What Are Core Sliders, Exactly?

Core sliders are small disk-like exercise accessories that can add an extra level of challenge and diversity to your standard home workout routine. Core sliders are commonly designed from tough plastic (or try our beautiful bamboo discs),featuring a smooth slide side and a padded foam surface on the other.

They can be used on all sorts of floors: yoga mats, carpet, hardwood, and tile. They allow for full range of motion in exercises and are a very valuable addition to your fitness toolkit, whether you're a new beginner or an experienced exerciser.

What Do Core Sliders Do?

Here are some of the benefits of incorporating core sliders into your routine:

Increased Core Strength: Core sliders activate your core throughout the range of motion, thus creating a powerful stability force within the central part.

Stability and Balance: Using core sliders will require constant engagement with stabilizing muscles, which enhances general balance and coordination.

Gentle on the Joints: The smooth gliding motion would be easy on your joints. It makes core sliders a wonderful option for low impact exercises.

Versatility: They can be used for a wide range of activities and modes of exercise that target all muscles in your body, including the core, back, arms, and legs.

Portability: Light in weight and compact, core sliders are easily portable, making it easy to carry them with you. So, you can keep on doing your routine exercises even when you are traveling out.

How to Use Core Sliders

You can easily incorporate core sliders into your routine, as this is one real and very effective way to take the intensity up a notch. Here is what you need to do in a step-by-step guide:

Warm-Up Begin with a gentle warm-up exercise to make those muscles ready for the workout. Warm-ups can include dynamic stretches or light cardio.

Variations of planks:

Basic Plank: Place the sliders under your feet in a high plank position and hold the plank with your core tight.

Mountain Climbers: From the plank position, slide one knee up to your chest and return back to the starting position; switch, then continue with this running-like mountain climber motion.

Out and in: Start in the plank position with your feet together. Slide feet out to the side at the same time and then pull them back in keeping your core engaged and your weight forward over your shoulders.

Lunges:

Reverse Lunges: Stand with one foot on a slider. Then pull that foot back into a lunge position with the core engaged and return to the starting position. Repeat this movement on the other side.

 Lateral Lunges: Stand with one foot on a slider. Slide that foot out to the side into a lateral lunge position with the core engaged, and then slide back to the starting position. Repeat on the other side.

Curtsy Lunge: Stand on one foot with the other on a slider. Slide the other foot back beside the working leg, behind you in a curtsy position, trying to stay as tall as possible through the body, then return to the standing starting position. Perform this movement for 10 reps before doing it on the other side.

Core Exercises:

Knee Tucks/Bear: In a plank position, place sliders under your feet and pull both knees toward your chest before extending them back out.

Pikes: From plank position, slide feet towards hands by lifting hips up to ceiling, keeping legs straight.

Upper Body:

Push-Ups: Sliders under hands from high plank position, perform push up allowing hands to slide out at bottom.

Arm Circles: Kneeling on the floor with sliders placed under both your hands, now move in circular motion to involve your shoulders and arms.

Cooldown: Conclude your workout and support muscular recovery by a cool-down, including static stretch and deep breathing exercises.

Why Use Core Sliders in Your Routine

Core sliders further your home workouts and provide more benefits, such as:

Greater muscle activation: By using core sliders, you create an instability that will make the muscles work even harder in controlling and balancing. It increases strength gains.

Activation of multiple muscles mimicking natural movements: Therefore, core sliders engage many muscle groups at the same time, hence functional training for functional fitness.

Injury Prevention: Strengthening your core, back, and arms helps to stabilize your entire body, reducing the risk of injury during other activities.

Flexibility and Mobility: The sliding motion helps improve your range of motion, contributing to better flexibility and joint health.

Variety and Challenge: Mixing in core sliders with your current routine can spruce things up a bit by changing things just enough to give you the challenges needed to prevent monotony in your workout regimen.

Conclusion

Core sliders are indeed an awesome and versatile product to enhance your routine home workout. These sliders in your routine will definitely make your core stronger and more stable towards an overall fitter version of yours. Find our range here. Try them and see their benefits for yourself!

With your big day approaching, you’re probably experiencing a few jitters and worries as the wedding preparation ramps up. For many of us, part of the anxiety is around wanting to look and feel our absolute best, but with all the stress and busyness surrounding the event, how do we even begin to focus on ourselves?

To make your life a little easier, we’ve put together the ultimate wedding wellness guide. Following these top tips will ensure you are physically, mentally, and emotionally on top form for the big day.

Get stuck in to exercise

Having gone to all the effort of choosing the perfect dress, you don’t want to be feeling uncomfortable wearing it because your body confidence is low. Exercise is the best way to lose those few extra pounds, tone up, and can also help ease any pre-wedding stress, ensuring you feel amazing and look killer.

