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Slip Slidin’ Away

Gliding is the latest way to tone up and slim down

By Christy Strawser Photos by Brett Mountain

Those who get a kick out of sliding across a wood floor in their socks – and let’s face it, who doesn’t? – should enjoy Gliding, a new fitness craze that has followers sliding their way to a better body.

A Gliding workout involves stepping onto two round discs that slide easily across a floor and moving them for various low-impact exercises, such as lunges and squats, that target the legs, buns and abdominals. The discs also can be placed under the hands for moves that focus on the upper body.

Classes are popping up at gyms all over the country and making their way to this region from major metropolitan centers. Tammy Lynn Popchock, a certified personal trainer, offers Gliding classes at her gym, TPOP Fitness in White Lake Township. She says many clients have a love/hate relationship with the discs.

“They cringe when I bring them out, but love the results,” Popchock says. “During the exercises you need to really concentrate and use core muscles to keep your balance.”

Gliding classes also are offered across the Detroit River at four GoodLife health clubs in Windsor. Cindy Garant, manager of the GoodLife Walker Square Women’s Club, says Gliding helped her to overcome the havoc menopause wreaked on her body.

“It’s very, very focused on core, the strength of your core, and it builds the strength in your bones,” says Garant, adding that the classes are very popular at her club. “Bone loss is the most important thing women battle, so resistance training is important.”

Try this at home

Those who are still waiting for Gliding to hit their gym can try two versions available for athome use. Fitness instructor Mindy Mylrea first popularized Gliding (she also trademarked the name) with an at-home kit featured on television infomercials that includes two 9-inch discs, three DVD workouts and a diet plan ($12.95 at www.glidingdiscs.com).

A similar product is the Valslide, a plastic and foam version made to slide on carpet ($29.95 for two slides). It was created by Hollywood fitness trainer Valerie Waters, who used the device to whip Jennifer Garner into shape after the actress had a baby.

The Valkit for Travel (available at select Target stores and www.valslide.com) includes two foot slides, a fitness band, a travel bag and two exercise booklets for $36.99.

“They’re really, really popular for people who travel,” Waters says. “It has really spread through the entertainment industry.”

Whether you glide in the basement or in a fancy studio, enthusiasts say results can be astounding. One fan is Keli Roberts, an awardwinning fitness video instructor who teaches at Equinox Gym in Pasadena, Calif. and leads fitness workshops around the world.

“I use Gliding not for aerobics, but for body conditioning or sculpting, for want of a better name,” Roberts says. “Gliding allows you to effectively target the muscles and areas of the body that are usually hard to reach.”

Popchock agrees, saying “Most women tend to get saddlebags. When I use the discs, we do movements to help with that.”