HOW SLIDE BOARD EXERCISE BENEFITS SOCCER PLAYERS

With Spring sports seasons quickly approaching, many soccer players are picking up the pace on their training and preparations. It’s important that throughout training, players are not only strengthening and conditioning their bodies for the field, but also protecting their muscles and joints from impact and injuries. Training with an UltraSlide can help soccer players to prevent injuries, improve their balance and coordination, and to strengthen their groin and hip muscles. (To view our blog post that specifically addresses slideboard benefits for goalies, click here.)

How Slide Board Exercise Benefits Soccer Players

• Prevent Injuries: Using slide boards builds the muscles and tendons surrounding joint structures to help them withstand impact or strain.
• Balance and Coordination: Slide board exercise strengthens the stabilizer muscles that support dominant muscle groups, improving balance and coordination.
• Strengthen Groin and Hip Muscles: Using a slide board engages and conditions the muscles that help to prevent injury to the groin and hip muscles.

Prevent Injuries

Exercising with an UltraSlide is a great way to prevent injuries and keep your body from experiencing unnecessary traumas. Slide board exercise helps to strengthen the muscles and tendons surrounding important joint structures in the hips, knees, and feet that aren’t frequently exercised, helping them to withstand impact or strain. For example, lateral exercises on a slide board help to build the outer hip muscles as well as those in the inner and outer thighs, which stabilize the knees and can minimize joint pain and injury.

Balance and Coordination

Many moves and frequently performed exercises in soccer call upon the same dominant muscles repeatedly and regularly place stress on those same muscle groups. Neglecting the stabilizer muscles can lead to imbalance, and in worst-case scenarios, injury or degeneration. Lateral exercise helps soccer players to work the stabilizer muscles, allowing athletes to enjoy more balanced and coordinated movement on the field as well as lateral strength and flexibility.

Strengthen Groin and Hip Muscles

Some of the most frequently experienced pain and injuries that soccer players endure happen in the groin and hips. This is often due to weak core muscles, greater hip abductor to adductor strength ratios, and a lack of training in the off season. Training with slide boards can significantly reduce the likelihood of injury to these areas. Slide boards are an ideal tool to use for core strengthening exercises as well as full body workouts. Using slide boards to exercise can engage all of the muscles supporting the hip joints, helping to even out the abductor to adductor levels of strength. An UltraSlide can also be used year-round, making it a great option for training between seasons.

As spring soccer seasons approach, make sure you are ready for the field by training with an UltraSlide slide board. Preventing injuries, improving balance and coordination, and strengthening groin and hip muscles will help to get your body is in the best shape possible to safely dive into training.

UltraSlide slide boards have benefited teams, athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and rehabilitation patients worldwide for more than 25 years. Relied upon by professional and collegiate strength and conditioning coaches, sports medicine professionals, leaders in fitness, personal trainers, and home fitness enthusiasts, UltraSlide slide boards provide fun and challenging lower-body workouts and are highly effective functional training tools.

10 EXERCISES FOR A FULL BODY SLIDE BOARD CARDIO WORKOUT

Routine exercise is important to everyone, whether you’re an athlete or not. Regularly performing aerobic exercises improves your cardiovascular health, lowers your blood pressure, regulates your blood sugar, helps you to manage your weight, and improves your sleep, among many other benefits. An UltraSlide slide board is a one-stop training tool that you can use to perform a full-body and cardio-focused workout that will make you sweat at your gym, training facility, or even in your home!

10 Exercises for a Full Body Slide Board Cardio Workout

1. Burpees
2. Plank Jacks
3. Slide Board Sprints
4. Alternating Slide Lunges
5. Inch Worms
6. Curtsy Lunges
7. Squat Jack Slides
8. Lunge Running
9. Skater Squat Circles
10. Glute Bridge & Curls

1. BurpeesEveryone’s favorite (or least favorite!) cardio exercise translates to a challenging yet effective slide board exercise. Stand toward the end of your slide board with your feet close together, then squat and bend your body forward, placing your hands on the ground off the slide board. Slide your feet back until you are in a push-up position, ensuring your hands are beneath your shoulders. Move your feet to meet your hands and then stand up.

2. Plank JacksPlank jacks will not only get your heart pumping but will also work your inner and outer thigh muscles. Move into a plank position with your feet together on the slide board and your hands off of it on the ground. Engaging your core to hold your body in straight plank form, slide your legs open as wide as you can comfortably can and then move your feet back together. Repeat as many repetitions as you can, sliding your legs open and back together.

3. Slide Board SprintsSprinting isn’t just for the ground or turf – slide boards allow for a challenging sprint drill that will leave your heart racing! Stand on one end of the slide board with one foot touching the bumper. Push off the bumper and slide across the board, bending your knees and gliding until your other foot meets the other bumper. Swing your arms in the same style a skater would and add more force and speed as you become more comfortable with your balance.