To get the best results, include a combination of both cardio and strength training in your workout routine. Some great cardio exercises to blast away the calories, helping you slim down and shift weight, are running, cycling, swimming, or even brisk walking. Research has found that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a more effective way to lose weight than moderate-intensity exercise and results are noticeable quicker - perfect if you’ve not got long left until the wedding! 

For strength training, you might want to focus on exercises that target your arms, as they are often on display in sleeveless or strapless gowns. Exercises like bicep curls, tricep dips, and push-ups are great for sculpting and defining your arms, while exercises like the plank and shoulder presses can help strengthen your upper body and improve posture, giving you an elegant and poised presence as you walk down the aisle. 

To accompany your arm toning workouts, include AMPs 2kg strength bars which add just the right amount of weight to give you the physique you need. These come in a variety of colours and are super easy and comfortable to hold. If you’re looking for something heavier to take your workouts to the next level, try the 3kg or 4.6 weighted triangle.

Establish a Self-Care Routine

Self-care is essential during wedding planning as it helps you maintain balance and rejuvenates your mind and body so that you feel fresh and radiant on the day. Here are some of the best self-care practices to incorporate into your daily routine.

Meditation

With all the stress surrounding the wedding, setting aside some time to practice meditation or mindfulness is essential for calming your mind. If you spend your days fretting, your physical appearance can also suffer - you don’t want to have bad skin or bags under your eyes at your wedding. Meditation is a great way to bring you back into the present moment and has been proven to have many bountiful benefits for our mental health.

Pamper yourself

Treat yourself to regular home spa treatments such as facials, hair masks, or body scrubs. Not only will these pampering sessions relax your body, but they will also give you that radiant bridal glow.

Practice Gratitude

Keep a gratitude journal and write down things you're grateful for each day. Focusing on the positive aspects of your life will help you maintain a positive mindset throughout the wedding planning process.

Nourish Your Body with Nutritious Foods

A well-balanced and nourishing diet not only fuels your body with everything it needs to function properly, but it also enhances your skin, hair and nail health. By eating the foods with the right vitamins and minerals, you can ensure you look and feel a million dollars. Here are three of the best foods to eat for your hair, skin and nails.

 Fish high in Omega-3

Fish like tuna, salmon and mackerel are rich in omega-3 fatty acids which are powerful antioxidants that help fight cell damage, helping reduce inflammation and redness in the skin. 

They are also a great source of protein, the building block of hair, and biotin, a nutrient that supports the production of one of the most important hair proteins, keratin. Both of these nutrients give your hair strength, bounce and sheen. 

Avocados

Avocados are rich in healthy fats including vitamins A, E and C which are important for healthy skin, hair and nails. These nutrients help moisturise and strengthen hair, support collagen and keratin production to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and increase nail toughness, and protect against oxidative cell damage to combat hair loss.

Dark leafy greens

Dark leafy greens like spinach and kale are packed full of amazing nutrients that help strengthen brittle hair, including vitamin A, iron, beta carotene, folate and vitamin C. These all work together to keep the hair and scalp hydrated and support hair growth.

Destress and look after your emotional well-being

Let’s face it, wedding planning can be stressful. But it's important to take care of your emotional well-being and limit stress during this time because stress can have several negative impacts on your physical and mental health. Try some of our tried and tested strategies to manage stress and cultivate emotional balance.

Connect with Loved Ones

Spend quality time with family and friends who provide support and positivity. Share your concerns, seek their advice, or simply enjoy their company. Social connections are essential for emotional well-being and can offer a sense of comfort during stressful times.

Connect with Nature

Spending time in nature is the perfect calming tonic and helps ground you in the moment so your worries can melt away. Take a walk in a park, go for a hike, or simply sit in a garden and soak in the beauty around you. 

 Practice Mind-Body Techniques

Explore relaxation techniques such as deep breathing exercises, gentle yoga, or aromatherapy. These practices will help you find moments of tranquillity, reduce anxiety and ensure you approach your wedding day with a calm and rejuvenated mind.

Summary

Your wedding day is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so of course you want to look and feel fabulous! By following our top tips in this guide, you'll radiate beauty, confidence, and bliss on your special day. 

Most importantly, don’t forget to exercise as this is key to feeling confident and comfortable in your wedding attire. Incorporate a combination of cardio and strength training exercises into your routine to tone up and achieve your desired physique. Alongside exercise, nourish your body with nutritious foods like fatty fish, avocado and leafy greens as these provide essential nutrients that allow you to shine both inside and out. 

It's completely normal to feel a bit anxious and overwhelmed with all the wedding preparations. By connecting with loved ones, nature and practising mind-body relaxation techniques you can manage stress levels and boost your emotional wellbeing. Establishing a self-care routine that includes meditation, indulgent pamper sessions and gratitude practice can also help you maintain emotional balance and rejuvenates your mind and body.