The “DIY” Slide Board

By Stephen Brandis

The slide board was made popular back in the 1980’s by speed skaters to use as a tool for developing sport specific conditioning and technique when ice to skate on was unavailable. However, there use is not limited to only speed skaters, but can be used by all individuals to develop muscle hypertrophy, strength, balance, and overall conditioning into your training program. The down side is they are often hard to come across in most facilities or are fairly expensive to purchase.

A cheap solution is to make your own “slide board” and the only thing you need is a fairly slick surface (hard wood or linoleum floor) or a carpeted surface and some paper plates. Below are some videos of variations you can perform right in your living room that will provide a good challenge and add some variation to basic movements.

 

 

Slide Reverse Lunge

Set up with one foot on the paper plate and slide your leg back into the bottom of your lunge position while keeping the majority of your weight on your front leg.

 

 

Slide Mountain Climber

Keep your hips and shoulders level through out the movement.

 

 

Slide Push-Up with Reach

The following push-up variations also double as core stability exercises. Keep the hips and shoulders level by keeping the glutes and core engaged the entire time. A regression of both of these would be to perform them from the knees.

 

 

Slide Push-Up Fly

 

 

 

 

Sample Workout 1:

Slide Reverse Lunge (Left Leg): 30 sec

Rest: 15 sec

Slide Reverse Lunge (Right Leg): 30 sec

Rest: 15 sec

Slide Push-Up Reach: 30 sec

Rest: 15 sec

Mountain Climbers: 30 sec

Rest: 45-60 seconds

Repeat 3-5 times

 

 

 

Sample Workout 2:

This next workout could be used as a finisher on an upper body day that will smoke your chest, shoulders, arms, and core.

Slide Push-Up Reach or Fly: Complete as many clean reps as possible

Rest: 60 seconds

Slide Push-Up Reach or Fly: Complete as many clean reps as possible

Rest: 60 seconds

Slide Push-Up Reach or Fly: Complete as many clean reps as possible

Done! Looks easy on paper but will provide a hell of a challenge.

Good luck!