4. Alternating Slide LungesPerforming alternating slide lunges not only get your whole body moving for a great workout, but they engage the large leg muscle groups that help you to move quickly and with power. Standing with one foot off the end slide board and one foot on, begin by lunging forward with the foot that is on the slide board until that leg reaches a 90-degree angle at the knee. Slide the foot that is on the board as far onto the board as you can, until your knee is close to touching the board. Complete as many repetitions on each leg as you are able to while maintaining proper form.

5. Inch WormsFor a core-focused cardio move, try doing the inch worm on a slide board. Begin by standing on one of the slide board with your legs straight. With your hands on the board, walk them out until you are in a plank-like stance. Drop your hips and lift your chest to assume an upward-facing-dog position before pushing your rear into the air and sliding your feet to meet your hands. Stand up and repeat the exercise, keeping your legs as straight as possible in order to achieve a maximums stretch of your hamstrings.

6. Curtsy Lunges
Curtsy lunges are not only a great cardio exercise, but an excellent challenge to your legs and glutes. To start, stand with your feet together on the slide board and slide one foot backward behind your other leg, sinking into a lunge. Drop your back knee to the ground and bend your front knee as close to a 90-degree angle as possible. Return to a standing position and slide your back foot forward. Perform repetitions on alternating sides, or on the same side until fatigue before switching.

7. Squat Jacks SlidesSquat jacks are notoriously tough and performing them on a slide board adds a challenge! With your legs close together on the slide board, lower yourself into a squat and sink your rear backward, reaching your hands up to the ceiling. Once you are in the squat position, slide your feet out to the sides until they are at least shoulder width apart, then slide your feet back together. Repeat this movement, sliding your feet out and back together, and maintaining a low squat. As this is a challenging move, you might try beginning with one foot out at a time before getting comfortable with doing the exercise sliding both legs.

8. Lunge RunningLunge running on a slide board is an excellent low-impact cardio exercise and will make you feel the burn! Begin by standing on one of the slide board with your feet together. Sliding one foot backward, sink into a lunge, dropping the back leg’s knee toward the ground. Lift the arm opposite the back leg forward for stability, then explode out of the lunge, sliding the back foot forward and moving the front foot backward. Sink into a lunge once again, bringing your back arm to the front and your forward arm to the back. As you switch sides, your feet should not leave the ground but instead slide into its next position. Perform the move as quickly as you can, switching sides and sinking into a deep lunge with each repetition.

9. Skater Squat CirclesThis cardio move doubles as an exercise to improve your hip mobility and build stability. With your feet together at one of the slide board, assume a squat position, then move one leg out and forward, drawing a circle shape as you slide the foot to the side and back to meet your standing leg. Repeat the move, “drawing” as big of a circle as you are able to while remaining in your squat.

10. Glute Bridge & CurlsOur final move is a hard one, and some slide board users may find they need to begin with a variation using a single leg. Move into a starting glute bridge position, where your arms are at your sides and your elbows are on the ground. Begin with your feet close to your glutes and lift your rear and midsection to a bridge, then slide out your legs so they are straight in front of you. Though your hips will lower to the ground, your rear shouldn’t touch it. Pull your feet back toward your glutes and return to a bridge in one fluid motion – avoid pulling your feet back and then lifting to a bridge.

These 10 moves for a full body slide board cardio workout are sure to fire up your heart rate. Using a slide board for cardio exercises will provide you with variety in your workout, low impact exercise, and a fun way to achieve the aerobic movements your body needs to stay healthy and strong.

UltraSlide slide boards have benefited teams, athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and rehabilitation patients worldwide for more than 25 years. Relied upon by professional and collegiate strength and conditioning coaches, sports medicine professionals, leaders in fitness, personal trainers, and home fitness enthusiasts, UltraSlide slide boards provide fun and challenging lower-body workouts and are highly effective functional training tools.

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What to Expect...Out of the UltraSlide® (During Pregnancy)

From the perspective of UltraSlide® Master Trainer & pre/postnatal exercise specialist, Sara Haley.

I’m 34 weeks pregnant and still using the UltraSlide® . . . yes, I know it probably sounds a little surprising since the UltraSlide® is typically all about balance, speed & agility. However, I think if you read on, you’ll find that I actually use the UltraSlide®, especially being this far along, in a very conservative and safe way.  Follow my tips below to find out how.

First of all, keep in mind that one of my main pregnancy guidelines that I follow and advise is that you can do what you were doing prior to pregnancy at a moderate level for you. So guess what? Before this pregnancy, I was using the UltraSlide® ALL the time! So, once I became pregnant, I was very comfortable on the UltraSlide® and basically have had to alter my programming on it according to how I feel, which has definitely changed trimester to trimester. (So if you aren’t pregnant yet, get on the UltraSlide® NOW so you can keep it up during your pregnancy.)

