There’s an easy way to make each exercise harder, faster and more effective: remove the friction. If you use a surface that lets you slide, you’ll increase your strength, enhance your workouts and sculpt a bigger and better body. But how does sliding surface training work? It starts with instability. Because there’s no friction, whatever limb is on a sliding surface becomes unbalanced, forcing your body to engage its stabilizer muscles. That spikes the intensity on each move, ultimately building more muscle. It also unlocks unique exercise variations. On a sliding surface, you can move in new directions, change angles within an exercise, and even reduce the impact on your joints. SEE ALSO:Get 25% Stronger in 12 Weeks >>
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The Right Equipment for the Job
For sliding surface training, the two most-popular tools are the slideboard and Valslide. The slideboard is a long, slick surface with adjustable blocks at the ends that you can propel yourself from. To remove friction, place your hands or feet on cloth booties. If your gym doesn’t have a slideboard, however, you can invest in a pair of Valslides. The Valslide—named after its founder, Valerie Waters—is a small disc with a smooth underside; when you place your hand or foot on the Valslide, it will slide easily. And, because it’s so small and light, you can take it anywhere and move in countless directions. Once you have the tools, it’s time to master the moves. SEE ALSO: The Upper Body Strength Workout >>
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Slideboard Reverse Lunge
Build stronger quads, hamstrings, glutes, and core muscles using an old classic with a new twist. The slideboard enhances the reverse lunge because you prevent your rear leg from helping; you’ll only pull yourself up with the stationary leg, which hits the stationary leg harder.
How to do it:
Place one foot on the slideboard. Reach back with the sliding leg into a reverse lunge position. Keep the shin on your stationary leg fairly vertical. From the bottom, pull yourself up with the stationary leg and drive through the heel. Not tough enough? Add dumbbells or a barbell.
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Slideboard Chest Flye
Sculpt a bigger, stronger upper-body with this variation of a chest fly. Because you’ll slip along a sliding surface, this will be harder than a fly with dumbbells.
How to do it:
Place both palms on a slideboard or separate Valslides. While in a pushup position, lower yourself by spreading your elbows and hands far apart. Once you get to the bottom, slide those arms together to drive yourself up. To make it harder, elevate your feet, throw on a weighted vest, or put a plate on your back.
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Slideboard Leg Curl
This a great bodyweight exercise to isolate your hamstrings and glutes and build powerful legs.
How to do it:
Lie on your back with your feet on the slideboard or on Valslides. Start by squeezing your glutes and extending your hips. Then, curl your feet underneath your knees while keeping your hips extended and maintaining a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Remember: every inch you curl your feet is another inch your hips need to rise. Want to make it harder? Curl with just one leg.
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Slideboard Body Saws
Sliding surfaces let you to target different positions within a single repetition. Take the traditional plank, for example: if you increase the distance between your arms and feet, you’ll blast your core like never before.
How to do it:
Get into a plank position with only your feet on a slideboard or Valslides. Squeeze your glutes and tighten your core. Then, push your body backward with your forearms as far as you can. Pull yourself back to the starting position and repeat. The farther back you push, the harder you hit your core.
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Slideboard Rollout
Slideboard rollouts obliterate your core because they force your abs stay braced and rigid while sliding forward.
How to do it:
Start with both knees on solid ground and both hands on a slideboard or separate Valslides. Push your hips forward until they’re fully extended and squeeze your glutes while reach forward with your arms. Go as low as you can and push yourself back up. Keep your hips extended the entire time.
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Slideboard Lateral Squat
Sliding surfaces make it easier to move in different directions. With this exercise, you’ll build bigger legs and increase your hip flexibility.
How to do it:
Place one foot on a slideboard or one foot on a Valslide. Squat and push your sliding leg directly out to the side while squatting down on your stationary leg. On your stationary leg, focus on sitting backward with your weight on your heel, keeping your chest tall, and keeping a neutral arch in your lower back.
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Slideboard Push-Up With Arm Reach
Build a bigger chest and stronger core with this push-up variation. By reaching out with one arm, you amp the intensity on the other arm and challenge your total-body stability.
How to do it:
Place one palm on a slideboard or Valslide. From the push-up position, descend into a pushup while simultaneously reaching forward with the hand on the sliding surface. When you’re at the bottom of the push-up, your sliding arm should be locked out.
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Slideboard Skater
This is an amazing metabolic exercise that mimics ice-skating: drive off the adjustable blocks and sprint side-to-side. It’s low-impact, it’s fast, and it destroys your lungs. You’ve been warned.
How to do it:
With both feet on a slideboard, start on one side with your foot against the block. Bend your knees and drastically lean your torso forward; try to get your center of gravity as low as possible. Drive off the block while swinging your arms and propel yourself to the other block. Then, drive yourself back. Repeat as fast as you can.
11 of 12
Slideboard Mountain Climber
Doing mountain climbers on a sliding surface beats the ol’ fashioned way: it removes the pounding on the joints and increases the speed of your legs.
How to do it:
Place both feet on a slideboard or separate Valslides. Get into a pushup position. Keep your core tight and run as fast as you can on the slideboard. Keep your head up and your hips low.
12 of 12
Slideboard Alligator Drag
This unique exercise increases your core strength and shoulder stability by forcing your entire body to stay rigid while your arms crawl forward.
