Slide boards provide a thrilling way to work out using their smooth, polished surface that enables you to glide your way through various moves, including many of the same ones you are already doing, for low impact exercise that leads to a fitter you with regular use.
They also come in various sizes for various users and are safe enough to be used by the whole family for fun and exercise.
In fact, slide boards provide many benefits for both casual exercisers and serious athletes, so let’s see how.
SLIDE BOARD BUYING GUIDE
Table of Contents
BEST SLIDE BOARD BRANDS
Benefits of a Slide Board
What Does a Slide Board Do?
A slide board is a small rectangle board with a slick surface that is mainly used to perform lateral glides, similar to the moves used to play hockey.
However, they can also be used to do running lunges, squat jacks, plant jacks, and more for improved agility and power.
In fact, using the slide board can help improve your aerobic performance and tone your core, glutes, hips, quads, and more, depending on your chosen exercises.
Who Should Use a Slide Board?
One of the main reasons people choose a slide board is to practice lateral slides, which can help improve their performance on the ice.
Therefore, they can be used by hockey players to help quicken their responses, increase their speed, andbuild their endurance.
In fact, they are designed to mimic the conditions of an ice rink, so they can be used by anyone looking to practice and improve their ice skating skills, especially when they can’t get to the gym or outdoor conditions are too warm.
Since gliding on the ice causes you to rely on your core muscles for stability, slide boards can be used by those looking to improve their balance for sports, everyday activities, and more.
Using a slide board also doesn’t require your feet to leave the ground during the exercises, so anyone with knee issues and more can use it for therapy and rehab or to help tone the muscles in their lower body in a gentler way.
Choosing a Slide Board – What to Look For
Slide Board Surface
The slick surface of a slide board can be made from just about any smooth material.
However, to be sure it is durable and long-lasting enough to withstand even the most intense workouts, you want to look for one made of polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), or another quality material.
A slide board with a PVC or PP base will also help protect the floor from nicks and other damage when using it.
On the other hand, if your floor is not as susceptible to damage, such as a concrete floor, then your slide board’s base can be made of any material.
Bumpers
Slide boards also include bumpers on both ends to help keep you on the board while gliding side to side.
This way, you can go all out with your training, knowing you won’t fall off the board and hurt yourself while doing so.
Just be sure the bumpers are strong enough to stop you even at high speeds.
Anti-Slip Base
A slide board also needs to remain sturdy and positioned on the floor while in use to prevent you from toppling, especially when gliding vigorously.
Therefore, be sure your chosen product also has an anti-slip base for a safe workout.
Length
Slide boards differ in length, depending on whether it is for child or adult use.
For adults, stick to longer boards from about 5.5 to 6 inches, which will provide you with plenty of room to move about while exercising.
However, for kids up to 12 years old, stick to smaller boards under 5.5 inches to accommodate their stature.
There are also slide boards that allow you to adjust the length to fit the user.
So if you are looking for a slide board that the whole family can use, consider paying a bit more for an extendable slide board that will enable you to lengthen and shorten it as needed.
Easy Storage
The materials used to make sliding boards are also quite flexible, which means they can be easily rolled up and stored away or carried with you on the go.
Most slide boards are also lightweight; however, some boards are heavier, depending on their frame.
So if you plan to bring your slide board along with you to the park, the office, while on vacation, and more, be sure its weight enables you to carry it with ease.
Some also come with their own carrying bag to make storing or carrying the board easier.
What to Avoid
Since your performance on a slide board depends on your ability to sturdily slide back and forth on it, then you want to avoid flimsy boards made with cheap materials that will not bear your weight during your exercises, which can cause you to fall.
The cheap materials can also cause the board to become easily damaged from more intense workouts.
Higher quality materials, such as PP and PVC, also provide a non-slip bottom to help keep the board in place, which also prevents damage to the board and yourself. They also help protect the floor.
You should also stick with a well-known brand board that includes a warranty to show that the manufacturer believes in their product or that is trusted by serious athletes and trainers for greater confidence it will work.
A warranty will also help ensure you can get your money back if there are any defects with the board within the covered time frame.
Top Rated Slide Boards
Brrrn At-Home Sliding Board – Best Overall
The Brrn At-Home Slide Board is a 5-foot adjustable slide board made of recycled materials that enables fitness enthusiasts, experienced athletes, and more to practice their sports skills, tone their muscles, and build cardiovascular endurance all in one device.
It also includes sturdy wood bumpers on the ends so that you don’t fall off during your session and non-slip foam pads on the bottom to help keep the board in place on most floor surfaces, including carpet.
Users also have access to an on-demand subscription that includes over 100 professionally instructed workouts in more than 12 different categories, including Slide Bootcamp and yoga, and more for the most effective results.
It’s even backed by 8-time world medalist and partner Apolo Ohno, as well as a few other professional athletes.