In fact, for what it’s worth, for all of you in postnatal recovery . . . Although I had been introduced to sliding back in the 90’s, I became addicted and committed to it, right after I had my son Landon.  I used it to shed the baby weight and get my legs looking better than ever (Check them out in the UltraSlide® 6 downloads available here.) 

So, if you did not use the UltraSlide® prior to pregnancy, does that mean you shouldn’t use it? Not necessarily . . . you just need to use it conservatively and really listen to your body. 

Here are some tips or ideas for using the UltraSlide® while pregnant.  These are great ideas for modifying as you move through your pregnancy or if you are just starting out. 

1.  Shorten Your Stride  

If you have a longer UltraSlide® I suggest moving it down to the shortest options possible, or invest in the new UltraSlide® 6 board. By shortening the board, you won’t have to push off the bumper with as much force, thus recruiting less muscles, and requiring less effort. This can be helpful as you’re just starting off or needing to slow down throughout your pregnancy. Check out this video of Sara sliding in her 2nd trimester.

2.  Move to the Outside of the Bumper 

Sliding lunges & touch downs are great exercises for keeping your legs strong throughout pregnancy. However, we have a hormone called relaxin in our bodies during pregnancy that helps open up our joints for a successful labor, which also makes us a little (or a lot) unstable during pregnancy, especially in terms of balance. So, if your balance is feeling a little off, take one foot off the UltraSlide® to stabilize as you slide the other. If you find you still need something to assist you, feel free to hold onto a body bar or the back of a chair to help steady yourself. Also, make sure to check out my Lower Body Blast workout. Just remember to listen to your body and move to the outside of the bumper or hold a body bar for balance as needed.

3.  Think About Using Your Core in a New Way 

As you move through your pregnancy, your belly button will eventually disappear, so the idea of pulling your navel to your spine will seem impossible.  Instead, think of hugging your baby closer to your spine. This will be essential when doing any plank work or bridges. Squeeze your butt even more to help take some of the pressure and work off of your abdominals. Also, when you need to, make sure to bring your knees to the floor and eventually underneath your hips, for both planks and push-ups. By modifying the movement, you will also help in preventing or limiting diastasis recti (the separation of the abdominal wall during pregnancy). Feel free to check out the Upper Body Blast workout I created for the UltraSlide® but please make sure that you modify on your knees as soon as you need to. 

Best of luck!  Remember, first and foremost, ALWAYS listen to your baby and your body. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email me at info@sarahaley.com.

#TryThisTuesday

Missed #TryThisTuesday?  Don't worry we've got it here!

Spring is coming so it's time to push a little harder.

Do you use your UltraSlide Slideboard as a workout or as a part of your workout? If you're not sure how to incorporate it, try this simple circuit to mix things up:

1. Start with a steady (not fast) lateral slide on the slideboard for 3 to 5 minutes, just to get warmed up.
2. Take a short break (15 to 30 seconds) and transition away from the #slideboard to perform alternating sets of bicep and tricep curls. Use a size weight that will allow you to comfortably complete sets of 15-20 reps. Complete 3 sets.
3. Take another short break and return to the slideboard for reverse lunges. Alternate legs and perform 3 sets of 15 reps.
4. Go back to the lateral slide on the slideboard for 3 minutes.
5. Slow things down with 10 planks on the slideboard, holding them for as long as you can.
6. Finish up with a slow, lateral slide on the slideboard for 3 to 5 minutes breathing deeply and slowly to bring your heart rate back down.

Try this and let us know how you did!

#TryThisTuesday

Yes we realize it's Thursday but we wanted to share our most recent #TryThisTuesday with all the followers of our blog as well.

With so much to celebrate between Fat Tuesday and Chicago's 177th Birthday (if you're in the Windy City), you might need to burn a few extra calories. Add some weight to your UltraSlide Slideboard routine to increase your resistance and work a little harder.

To add some diversity, Sara Haley Fitness combines The Touchdown movement with hand weights. If you don't have hand weights, you can use water bottles or cans at home.

To do this:
1. Start by standing with your feet together, with one foot against the bumper, holding the weight in the outer hand. You can place your other hand on your hip for stability.
2. As you slide your outer foot away from you, lift your arm straight up bringing your elbow back.
4. Slide the extended foot back in, bring your arm back up and return to the starting upright position.
6. Repeat 10 times and complete the same movements on the other side.

In the beginning, go slower for correct form. As you improve, go faster for speed and efficiency. Learn movements like these and more from the downloadable #UltraSlide Workout Series here: http://ht.ly/u

#TryThisTuesday is featured on our Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter so be sure to follow us on all of your favorite social media sites to catch the next one!

