Some pieces of exercise equipment are bulky and take up too much room – not slide and glide exercise discs. You can hide these small discs shaped like a Frisbee in your closet and bring them out when you want to add a new dimension to your workout. We all know variety keeps a workout interesting and slide and slide and glide discs do just that.
What Are Gliding Discs?
Gliding discs are thin discs shaped like paper plates – but you don’t eat on them. Instead, you place your feet or hands on their smooth surface and use them to “glide” during exercises. With your feet on two glide discs you can smoothly slide into a lunge without lifting your feet off the floor to work your glutes, quadriceps and hamstrings. Through the full range of motion, you’re engaging your stabilizing muscles since the discs create an unstable surface.
Another variation that works your upper body is gliding push-ups. Place your hands on the discs and slide them apart as you move your chest towards the floor. Then bring them back together as you return to the starting position. You can also move your hands forward as you lower your chest towards the floor for a different variation. Push-ups with gliding discs work your chest muscles more than a traditional push-up. Gliding discs make movements more fluid and engage muscles through their full range of motion. Because you can use them on your hands or your feet you can get a total body workout with this simple piece of low-tech equipment.
What Are the Benefits of Working Out with Gliding Discs?
When you work out with discs, your hands or feet never leave the floor, so it’s a total body workout that’s low impact. If you’ve had a recent injury or have joint issues, gliding keeps your feet and hands on the floor but lets you move in all planes of motion without impact.
Gliding discs engage your core muscles throughout the full range of motion of an exercise while introducing a balance challenge. The long, graceful movements are also a good way to increase flexibility. It’s never been easier to work your inner thighs so effectively without lying on the floor. Simply glide your legs apart and back together with your feet on the discs.
The beauty of gliding discs is you can use them in a variety of different workouts – an aerobic or dance workout, Pilates, muscle shaping and strengthening moves and even yoga. Just as importantly, they’re fun! A glide workout is never boring, and when you do one, you feel as graceful as a swan.
Getting the Most Benefits from Gliding Discs
Gliding discs are relatively easy to use, although it takes a little time to make the movements smooth and fluid. To use them correctly place the balls of your feet on the discs and keep your heel off the back to act as a brake. This gives you greater control and makes it easy to stop. You don’t need much room to work out with gliding discs. Just grab your discs and a glide DVD, like my Slide N Glide workout, and get a body sculpting or aerobic workout at home. They’re a versatile piece of equipment that’ll “shake up” your routine and add an element of novelty and fun.
Choosing Sliding Discs
There are gliding discs suitable for both smooth and carpeted surfaces. If you have hardwood floors in your home, choose ones made for smooth surfaces. There are also discs made to glide smoothly across carpeting. Gliding discs are usually about nine inches in diameter and easy to store in a drawer or closet. Just bring them out and you’re ready to sculpt.
The Bottom Line?
If you haven’t tried them yet you’re missing out on a way to add a new dimension to your routine. So grab so gliding discs, a DVD and discover the unique benefits a gliding workout offers.
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