11 Slider Workouts to Burn Out Your Core, Glutes, and Arms

By
Leah Groth
byrdie contributor leah groth
Leah Groth
Leah Groth is a contributing writer for Byrdie where she covers all things fitness. She has decades of experience writing for sites like VeryWell, Shape, Glamour, Health, and more.
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Updated on 01/03/22 01:33PM
Reviewed by
Jen Polzak, PN, MES, ACE CPT
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Reviewed by Jen Polzak, PN, MES, ACE CPT

Jen Polzak is a certified personal trainer who has been in the fitness industry for over a decade, specializing in nutrition coaching, post-rehabilitation exercises, and weight loss.

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Sliders—also commonly referred to as gliders—might look harmless. But these little discs can seriously increase the intensity of your workout, transforming seemingly simple movements into core- and glute-busting moves that target multiple muscle groups simultaneously. “Sliders exercises are phenomenal for tightening the core,” says certified personal trainer and Housework founder Sydney Miller. “They create a level of instability that elevates standard exercises like lunges and planks.”

Other pros? They are seriously inexpensive, portable, and can be used just about anywhere, making sliders a no-brainer for at-home or on-the-go workouts. All you need is a set of sliders, and these 11 detailed exercises demonstrated by Miller.

Meet the Expert

Sydney Miller is a certified personal trainer and the founder of Housework, a fitness streaming platform for Pilates-HIIT hybrid workouts with an emphasis on slider exercises.

01 of 11

Reverse Straight Leg Lunge

Housework/Design by Tiana Crispino

Muscle Groups Targeted: Glutes, hamstrings, quads

“This is one of my favorite standing slider moves because it targets where the glutes and hamstrings attach,” says Miller.

  • Standing up straight, place a slider under one foot.
  • Shift the weight into the standing heel so that the knee is over the ankle and the nose is over the knee. Be mindful not to put the weight in the toes.
  • As the standing leg knee bends and you press the opposite leg back, think about diving the chest forward and reaching the hips back to help engage the full core and keep the body aligned.
02 of 11

Reverse Lunge Knee Pull

Housework/Design by Tiana Crispino

Muscle Groups Targeted: Glutes, hamstrings, quads

This reverse lunge might look easy, but it's a glute-buster.

  • Just as you did in the Reverse Straight Leg Lunge, stand up straight and place a slider under one foot.
  • Shift the weight into the standing heel so that the knee is over the ankle and nose is over the knee.
  • Bend the standing leg knee and press the opposite leg back.
  • With the knee still bent, pull the extended knee in to meet the other knee, push it back out and then move to standing.
  • Be mindful to keep the standing leg unmoving during the knee pull.
03 of 11

Lateral Lunge

Housework/Design by Tiana Crispino

Muscle Groups Targeted:  Glutes, hamstrings, abs

“I love this exercise because it targets the glutes and inner thighs when you stand up tall at the end,” Miller reveals.

  • With a slider placed under one foot, stand up straight and shift your weight into the heel of the standing leg.
  • Bend the standing leg knee, tracking the knee over the toes, and extend the slider leg out to the side.
  • Squeeze the inner thighs together to stand up tall.
04 of 11

Curtsey Lunge

Housework/Design by Tiana Crispino


Muscle Groups Targeted: Glutes, quads, inner thighs

According to Miller, the most difficult part of this exercise is stabilizing the hips and keeping them square. “Doing so is going to make your abs burn, in a good way!” she says.

  • Place a slider under one foot. Keep the hips facing forward and slide the leg back and behind the standing leg, crossing behind the leg into a courtesy position.
  • The weight should remain in the standing leg heel.
05 of 11

Saw

Housework/Design by Tiana Crispino

Muscle Groups Targeted: Shoulders, abs

Small movements have a big impact in this exercise, explains Miller. 

  • With a slider placed under each foot, start in a forearm plank and keep the hips in line with shoulders and shoulders over elbows.
  • Squeeze the legs together and rock backward and then forward. Be mindful not to arch the back.
  • “When rocking back and forth, avoid arching the back to prevent injury and work the muscles harder,” she advises.
06 of 11

Pike Circle

Housework/Design by Cristina Cianci

Muscle Groups Targeted: Shoulders, lats, abs, inner thighs

Control is key in this exercise, explains Miller. 

  • With a slider placed under each foot, start in a forearm plank with hips in line with the shoulders, shoulders over the elbows.
  • Squeeze the legs together and pike the legs straight up.
  • While you’re in pike, start to push each leg out to the side and lower down as the body comes back into plank. “Concentrate on moving both legs at the same time and make sure to squeeze the legs together once back in plank to target the inner thighs,” Miller suggests.
07 of 11

Twisted Pike

Housework/Design by Tiana Crispino

Muscle Groups Targeted: Shoulders, obliques, inner thighs

This plank-like move packs a serious punch. 

  • Move your body into a twisted high plank position by starting in a high plank and crossing one leg over the other so that the hip of the planted leg is twisted toward the ground.
  • Squeeze the legs together. Make sure your hands are directly under the shoulders.
  • Engage the core and move the body up into a twisted pike. Think about squeezing the ribs to hips. “Imagine you’re wringing out the entire side body and keeping the hips twisted throughout the exercise,” says Miller.
08 of 11

Spider Plank

Housework/Design by Tiana Crispino

Muscle Groups Targeted: Shoulders, abs, obliques

Here is another plank-inspired move that is great for the upper body and abs. 

  • Start in a high plank with hands directly under the shoulders and hips and shoulders in one line.
  • Pull the knee to the outside of the elbow or tricep to engage the obliques. Alternate legs. “The biggest mistake I see in this exercise is movement in the upper body,” Miller reveals. “
  • Engage the core and only pull the knee in as far as it will go without changing the shoulder alignment.”
09 of 11

Plank with Lateral Abduction

Housework/Design by Tiana Crispino

Muscle Groups Targeted: Shoulders, abs, obliques, inner thighs

This modified plank works your upper body, abs, and even your thighs. 

  • With a slider placed under each foot, start in a high plank with hands directly under the shoulders and hips and shoulders in one line. 
  • Keeping the upper body in line, sweep the leg outwards towards the shoulder, engaging the obliques.
  • Then, squeeze the inner thighs to bring the leg back in. “Avoid moving the shoulders to create a wider range of motion.
  • Move the leg outward as far as you can without interrupting the shoulder alignment,” Miller adds.
10 of 11

Army Crawl

Housework/Design by Tiana Crispino

Muscle Groups Targeted: Shoulders, abs

“This is an advanced exercise,” states Miller. “If you are not able to keep the hips square and the back straight without arching, master the saw exercise first.” 

  • With a slider placed under each foot, start in a forearm plank with hips in line with shoulders and legs about hip-width apart.
  • Keep the legs completely straight as you pull yourself forward in an army crawl movement. Be mindful not to arch the back and move the hips.
  • “To prevent injury, engage your core to keep the hips stable and avoid rocking side to side,” Miller adds.
11 of 11

Tricep Pushup

Housework/Design by Tiana Crispino


Muscle Groups Targeted: Triceps, biceps, shoulders, lats, abs

This modified push-up is great for abs and arms.

  • With a slider placed under each hand, start in a modified high plank with shoulders over wrists and knees behind the hips.
  • Bend the elbow to press the opposite arm out in front of the body. Pull the arm back in without arching your back.
  • “Engage your abs to keep the hips stable and avoid rocking side to side. Squeezing your butt will help prevent the back from arching,” Miller says.

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