Overcoming Exercise Excuses with Sara Haley and UltraSlide®

Finding excuses for not doing your daily workout comes easy for many of us and in the winter it can be even harder to find the motivation. Our friend and Master Trainer, Sara Haley recently had a great blog post on The Daily Sweat about how to overcome her top 4 exercise excuses with an UltraSlide® 6 Slideboard.

Be sure to check out her post, Baby It's Cold Outside (and other exercise excuses), if you need an extra push during this tough winter!

Ultraslide Slideboard: Try This Tuesday

Sometimes the lack of movement can be just as important as how much or how fast you move. Planks are a prime example of full body toning given the need to use your muscles to keep your body supported, steady and in place. Here are 3 variations of planks to challenge yourself and add some interest to your routine:

Level I: If you're still mastering planks, work them into your routine more regularly and aim to achieve good form for longer periods of time.

Level II: Try planks on the UltraSlide Slideboard. Place your hands off the board but position your feet (in the slide slippers) on the board. No need to move - trying to maintain balance on the slippery surface will provide an extra challenge. You will feel it in your core!

Level III: If you've mastered planks and already know the secret to doing them perfectly with the Ultraslide, add a @Bosu! The Bosu provides a similar challenge for your upper body as the slideboard does for the lower body. The goal is maintain good form at all times and achieve upper and lower body stability. (Shown Below)

Shanelle Smith, Phenomenal Fitness - Chicago, IL

Remember that you don't have to perform these exercises for long periods of time. Aim for 1 to 2 minutes as a part of a full work routine. This exercise can be performed on any of the Ultraslide Slideboards.

Ultraslide Workout Series

For the past 20 years, ULTRASLIDE® has been the leading producer of slideboards for lateral and functional training. Most fitness activities such as walking, running, and cycling train your muscles in a forward and backward, or up and down motion. However, many of the most popular recreational activities, such as basketball, skating, skiing, soccer, and tennis require us to move in a side-to-side motion. Our slideboards enhance lateral agility and balance to enhance your performance in these sports and activities.  

We are happy to announce that we have partnered with Sara Haley, an internationally recognized fitness expert, to develop quick and challenging exercises designed for use with any of our ULTRASLIDE slideboards. Sara Haley’s demonstrative step-by-step instructions in our ultimate Workout Video Collection will guide you through exercises that will help you burn calories, get stronger, go faster longer, improve your balance, strengthen your core, and tone your entire body.

Click the image below to preview these workouts:

You can purchase, instantly download, and enjoy high-quality ULTRASLIDE workout video here

Buy 5 or more and receive 15% off with code: N6U69754

ULTRASLIDE/Varisport, Inc. is an Environmentally Friendly Company

The ULTRASLIDE® Slideboard has achieved a 20 year history of helping athletes and fitness enthusiasts achieve game-changing results in their training, conditioning, and rehabilitation programs.  But did you know the ULTRASLIDE is also ULTRA-sustainable?  We incorporate sustainability principles into every aspect of the business, from product development to energy use to packaging and delivery.  Let’s take a look at our sustainability principles in practice.

We Make ULTRASLIDE Slideboards With Salvaged, Recycled or Certified Materials

Salvaging a resource means giving it a new purpose after its original lifecycle ends.    We utilize salvaged ash trees in the Chicago area that are lost due to infestations, storms or disease and give them new life as wood bumpers on the ULTRASLIDE.  Did you know that the non-slip rubber pads under the slideboard might have kept you from slipping off the road at one time?  They are made from 100% recycled car and truck tires.

We use Forest Stewardship Council certified plywood to make the baseboard on the flagship ULTRASLIDE slideboards so that old or rare species of trees are saved and maintain their ecological value. The glue on the laminate backing is water-based and contains no chemicals.  Even the instruction packets accompanying the ULTRASLIDE are printed on 100% recycled paper. 

Many of these components are  produced within 50 miles of our facility in Northbrook, IL.  We know that using local materials and suppliers means less transportation and the need to use non-renewable energy sources.

Our Carbon Footprint is Small and Getting Smaller

Businesses cannot operate any longer without considering their effect on global climate change.  We are certainly no exception and take this responsibility very seriously.  Avoiding conventional energy sources such as coal and oil keeps our carbon footprint low. For that reason, we decided to invest in electricity from renewable sources by receiving that energy directly or purchasing offsets.

 

In addition, we use the UPS Carbon Neutral option (at our expense) for every ground shipment, which accounts for 98% of the boards shipped.  Inherently, the ULTRASLIDE doesn’t require any electricity to use because it’s human powered.  We are always looking for ways to reduce our carbon footprint even further, with the ultimate goal of becoming a carbon neutral company.

