Stability & Strength Workout (With Gliders and Dumbbells)

⁣⁣I had a lot of fun putting workouts together for Healthy Lifestyle Bootcamp last week! All workouts featured could be done at home, and a few incorporated minimal equipment pieces (like this one) that you can substitute with what you have around you.

New, daily content in the group might be paused for a while, but I’m keeping it open for participants to be able to view the workouts and safe information for later! Plus, I’d like to host another bootcamp sooner than later that’s longer and more structured with different focuses on training. Stay tuned!

I wanted to feature this circuit on the blog in case anyone needs a break from doing strictly bodyweight workouts and would like to add resistance in a creative way. Make sure sure check out the video demos here, too!

This workout uses gliders and one set of light to medium dumbbells, but get creative with what you have on hand. You can use paper plates instead of gliders, two small hand towels, or even just socks! Just be careful of slipping if you’re on a hard surface, and have a mat nearby if that’s the case. Also, grab a set of dumbbells, water bottles, soup cans, or whatever you have.

This workout calls for three rounds and it’s a fun one that challenges stability and strength together. Please go at your own pace, rest as needed, and do as many rounds as you feel comfortable doing.⁣⁣

Pregnant ladies: avoid exercises on your back, so substitute the sit-ups for standing abs. Substitute bridges or bird dogs for the single leg curls.
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As always, make sure you’re cleared to start a new type of fitness routine if these are new exercises for you and please reach out to me if you have any questions at all!⁣⁣

Exercise Breakdown

VIDEO DEMOS

• Sit-ups with knee bends

Only try this exercise if you’ve mastered the sit-up and straight leg sit-up. If not, go for a sit-up with bent legs!

Lie face-up on the floor with your legs at a slight bend and gliders under your heels. Your arms can be across your chest or behind your head. Raise your torso to a sitting position in one fluid movement while simultaneously pressing your heels down and glide in. Slowly lower your torso back to the starting position and extend your legs back out. This is one rep.⁣

• Single leg curls

Start on your back and get into a bridge position with your legs bent — right foot on the floor and left foot on the glider. Keeping your core engaged, slide your foot with the glider along the floor away from your body, pause, then curl it back in to your body. This is one rep.

• Chest fly push-ups

Push-ups: Get on the floor and your body into a straight line from your head to toe without dropping your middle or arching your back. Before you begin the push-up, contract your abs and keep your core tight.

Keeping your left hand in place, put the glider under your right hand. Slowly slide your right arm out while performing your push-up, then slide it back to the starting position.

This is one rep. Complete 6 push-ups on the right, then switch sides and complete 6 push-ups on the left.⁣ You can choose to modify this move by dropping your knees, and you can modify further by doing regular push-ups.⁣

• Reverse fly with triceps kickback glide

Reverse Fly: Start standing with your left foot on the ground and right foot on a glider with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold dumbbells at your sides. Keeping your back flat, bend forward at the hip joint. Exhale and lift both arms to the side, maintaining a slight bend in the elbows and squeezing your shoulder blades together. Simultaneously glide your right foot out to the side.

Then with control, lower the dumbbells back toward the ground and bring your foot back in. ⁣For the kickback, bend and shift your elbows behind you.

Straighten your arms behind you with your palms facing in while simultaneously extending your leg back on the glider. Your arms should be parallel to the floor.

Squeeze your triceps, and then return to the starting position. This is one rep.⁣ Complete 6 reps on one side and 6 reps on the other.⁣
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• Reverse lunge (R) scarecrows

See the video for both versions! ⁣
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Start by standing with a glider under your right foot, feet hip-width apart. Hold a light dumbbell in each hand and bring your arms up to a scarecrow position. While maintaining a tight core and flat back, pull the dumbbells out and upwards, leading with your elbows.⁣

Pause when your upper arm is parallel with the floor. Flip the dumbbells up so that they are above your shoulders and next to your head. Drive your right foot back in to a reverse lunge and hold the position. Perform the scarecrow movement by pausing and returning to the starting position.

This is one rep.⁣ Repeat for 12 reps. You can incorporate the glider for an added stability challenge. (See video.)⁣
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• Reverse lunge (L) biceps curls

Drive your right foot back in to a glider reverse lunge on the left and hold the position to perform a biceps curl, pause, then lower the arms.

This is one rep. Repeat for 12 reps.⁣
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You can incorporate the glider for an added stability challenge. (See video.)⁣

• Curtsey lunges

Stand with your feet under your hips with one foot in the center of the glider. The heel can be behind it since it will lift off of the floor at the full extension of the movement. Stand tall with your core tight. Inhale and slide the leg behind you at a diagonal so it goes backward and to the other side.

Your legs create a crossed formation, bending in both knees. Make sure the front knee stays behind the toes of the front front. Exhale and push through the front leg to return to the starting position.⁣

This is one rep. Repeat for 12 reps on each side.

BONUS TABATA
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Tabatas are 4-minute bouts of HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) exercises. I love to put them at the end of a workout for a bonus burst of cardio or burn out exercise!⁣

You follow a :20 work, :10 rest pattern and do the same exercise 8 times in a row.⁣
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See my Tabata Training Playlist for timed out songs to help you know when to start and stop!⁣

• Mountain climbers

Get into a plank position, making sure to distribute your weight evenly between your hands and your toes.⁣ Your hands should be about shoulder-width apart, back flat, abs engaged, and head in line with your body. Place the gliders under your feet. Pull your right knee into your chest as far as you can while keeping your feet on the gliders.

Then switch, pulling that knee out and bringing the other knee in. Keeping your hips down, run your knees in and out as fast as you can for :20 and rest for :10. Repeat until Tabata round is over!⁣

You can always perform the mountain climbers without the gliders, and modify by slowing down the speed.⁣
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Phew! That was a long one. But it’s a great circuit that targets your entire body. I’ll be doing this one again tomorrow!

I hope this workout helps you stay focused on your goals during this quarantine craziness, and let me know if you give it a try.

Stay safe out there!

Disclaimer: Although I am a certified personal trainer, I am not necessarily your personal trainer. The workouts I post are what work best for me and might not be the right type of exercises for you. I always recommend consulting a doctor or health professional before making changes to your diet and/or fitness routines.