Slide Boards

Slide Boards, also known as Lateral Movement Trainers are catching the fancy of both exercisers and physical trainers alike. The slide board, which has been around in one form or the other, for more than a hundred years, is on its way to taking its due place in the world of fitness equipment. The humble slide board, which was earlier used mainly by professional athletes and for physical rehabilitation, is now getting popular with regular exercisers across most gyms.

The slide board has many advantages---it is portable, safe, no-impact, and provides good cardio while burning a large number of calories. On top of all this, it is much cheaper than any other fitness machine that provides you with so many benefits. Sliding boards are a very good tool for gaining upper body stabilization as well as lower body balance. Slide board exercises also increase stamina and power. No wonder, it is so popular with hockey jocks! The low impact feature of slide board routines makes for great aerobic workouts.

A good to average side board can be found in the market for around $70-$100. Of course the price depends on a number of factors like the length, quality, brand and durability. Some top of the range slide boards like the Premium, Pro Power and Ultra Slide Boards are available from Power Systems. Reebok slide boards are also popular among enthusiasts. However, as a beginner, you may find these brands a little costly. And especially since you don’t know how well you will fare at and how much you will like your slide board exercises, buying a cheap first slide board makes more sense. You can look for used slide boards that are up for sale or buy from a shop selling wholesale slide boards. You can find a number of slide boards at sale or discount prices from virtual sports stores.

If nothing else works, you can always build your own slide board. Building a slide board is quite easy as it requires basic tools and materials that are easily and cheaply available. Illustrated step by step guides on ‘how to make a slide board’ are freely available online. A Slide board exerciser is easy to make, easy to work on and comes with a large number of pros. However, take care not to get too enthusiastic with it right from day one, because it will give you pains in muscles that you never knew existed. While that’s a sign that those muscles are being worked on, it is best to start with small 10 to 15 minute sessions once a week and then gradually increase your time on the slide board.