Every ULTRASLIDE Ships in 100% Recycled Packaging

Post-consumer containers and packaging make up more than 30% of the average American’s trash bin, most of which is not recycled.  We are doing our part to change that.  The ULTRASLIDE ships in custom board and surface boxes made from 100% recycled corrugated cardboard. We entirely eliminated the use of Styrofoam and Ethafoam three years ago.   All packaging is sealed with water-based paper tape and all boxes and tape are both 100% recyclable.  This ensures that our packaging materials never need go into the waste stream or a landfill. That’s our “cradle to cradle” packaging philosophy.

We Consider the Environment in All Aspects of Our Business

Our company’s overall environmental consciousness is of greater importance than any single action.  As an environmentally-friendly company, it is ingrained in our culture. We think about the repercussions of everything we do.  Our landfill waste typically does not exceed one trash bag per week because we know where that waste is going – and we reuse or recycle things that others throw in the trash.  We have a recycling dumpster – not a trash dumpster.  Our employees often telecommute to save on fuel and maintain efficiency.  We print only when absolutely necessary, or do so on double-sided recycled paper whenever possible. We keep the lights out unless we need them.  We market our product digitally and utilize print and promotional materials only in rare instances.  You will never see an ULTRASLIDE four-color brochure at a trade show.

Visit www.ultraslide.com to learn about new ways we are staying committed to environmental sustainability and incorporating  these principles into the ULTRASLIDE and Varisport culture.

ULTRASLIDE for Cheerleading Training

Football season is well underway and you can be sure that many of those athletes, from quarterbacks to linemen, use the ULTRASLIDE® slideboards for pre-season, in-season, and post-season workouts. However, it's important not to forget the other athletes that are often on the football field - the cheerleaders. Cheerleading has come a long way from its beginnings with many cheerleaders competing year round. Today's cheerleading often entails more than being enthusiastic and getting the crowd on their feet. Depending on the level of competition, these athletes are performing complicated gymnastic and stunt exercises that require them to be in peak condition.

Zach Vargo of Vargo Trained, LLC works with these types of athletes and has incorporated various ULTRASLIDE exercises into his program. Sometimes these athletes are in such good shape that they need special modifications to certain exercises to challenge them even more. He recently worked with a competitive cheerleader with a very strong core so he got creative with an abdominal and oblique exercise to push her training further.


Zach added a Bosu ball to a swing exercise to relieve stress on her wrists and really target the shoulders. "The addition of the ball didn't only relieve the stress, but it also brought another dimension to the exercise by increasing shoulder stability. In addition to working abs and obliques with the swings, that exercise also requires lower back strength to stay in the plank position and tricep strength to remain in the pushup position" he says. During this exercise, the Bosu ball wants to rotate with the swing motion so the athlete must keep the core tight and remain stable with the shoulders. This trains the shoulders in a way that many exercises cannot, which is extremely beneficial for a cheerleader performing stunts.

Modified Swing Exercise on the ULTRASLIDE

Here are Zach's instructions for his modified swing exercise on the ULTRASLIDE Slideboard:

1. Wearing the ULTRASLIDE slippers, get into the plank position placing your feet in the upper right corner of the ULTRASLIDE slideboard. 
2. Place the Bosu ball in front of the slideboard underneath your shoulders. Be sure to give yourself enough room lengthwise extending out from the board. Turn the Bosu over and hold on to the outside of the base.
3. Keep your feet together and swing in one full movement from one edge of the board to the other.
4. Maintaining good form and engaging your core, swing your body as fast as you can in each direction, minimizing the transition/pause time when changing directions.  
5. Repeat the swings for the prescribed reps. If you're new to this movement start with a low number such as 2 or 3 on each side until you gain more overall strength and stability. 

NOTE from Zach: Be sure to keep a flat back, as any sagging will cause lower back pain as with any plank position exercise.

Watch this to see it all put together.

Why is this effective for cheerleader training?

The basic lateral sliding movement is of great benefit to cheerleaders because that is primarily how they move. This swing exercise is specifically designed for cheerleaders as it can help them become more powerful in their rotations during stunts.

The purposes of the ULTRASLIDE are practically endless, no matter your sport or end goal. Regardless of the movement, exercising with the ULTRASLIDE is always a full body workout. To see what else Zach and his team are up to, visit them on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Fuel for Speed: ULTRASLIDE Slideboard for Skiing & Ice-Based Training

With the onset of fall weather and only 137 days until the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, anticipation is mounting for some of the most popular competitions including skiing. The ULTRASLIDE Slideboard lends itself inherently well to off-ice training for athletes who compete in ice-based sports given the occasional limitations on access to ice. Skiing is no exception. 

