XRSlide

It's easy for workouts to become stale and boring and this is when people tend to stop exercising or going to the gym - the same old thing day after day is dull.

This is why I'm a bit of an equipment junky - my husband swears you can achieve whatever you want with a bar bell.  It's true but it's also boring day in day out.  I like to swap and change and try out new things.

My latest favourite bit of kit is the XRSlide  that I was shown on a Functional Resistance Training course I recently attended.  The XRSlide is two innocent-looking pieces of shiny plastic with foam pads on one side but they are deceptively versatile and effective and will deliver a killer workout to even the fittest of you out there!  For only £25, I think they're a very versatile bargain!




It simulates the effects of a cross trainer and ab-wheel as well as other functional movements while adding an unstable element which forces you to engage your core muscles more than you would normally.  So a lunge, for example, is made more challenging with the addition of the slide. Like with suspension training, they really target your core abdominal muscles because you need to recruit these muscles big time to complete the exercises.

And, as you should know by now, we like any exercise that does more than it says on the tin, so anything that combines multi joint, multi-planar, multi muscle-group exercises is not only functionally great but also saves time!

If you are looking to mix things up a little, then these are a great addition to your exercising arsenal and like resistance bands, they they take up hardly any space, so you can take them anywhere.

Slow the exercise right down for a deep core workout, speed them up for a more metabolic, cardio workout or incorporate them into your daily routine for a bit of a change.

Be sure, clients of mine, we will be using these a lot!

Get your own pair for extra workouts on between PT sessions and have a go at these workouts with them:

Warm up with:

Skating Lunges - both feet on the XRSlide, move your feet backwards and forwards independently for one minute

 Jack Knives - both feet on the XRSlide, hands on the ground, move your feet backwards and forwards independently for 1 minute

Sled Push - with your hands on the pads and feet on the floor, push your hands along the floor.

Plank Pull - with your feet on the pads, in a straight arm plank position walk your hands along the floor, pulling your feet behind.

Upper Body:
One Arm Sliders - on your knees, core tight, push each arm out to the front and back independently for one minute.

Sliding press ups - on your knees, core tight, push both arms out to the side and back together for one minute.

Lower Body:
Lunges - with your feet on the sliders lunge either to the side or to the front and then back to the start position then swap legs.

Hamstring Hip Raise - lying on your back, with your feet on the sliders, push your legs out straight in front of you and lift your hips as high as you can.  Slide your fet backwards and forwards, keeping your hips as high as you can.

Abductor/Adductor Slide - with your knees on the sliders and your hands on the floor in front of you, slide your knees in and out.