Get a Workout Gliding

As a group fitness instructor and a Master Educator for Savvier Fitness (the company that owns the Gliding Discs), I teach gliding exercises often. When gliding discs are involved in a workout, I have noticed that most participants focus on speed and not control. They rush through the movements, lose range of motion, and begin to use momentum to finish the exercise. When the body decreases the range of motion of a movement, the muscles involved in the movement have a lighter workload; this means, the exercise becomes less effective from a strength building aspect.

There are gliding exercises designed specifically for speed and there are workouts where strength is not the focus. However, these following exercises are better executed with intention and mindful slower movements. For your next workout, try these exercises while counting to 4 with each movement and completing the exercise for 30 seconds.

Arm Slide

1.     Put both hands on the gliders and begin your plank.
2.     As you count to 4, slide one hand forward, making sure your hips are not tilting and the stabilizing arm is not bending
3.     Slide the arm back to plank position, under the shoulder, and switch to the next arm

Arm Sliders

Single Leg Squat

1.     Start standing with a glider under one foot and the other glider in both hands above the head.
2.     Count to 4 as you slide the glider away from the body as you bend your standing leg.
3.     Remember to hinge at the hip (stick your booty out like you are Beyonce) with weight in your heel, not your toes
4.     To make sure you are lowering equally on each rep, touch the glider to the floor.
5.      As you return to standing, resist the glider so the adductors are engaged and working.

Single Leg Squat

Core Tuck

1.     Start in plank with the gliders on your feet.
2.     Without lifting your booty, count to 4 as your bring the knees to the chest. Remember to leave the weight in your hands so there is no weight in      your feet.
3.     Count to 4 as you return to plank

Core Tuck

Gliding Bulgarian Lunge

1.     Start with a glider under one foot and the other glider in your hands above your head
2.     While keeping your gliding leg straight, slide the foot back as far as you can, slightly hinging at the hips so the weight is on the front leg.
3.     To make sure you are lowering the same distance for each rep, lower the glider to the floor.
4.     Press through your front heel as your glide the leg back to starting position.

Bulgarian Lunge

Remember, slow and steady wins the race!

Turn your focus to strength and control when executing these gliding exercises and you will immediately notice a difference in your workout!

Plus, counting to yourself while you move turns your workout into a more meditative experience. In the busy world we live in, it’s nice to slow down and turn our focus inward.

Have any questions? Email me at JessicaHMaurer@gmail.com for more information on gliding.

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