Marc Digesti,
Founder of PerformancEDU Training Facility 

Marc Digesti, former U.S. Disabled Ski Team Strength Coach and Director of Performance of PerformancEDU Training Facility utilizes the ULTRASLIDE Slideboard for multiple diversified training programs in his in Tahoe, NV facility. Recently Marc shared his perspective on why the ULTRASLIDE is so effective for his skiers, elite athletes and more.

U: What is your experience with skiing? 

M: I grew up in the Tahoe area ski racing until high school. After playing baseball in college and graduating with a degree in Exercise Physiology, I was hired as the Strength Coach for the U.S. Disabled Ski Team. In this role, I traveled, designed and implemented training methods for our athletes including testing protocols.

U: What are the most important training objectives for skiers in general? 

M: The most important training objective is to get ski athletes powerful while not limiting their mobility and stability movement patterns. They need to be solid and strong but flexible to anticipate the changes in direction and terrain.

U: What are the most challenging training aspects for skiers?

M: The most challenging aspects of training skiers is their rigorous in-season travel schedule. We have to create a very objective periodization for their off-season dry land training. More importantly we have to create a program for their in-season maintenance. The ULTRASLIDE has been a perfect fit for meeting these needs given that it provides 24-7 access to a training mechanism and is versatile in function to support a variety of training needs. This one tool can address the needs of many.

U: Having incorporated the ULTRASLIDE Slideboard into your training and conditioning, do you find that it supports conditioning in one central area or multiple area(s)?

M: The ULTRASLIDE is a training tool we use for many areas of our training. It's not just great for our metabolic systems with interval work and lateral sliding; we incorporate it into all of our upper and lower body mobility/stability movements and torso stability patterns (for the core).

U: What differences in performance did you notice after you began using the ULTRASLIDE in a more targeted way?

M: Based upon periodizing programs with and without loads on the upper body (using weight vests and med balls), our skiers were able to hold their turns with more power and stability.

U: Why do you think the ULTRASLIDE is most effective for skiers?

M: The ULTRASLIDE is the best training tool that mimics the lateral demands placed on the body while skiing. The slideboard bumpers are sturdy and allow the athlete to achieve speed and access the same force they leverage in competition. The bumpers really force the athlete to load their inside hip during the push-off which directly translates to loading the inside hip while initiating the turn in the true competitive environment.

U: What is your go-to exercise or routine when utilizing the ULTRASLIDE? 

M: At PerformancEDU, one of our go to movements with the ULTRASLIDE are reverse loaded lunges. You get the best of both worlds for great single leg strength and upper body stability.

Running is an Art

Art Ives,
Founder of the The Way of Running

Running has become one of the fastest growing forms of exercise in the United States, only requiring a little conditioning, motivation and an open distance in which to run. Making the decision to run competitively is a commitment and increases the need to condition on and off "the track" to sustain a long-term running career and prevent the occurrence of injuries. 

Art Ives is an accomplished runner turned trainer and advisor who applies a holistic approach to his work with clients. Having  incorporated the ULTRASLIDE slideboard into his training programs, he recently shared how it has made a difference.

How did you find the ULTRASLIDE?

AI - I started doing some personal research for a cross-training tool to complement tmy personal training routine as well as for clients. I came across the ULTRASLIDE slideboard and based on its effectiveness, quality and customer support, it was the perfect choice.

What are the most important training objectives for runners?

AI - There are many! The primary training objectives for runners are:

• Movement and postural awareness,core engagement, 
• ability to relax with prolonged physical exertion, 
• patience and consistency, 
• balanced and systematic progression, 
• solid nutritional support, 
• personal organization, 
• taking their work seriously and themselves lightly. and
• peaking and tapering in a classic sense to avoid injury, burnout or mediocre/flat performance.

What are the most challenging aspects of running for exercise, or training?

AI - Like the objectives, there are many challenges. The obstacles I watch out for are:

• the body's sensitivity to work andrecovery cycles, 
• understanding how fast is fast enough and how long is long enough, and
• disregard to conventional techniques or quick adoption of overly clever trends that cyclically come and go.

Objectivity with process and results, perseverance, overcoming self limiting notions, employing realistic goal setting and proper gauging of actual fitness are just a few ways to overcome these challenges.

Having incorporated the ULTRASLIDE into your training and conditioning, do you find that it supports conditioning in one central or multiple area(s)?

AI - The ULTRASLIDE is highly effective and lends itself positively in the areas of:

1. core engagement
2. coherency around the center of gravity
3. awareness of hip placement and lateral movement in the frontal plane
4. coordinated rhythmic flow and use of grounding/stabilizing forces
5. conditioning of synergists and peripheral muscle groups for both strength and local muscular endurance
6. plasticity of tissues and 
7. creative movement.

Most of all it's FUN! I have always wanted a slideboard since studying sports agility in the 80's.

Learn more about Art on The Way or Running website.