How to do it:
Place both feet on a slideboard or on separate Valslides. Get into a pushup position with your glutes squeezed and core tight. While keeping your arms straight, march forward with your arms while dragging your legs behind you. Keep your legs straight.
There’s an easy way to make each exercise harder, faster and more effective: remove the friction. If you use a surface that lets you slide, you’ll increase your strength, enhance your workouts and sculpt a bigger and better body. But how does sliding surface training work?
It starts with instability. Because there’s no friction, whatever limb is on a sliding surface becomes unbalanced, forcing your body to engage its stabilizer muscles. That spikes the intensity on each move, ultimately building more muscle.
It also unlocks unique exercise variations. On a sliding surface, you can move in new directions, change angles within an exercise, and even reduce the impact on your joints.
For sliding surface training, the two most-popular tools are the slideboard and Valslide.
The slideboard is a long, slick surface with adjustable blocks at the ends that you can propel yourself from. To remove friction, place your hands or feet on cloth booties. If your gym doesn’t have a slideboard, however, you can invest in a pair of Valslides.
The Valslide—named after its founder, Valerie Waters—is a small disc with a smooth underside; when you place your hand or foot on the Valslide, it will slide easily. And, because it’s so small and light, you can take it anywhere and move in countless directions.
Once you have the tools, it’s time to master the moves.
Build stronger quads, hamstrings, glutes, and core muscles using an old classic with a new twist. The slideboard enhances the reverse lunge because you prevent your rear leg from helping; you’ll only pull yourself up with the stationary leg, which hits the stationary leg harder.
How to do it:
Place one foot on the slideboard. Reach back with the sliding leg into a reverse lunge position. Keep the shin on your stationary leg fairly vertical. From the bottom, pull yourself up with the stationary leg and drive through the heel.
Not tough enough? Add dumbbells or a barbell.
Slideboard Chest Flye
Sculpt a bigger, stronger upper-body with this variation of a chest fly. Because you’ll slip along a sliding surface, this will be harder than a fly with dumbbells.
How to do it:
Place both palms on a slideboard or separate Valslides. While in a pushup position, lower yourself by spreading your elbows and hands far apart. Once you get to the bottom, slide those arms together to drive yourself up.
To make it harder, elevate your feet, throw on a weighted vest, or put a plate on your back.
Slideboard Leg Curl
This a great bodyweight exercise to isolate your hamstrings and glutes and build powerful legs.
How to do it:
Lie on your back with your feet on the slideboard or on Valslides. Start by squeezing your glutes and extending your hips. Then, curl your feet underneath your knees while keeping your hips extended and maintaining a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Remember: every inch you curl your feet is another inch your hips need to rise.
Want to make it harder? Curl with just one leg.
Slideboard Body Saws
Sliding surfaces let you to target different positions within a single repetition. Take the traditional plank, for example: if you increase the distance between your arms and feet, you’ll blast your core like never before.
How to do it:
Get into a plank position with only your feet on a slideboard or Valslides. Squeeze your glutes and tighten your core. Then, push your body backward with your forearms as far as you can. Pull yourself back to the starting position and repeat. The farther back you push, the harder you hit your core.
Slideboard Rollout
Slideboard rollouts obliterate your core because they force your abs stay braced and rigid while sliding forward.
How to do it:
Start with both knees on solid ground and both hands on a slideboard or separate Valslides. Push your hips forward until they’re fully extended and squeeze your glutes while reach forward with your arms. Go as low as you can and push yourself back up. Keep your hips extended the entire time.
Slideboard Lateral Squat
Sliding surfaces make it easier to move in different directions. With this exercise, you’ll build bigger legs and increase your hip flexibility.
How to do it:
Place one foot on a slideboard or one foot on a Valslide. Squat and push your sliding leg directly out to the side while squatting down on your stationary leg. On your stationary leg, focus on sitting backward with your weight on your heel, keeping your chest tall, and keeping a neutral arch in your lower back.
Slideboard Push-Up With Arm Reach
Build a bigger chest and stronger core with this push-up variation. By reaching out with one arm, you amp the intensity on the other arm and challenge your total-body stability.
How to do it:
Place one palm on a slideboard or Valslide. From the push-up position, descend into a pushup while simultaneously reaching forward with the hand on the sliding surface. When you’re at the bottom of the push-up, your sliding arm should be locked out.
Slideboard Skater
This is an amazing metabolic exercise that mimics ice-skating: drive off the adjustable blocks and sprint side-to-side. It’s low-impact, it’s fast, and it destroys your lungs.
You’ve been warned.
How to do it:
With both feet on a slideboard, start on one side with your foot against the block. Bend your knees and drastically lean your torso forward; try to get your center of gravity as low as possible. Drive off the block while swinging your arms and propel yourself to the other block. Then, drive yourself back. Repeat as fast as you can.
Slideboard Mountain Climber
Doing mountain climbers on a sliding surface beats the ol’ fashioned way: it removes the pounding on the joints and increases the speed of your legs.
How to do it:
Place both feet on a slideboard or separate Valslides. Get into a pushup position. Keep your core tight and run as fast as you can on the slideboard. Keep your head up and your hips low.
Slideboard Alligator Drag
This unique exercise increases your core strength and shoulder stability by forcing your entire body to stay rigid while your arms crawl forward.
How to do it:
Place both feet on a slideboard or on separate Valslides. Get into a pushup position with your glutes squeezed and core tight. While keeping your arms straight, march forward with your arms while dragging your legs behind you. Keep your legs straight.
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