Floor Slides: DIY Guide, Materials, and Exercises for Home Workouts

How do you make a floor slide?

Creating effective floor slides for your home workouts is surprisingly simple and can be achieved using common household items, transforming your fitness routine with versatile, low-impact movements.

What is a Floor Slide (and Why Use One)?

A floor slide, often referred to as a glider, sliding disc, or Valslide, is a fitness tool that allows your hands or feet to glide smoothly across a floor surface. While professional versions are available, the underlying principle is simple: reduce friction to enable fluid, controlled movements. Incorporating floor slides into your regimen offers a myriad of benefits:

• Enhanced Core Engagement: The instability inherent in sliding movements forces deep core muscles to stabilize the body throughout the exercise.
• Low Impact: Gliding movements minimize impact on joints, making them suitable for individuals seeking joint-friendly alternatives to traditional exercises.
• Increased Muscular Tension: The constant tension required to control the sliding motion can improve muscular endurance and strength.
• Versatility: Floor slides can be used for a wide array of exercises targeting virtually every major muscle group, from dynamic lunges and hamstring curls to advanced core work like pike-ups and plank variations.
• Portability and Affordability: DIY floor slides are inexpensive to create and easy to store, making them ideal for home workouts or travel.

Essential Materials for DIY Floor Slides

The key to a successful DIY floor slide lies in selecting the right material for your specific floor type. The goal is to create a low-friction surface that allows for smooth gliding without damaging your floor.

The "Slide" Component (What goes under your hands/feet):

• Furniture Sliders: These are perhaps the most effective and durable DIY option. They come in various sizes and are designed to reduce friction.
  • Plastic-sided: Ideal for carpeted surfaces (plastic side down).
  • Felt-sided: Ideal for hard surfaces (felt side down).
• Paper Plates: Sturdy, smooth paper plates work exceptionally well on carpeted floors. Avoid flimsy or coated plates that might tear or stick.
• Small Towels or Rags: Microfiber towels or small, smooth rags are excellent for hard, smooth surfaces like hardwood, tile, or linoleum.
• Plastic Bags: Standard grocery or produce bags can be surprisingly effective on carpet. Flatten them out to create a larger surface area.
• Old CDs/DVDs: While not as common, the smooth, hard surface of an old CD or DVD can work on carpet. Ensure there are no sharp edges.

The "Surface" Component (Your floor type):

• Hard Floors: Hardwood, tile, linoleum, polished concrete.
• Carpet: Low-pile or high-pile carpet.

Step-by-Step Guide to Making Your Floor Slides

The process is straightforward and depends primarily on your flooring. You'll generally need two identical items for symmetrical movements (one for each foot or hand).

For Hard Floors (Hardwood, Tile, Linoleum):

1. Option 1: Small Towels or Rags
   • Selection: Choose two small (e.g., hand towel size), clean, and relatively smooth towels or rags. Microfiber is often ideal for its low friction.
   • Placement: Simply place one towel flat on the floor where each hand or foot will be positioned.
   • Usage: Place your hands or feet directly on the towels. The smooth fabric will glide across the hard floor.
2. Option 2: Felt-Sided Furniture Sliders
   • Selection: Purchase two furniture sliders with a felt underside. Look for sizes appropriate for your hands or feet.
   • Placement: Position the sliders on the floor with the felt side down, ensuring the plastic or foam side is facing up.
   • Usage: Place your hands or feet on the plastic/foam side, allowing the felt to glide smoothly on your hard floor.

For Carpeted Floors (Low-Pile or High-Pile):

1. Option 1: Paper Plates
   • Selection: Grab two sturdy, smooth paper plates. The standard white, uncoated type often works best.
   • Placement: Lay each plate flat on the carpet, smooth side down.
   • Usage: Place your hands or feet on the textured (top) side of the plates. The smooth underside will slide easily over the carpet fibers.
2. Option 2: Plastic Bags
   • Selection: Use two clean, standard-sized plastic grocery bags or produce bags.
   • Preparation: Flatten each bag out to create a relatively even surface. You might need to fold them slightly to fit under your hands or feet.
   • Placement: Place the flattened bags on the carpet.
   • Usage: Place your hands or feet directly on the plastic bags. The slippery plastic will glide over the carpet.
3. Option 3: Plastic-Sided Furniture Sliders
   • Selection: Purchase two furniture sliders with a hard plastic underside.
   • Placement: Position the sliders on the carpet with the plastic side down, ensuring the felt or foam side is facing up.
   • Usage: Place your hands or feet on the felt/foam side, allowing the hard plastic to glide over the carpet fibers.

Safety Considerations and Best Practices

While DIY floor slides are simple, proper technique and safety are paramount to prevent injury and maximize effectiveness.

• Clear Your Space: Ensure your workout area is free of obstructions, rugs, or anything that could impede smooth movement or cause you to trip.
• Appropriate Footwear: For lower body exercises, bare feet or grippy socks are generally recommended for better proprioception and control. Shoes can sometimes stick or be too bulky.
• Controlled Movements: Always perform exercises slowly and deliberately. Resist the urge to rush, as this can lead to loss of control and potential injury.
• Engage Your Core: Actively brace your abdominal muscles throughout every exercise. This protects your spine and enhances stability.
• Listen to Your Body: If you feel any sharp pain, stop the exercise immediately. Modify the movement or reduce the range of motion if necessary.
• Start Simple: Begin with basic exercises and gradually progress to more complex movements as your strength and control improve.

Common Exercises Using Floor Slides

Once you have your DIY floor slides ready, a whole new world of exercises opens up. Here are a few examples:

• Lower Body:
  • Hamstring Curls: Lie on your back, knees bent, feet on sliders. Bridge your hips and extend legs, then curl heels back in.
  • Lunges (Forward, Reverse, Lateral): Stand tall, one foot on a slider. Slide the foot forward, backward, or to the side into a lunge, then return.
  • Adductor/Abductor Slides: Stand with feet together, one foot on a slider. Slide the leg out to the side (abduction) or across the body (adduction), then pull it back in.
• Upper Body & Core:
  • Pike-Ups: Start in a plank position, feet on sliders. Lift hips high, pulling feet towards hands, then return to plank.
  • Mountain Climbers: From a plank, alternate sliding one knee towards your chest, then back.
  • Plank Jacks: From a plank, slide both feet out to the sides simultaneously, then back together.
  • Push-Up Slides: From a push-up position, place hands on sliders. As you lower, slide one hand forward or to the side, then return as you push up.

Maintenance and Storage

Your DIY floor slides require minimal maintenance. Simply wipe them clean after each use, especially if they come into contact with sweat or floor debris. Store them in a convenient location, such as a drawer or a small bin, so they're always ready for your next workout. With proper care, these simple tools can significantly enhance your home fitness routine.