Five for Training...in Hockey

Guest Blogger Mark Meads Explains How the ULTRASLIDE® Enables Competitive Edge

As the owner of Competitive Edge Personal Training, we give athletes the tools and instruction they need to take their game to the next level. One of the highest regarded pieces of fitness equipment that we use in our athletes' training programs is the ULTRASLIDE 8 foot slide board. And although I specialize in hockey training, all of our athletes benefit from the usage of the ULTRASLIDE, not just our hockey players! 

The ULTRASLIDE brings a lateral sense of movement to athletes that no other piece of equipment can bring, and that's just breaching the surface of what the slide board can do for you. Our athletes have not only excelled in horizontal movement, but also in linear movement such as sprinting. This is because the muscles that are used in side to side movement are overshadowed by the repeatedly used muscles in forward movement. The ULTRASLIDE conditions those muscles and brings them to the surface where they can be fine tuned.

Two of the movements that I love to perform on the ULTRASLIDE slide board are Split Lunges, and Knee to Chest movements. With the Split Lunge, the client starts with one foot in front of the bumper of the slide board, and the back foot directly behind on the baseboard. They slide their foot backwards, dropping their hips straight down, causing the front knee to bend at a 90 degree angle. Performing this exercise on the slide board adds a more challenging element as the lower back and core are engaged to maintain balance on the slide surface.

The Knee to Chest movement is performed with both feet on the baseboard, and both hands off the board in front of the body on the bumper. While in push up position, the client will bring both knees straight in to their chest and then back to starting position. This is performed with a tight core, as quickly as possible while working on the hip flexor muscles. 

As a hockey player, using the ULTRASLIDE slide board has greatly improved the length and the power that I am able to produce through my stride. Our other athletes, such as basketball players, have become quicker in their shuffling and more powerful in their vertical leap. I greatly advise and recommend adding the slide board into the workout program of anyone looking to train for any sport, or just looking to get in better shape and lead a healthier lifestyle. 

Mark is the owner of the Competitive Edge Personal Training Center in Middleton, MA. Mark is a competitive hockey player for Bentley University and leverages unique training resources in his personal training programs to help clients achieve the advantage they're looking for.

ULTRASLIDE for Speed Skating

As cliche as it may seem, there is definite truth to being able to accomplish anything you set your mind to - and Bruce Conner epitomizes that statement. After qualifying at age 49 and 53, Bruce is preparing for the 2014 Winter Olympic trials (at age 57) as the oldest adult to ever try out for the international competition.

With age, training needs are a grand consideration for such a lofty goal. For this lifelong dream, Bruce chose the ULTRASLIDE Slideboard as his primary training tool. Bruce recently shared his inspiring story about his personal Road to Sochi 2014.

What is your history with speed skating?

My experience with speed skating covers many years.  I started speed skating at age 12 and competed until age 19.  I started locally, finally retiring form the sport as a national team member just before the 1976 Olympic games.  However, I stayed active over the years and returned as a 40-year-old athlete just for the fun of it.  I skated once a week and raced once a month and gradually began reaching speeds that I attained when I was  a teenager.  At age 48, I hired a coach and started to train seriously, which led to my qualifications during the Olympic trials at age 49, 53 and now age 57. I also hold numerous world records and world championships in my age group. I continue to skate faster now than ever.  

Describe the primary training objectives for speed skaters.

There are two overall objectives: one is building the [internal] motor, the other is to learn and apply proper skating technique for speed and efficiency.  The slideboard most closely approximates the push for momentum we experience on the ice. It also helps to duplicate proper skating technique for application on the ice.  Staying in the skating position on the slideboard helps to build the endurance for proper technique.  The slideboard speaks to both objectives leading to muscle strength, endurance, and this technique development.  Using a slideboard with a mirror helps me to be aware of proper body position.  The repetitive nature of sliding also strengthens the neuro-muscular bonds to cement good technique.  

What is the most challenging part of speed skating?

Since speed skating is a power sport, it requires good technique even when you are tired.  For this reason, physical conditioning is paramount. Speed skating is not a natural activity.  It is purely learned. Without proper technique and the ability to maintain it, your speed suffers and works against you during the competition.  The slideboard provides the best alternative for off ice speed skating training.

We only have access to long track ice for about 6 months of the year.  The slideboard helps with off ice training anytime and practically anywhere.  I use the ULTRASLIDE Slideboard in conjunction with my on-ice training by using it to warmup before getting on the ice.  This helps me to get my skating neurons firing properly so when I get on the ice I am productive right away.  

Do you find the ULTRASLIDE to be multi-faceted in training?

