Mountain Climber (not shown):

• Place each foot on a gliding disc and walk your hands out into the top of a plank. Bring one knee toward your chest by sliding your foot and the disc along the floor. Without pausing, switch legs.
• REPS: 2 sets of 50 reps. Rest for 20 seconds by touching toes in a hamstring stretch.

Reverse Lunge and Biceps Curl:

• Hold a dumbbell in each hand; place each foot on a disc.
• Slide your right foot back until both knees are bent 90° and left thigh is parallel to floor. As you do so, curl both dumbbells to your chest, palms facing your body. Switch legs under control by pushing the left disc back and pulling the right disc forward along the floor, bringing arms back to your sides in between lunges.
• REPS: 4 sets, 10 reps total; 30 sec. rest

Superset: Side Lunge to Sumo Squat Romanian Combo: 

>Complete 3 rounds of this superset. Kettlebell should be 70% 1 repetition maximum (RM) kettlebell swing.

• Side Lunge:
  • Place right foot on glider and both feet under hips. Hold a kettlebell with arms straight.
  • Slide right foot into side lunge, bending left knee about 90° and lowering kettlebell toward floor, chest up. Engage glutes to slide right foot back to standing.
  • REPS: 12 to each side
• Sumo to Deadlift:
  • With glider still under right foot, feet hip width and kettlebell in front of legs, lower into a sumo squat, with feet turned out and wider than shoulder width.
  • Return to standing and take right foot off glider; hinge forward at hips to lift right leg behind you until the weight is at your shins; you’ll feel a stretch along the hamstrings.
  • REPS: 12 to each side (1 squat + 1 deadlift = 1 rep)

SEE ALSO: Burn 100 Calories In 10 Minutes 

Disc Pushup (not shown): 

• Start in a plank with a disc under each hand. Slide 1 arm out into a wide pushup and slide back to plank.
• Complete 1 triceps pushup, keeping elbows close to side. Repeat by sliding to opposite side. For further progression, place a plate on your back for balance.
• REPS: 4 sets, 8 reps each side; 30 sec. rest

Superset: Push-Pull to Shoulder Press and Triceps Extension: 

Complete 3 rounds of this superset.

• Push-Pull (shown):
  • Start on all fours with a disc under each foot, holding a 10- to 15-pound dumbbell in each hand. Bend knees slightly for added stability.
  • Lift left weight and place it a few inches in front of right. Pull your body forward with arms, dragging legs behind you.
  • Reverse motion and push body back by walking hands backward.
  • REPS: Pull and push for 10 yards, twice through.
• Shoulder Press to Triceps Extension (not shown):
  • ​Stand holding dumbbells at sides, palms facing in, feet hip width.
  • Bend elbows and lift weights to shoulder height, then press weights overhead, palms facing forward.
  • Bring weights back down along same path to sides. At bottom, hinge at hips and lift elbows behind you to perform a triceps extension.
  • REPS: 12 reps (1 press + 1 extension = 1 rep)

EMOM* Plank Progression (shown):

Place one disc under each foot. Be sure to keep weight in your hands more than in your feet.

• 1. Slide knees into chest and out into plank.
• 2. Slide feet in and out, keeping knees straight and lifting hips on top of shoulders into pike.
• 3. Slide 1 leg at a time out to the side keeping anchored leg straight.
• 4. Slide both feet out to right side, slide knees in, and repeat to other side.
• 5. In plank, draw circles with feet one at a time, first making circles toward midline, then starting away from midline.
• REPS: Complete each progression twice doing 15 reps EMOM* (every minute on the minute).

Superset: Rollout to Back Extension (not shown): 

Complete 3 rounds of this superset.

• Rollout:
  • On hands and knees, place a disc under each hand.
  • Keeping arms straight, slide hands away from body and bring torso toward floor until you’re about 2 inches from surface. Slide back to start.
• Back Extension:
  • ​Lie facedown with one disc under each hand. Lift head and upper back while sliding discs toward feet.
  • REPS: 15 reps each move

SEE ALSO: 30 Minute Fat Torching Workout

Complete 3 rounds of circuit, doing bear crawls between exercises.

Bear Crawl Progressions (not shown):

• Place a disc under each foot and hand, keeping knees bent.
• Slide right hand and left foot forward, then left hand and right foot, moving quickly for 10 yards.
• Push to move backward 10 yards. Crawl sideways for 10 yards and back. Repeat this series in between each exercise.

Around the World (shown):

• Place hands on medicine ball and feet in a plank. Walk feet around hands in a circle twice in each direction.
• Continue for 60 sec.

Jump Squat Burpee Sandbag Drag:

• Explode from a squat position into a jump. Immediately land and shoot legs into a plank.
• Reach underneath core for a 40-pound sandbag and slide it across to the other side. Jump feet back to squat, repeat jump, plank, and pull bag to other side.
• Complete exercise for 60 sec.

SEE ALSO: How To Do A Perfect Burpee

Glute Bridge and Hamstring Curl-in (shown): 

• Lie on back, bend knees, and place feet on floor on gliders.
• Lift hips and slide legs forward, keeping hips up, pull legs back to start, then lower hips to floor.
• Continue for 60 seconds.

Cooldown (not shown):

• Lie faceup with arms out to sides, one disc under each hand. Bring discs toward feet and pull body up and forward into hamstring stretch. Bend elbows and slide back to start. Repeat at a slow tempo for 8 reps.
• Flip over, extend arms overhead, and pull hands in for an upward-dog back stretch. Slide back onto stomach. Repeat at a slow tempo for 8 reps.

SEE ALSO: Perfect the Glute-Hammy Tie-In