Steal Karlie Kloss’s Snow-Day Lower Body Strengthener
While most folks stayed snug at home yesterday during the #BombCyclone, a few brave souls headed outdoors. One in particular caught our eye: Karlie Kloss. The model and fitness fan took to the snowy New York City streets (and Instagram of course!) to get in a little bit of exercise. Her move of choice: slide-board skaters.
While this move may look like a fun-filled way to pass some time during less-than-stellar weather, slide-board skaters actually have a lot to offer, including helping to build leg and glute strength, power, and endurance. “They also offer lateral movement, which people don’t focus on,” says Frank Baptiste, CSCS, owner of FranklyFitness in New York City, noting that most of the movement patterns folks tend to follow are forward and backward. “And it's good for maintaining a balanced body.”
Looking to slide your way to workout success like Kloss? Give ‘em a try.
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Slide-board skaters
With booties over shoes, start at the right end of the board, your right foot up against the board’s edge. Soften knees into athletic stance, lift left foot, and swing right arm across body toward left leg, as you explosively push off the right foot and into the ground to slide across the board. When you get to the left edge, lower left foot and repeat movement with right leg and left arm. Continue sliding back and forth, focusing on smooth, controlled movements. Aim to do 8-10 reps per side.
Trainer tip: Turn this into a Tabata, says Baptiste, doing the skaters for 20 seconds, with 10 seconds of rest, and then repeating that sequence for 8 rounds. "This will help with fat loss and endurance," he explains.
No board (or snow)? No problem. Simply swap the slide-board skaters for traditional ones.
Skaters
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and knees soft. Hinge forward at hips and raise left foot. Push off right foot and explode toward left, landing on left foot with knees soft; touch right toes to ground behind left foot. Push off left foot and explode back toward the right, landing on right foot with left toes touching behind it. Repeat, alternating sides.