Yes, the slideboard helps with both the technical aspects of skating as well as the physical training and conditioning.  I perform two types of workouts on the slideboard. One is designed to reach time benchmarks in the skating position. The other is for interval training, all the while practicing good technique. The ULTRASLIDE is truly the best way to duplicate skating off the ice that I know. It's highly durable and is easy to store in the home and transport when needed, placing no limits on training. I have been using the slideboard for 9 years now and I keep getting faster.  It works! I have the results to prove it.

Follow Bruce's journey in preparation for the 2014 Olympic trials on his website or his blog, Faster as a Master.

ULTRASLIDE Slideboard for Post Partum Exercise

For the same reasons that runners must take careful steps to return to running after an injury - a new mom has to take extra precaution after childbirth when returning to any exercise - particularly running. This is vital to ensure the pelvic and abdominal muscles return to their fully stable condition. It might seem like a huge disappointment at first but taking these precautions will actually ensure that you are operating at 100% for your new baby and will help to get you back on the road to running faster than ever.

In addition to getting adequate rest, most physicians will advocate for some very light activity to help you feel like yourself again. But no worries - your hands aren't tied. Mild, low intensity exercise with your doctor's approval can be done. Superstar mom and professional runner Lauren Fleshman has made the ULTRASLIDE Slideboard a part of her post-partum routine to build and regain her pelvic stability. 

                                 

Looks like slow and steady does actually help you to win the race - or at least get you moving faster. Check out this and other ULTRASLIDE products here.

Professional Fighter Gil Guardado Explains How the ULTRASLIDE Slideboard Enhances Mixed Martial Arts Training

UFC Fight Week has generated widespread attention and speaks to the international reach of mixed martial arts as a diversified sport. Trainers, professional fighters and MMA athletes know that making the right decisions about your training is integral to prepare you for the unexpected during competitions. The ULTRASLIDE Slideboard has been a part of many MMA training programs in recent years. 

Professional MMA fighter and Xtreme Couture Strength & Conditioning Coach Gil Guardado recently shared how the ULTRASLIDE has become an invaluable tool in his personal and client training.

What is your experience with slideboards?

Gil combines his technical training knowledge with his
personal fighting experience to train MMA athletes.

I have been using slideboards since the end of 2011. I was training with Jake Bonacci for my last amateur title fight and he incorporated the slideboard into our training program for conditioning. It was a completely different dynamic. We never did lateral conditioning but it made so much sense. In a sport like MMA you need a full range of movements - not just linear and the ULTRASLIDE was perfect for that.

What are the most important training objectives for martial artists?

The first is gaining competitive edge. Everyone is trying to be stronger, faster and better thatn their competition. In my opinion, fighters are behind the curve when it comes to strength and conditioning. Many of them are trying unproven methods to make their training better. I like going with what works - and the ULTRASLIDE is not only proven but it's also something new to a lot of people. When I use it with my clients, most of them are getting a brand new, unique training experience.

What are the most challenging aspects of martial arts?

There are several but learning how to accept the punches and preparing for the mental challenges are most difficult. It's a grind. We train six days a week, twice a day. It takes a toll on your body. The sport itself is based on contact so something like a slideboard is a nice break because it's low impact and a smoother experience that ultimately improves your speed and movement. 

What differences in performance did you notice after you began using the ULTRASLIDE in a more targeted way?

I noticed immediate differences in my footwork. The slideboard teaches you how to generate power in the lateral movement. My speed also improved. I haven't found anything else that does that so quickly.

Why do you think the ULTRASLIDE is effective for martial artists?

MMA is based on finite space movement – there are so many sports that move forward to back. When you close in during MMA, it's only 20 to 30 feet across. There isn't a lot of movement. You're cutting to the side looking for an angle to land a strike or a takedown. MMA is definitely a laterally dominated sport and the ULTRASLIDE mimics that movement perfectly.

Mountain climbers on the ULTRALIDE slideboard have multiple
benefits including enhanced explosive power and speed.

What are your go-to exercises or routines when utilizing the ULTRASLIDE? 

There are many! We definitely get our time our of it. I start with the lateral slide when clients are new to using a slideboard. I want them to start with the basics and we build from there. If someone is nervous about getting on the slideboard, we position it in conjunction with the TRX suspension system so they have stabilization to build comfort. We take a graduated approach starting with two hands holding on to the straps, the only one hand holding on and then freestanding as they begin to generate speed and power.

Once they're comfortable, I incorporate my favorite three ULTRASLIDE movements – lateral sliding focusing on intervals and speed; mountain climbers for speed, and lunge variations to challenge balance, core strength and stability. When they want a challenge, I can do simple things like adding weight. But most find the ULTRASLIDE is a challenge within itself! When I'm not training I also use it personally - I think it's really a fantastic tool. 

The lateral slide on the ULTRASLIDE is a
hallmark movement - tried and true.

Learn more about the ULTRASLIDE slideboard and its application to a variety of training contexts here.