Pros:
- The 19.75″ wide x 72″ long board accommodates up to 500 pounds to suit various users.
- It is also designed to fit in any space and stores nicely under the bed, couch, and more once you’re done.
- The professionally instructed workouts help ensure you get the most out of the board as well as your workouts.
- It’s also used and backed by professional hockey players and more.
- It also comes with standard-sized booties, slide mittens, and more.
- It also includes a carrying bag.
Cons:
- It costs a bit more than other slide boards due to its quality design.
> > Related: Check Out Our Full Review of the BRRRN Slide Board here. < <
ProSourceFit Slide Board Pro – Best For Low Impact at Home Training and Home Workouts
ProSourceFit Slide Board Pro is a 72″ long x 20″ wide fiery red, pp surfaced sliding board that enables users to get high-intensity but low-impact lower body workouts for hockey training, rehab, and more.
It also has a textured PVC base for added grip to prevent it from sliding on hard floors.
The fenders are also foam-covered for added comfort when bouncing off them during your slides, and they can also be used to perform lunges or to provide a sturdy grip when doing mountain climbers and more.
Free lycra booties are also included for easy gliding across the smooth surface, and you can also put them on your hands to perform sliding push-ups and plank variations.
Pros:
- The 72″ long x 20″ wide board is great for practicing hockey skills and more.
- The foam fenders enable you to gain speed and also provide a soft, sturdy grip for doing other exercises.
- It’s also lightweight and flexible, so it’s easy to roll up and store away or take with you to the gym and more.
- It also includes a waterproof carrying bag.
- It’s easy to wipe clean.
Cons:
- Its foam-covered end stops may not be as durable as wood ones.
Better Hockey Extreme Slide Board – Best for Hockey Training
The Better Hockey Extreme Slide Board is an adjustable extreme sliding board that enables you to train like NHL players.
In fact, it’s also actually used by pros to target the specific muscles needed to help them to increase their strength and stamina and max their power in each stride for their best game yet.
The 96″ board also adjusts to any length to suit a variety of users, and it’s also safe for the whole family.
It also includes 3 pairs of booties in small, medium, and large.
Pros:
- It adjusts, so even your son or daughter can use it to train to become the fastest skater on ice in the comfort of their own home.
- It’s uniquely designed to help you train like a pro.
- It’s easy to pack up and take with you for pro training on the go.
- It also includes a travel bag.
Cons:
- Its sturdy materials may be difficult to easily roll up and store or take with you.
American Lifetime Slide Board – Best for Fitness Training and Therapy
American Lifetime Slide Board is designed for minimal impact on your knees and legs while strengthening and improving the performance of other muscles to excel at your sport and more.
It can also be used for countless other exercises like core leg training, push-ups, stair climbing, lunges, split squats, and more.
It’s also safe for use for the whole family to improve their fitness and athletic performance.
Pros:
- It includes your choice of a 6-foot board for beginners or a 7.5 board for advanced users or anyone taller than 6 feet.
- It’s also designed to be easy on the knees, so it’s also good for those in therapy and more.
- It is also soft and flexible, so it’s easy to take with you to train anywhere.
- Booties and a carrying bag are also included.
- It includes a 30-day risk free trial.
Cons:
- It works best on carpeted floors or with a floor mat under it.
SPRI Slide Board – Best Budget-Friendly Slide Board
SPRI Slide Board is a sliding balance board that can be used to perform a variety of exercises to improve your balance and stability while also toning your upper body, lower body, glutes, and abs for ice sports and more.
It also has a PVC surface to enable you to slide with ease and sturdy bumpers on both ends for added safety and force.
The board is also designed to be easy on the knees and joints even during the most intense workouts, so users of all fitness levels can use it to improve their cardio strength and more without compromising exercise benefits.
It’s also made by SPRI, which is a company known and trusted by some of the most renowned gym and athletic training facilities in the industry for its innovative, high-quality, effective products.
Pros:
- The 71″ long x 20″ wide PVC slide board provides a super smooth glide for the true-to-life feel of being on the ice and professional results.
- It also includes padded end stops for extra safety and comfort while gliding.
- The flexible board also only weighs 4 pounds, so it’s easy to roll up and take with you while traveling.
- It also Includes a carrying bag with strap.
- It also includes a pair of over the shoe booties that fit most.
- It also includes a 90-day return.
Cons:
- Customer service is not that great.
Common Questions About Slide Boards
What Muscles Do Slide Boards Work?
What exercises you do on the slide board will determine the muscles you strengthen.
However, the most common exercises done on the boards are lateral slides, plank jacks, reverse and forward lunges, running lunges, and squat jacks, so let’s go over the muscles they work.
Lateral glides like the ones used in hockey mainly rely on the quadriceps, adductors, glutes, and hamstrings to drive your stride. However, they also cause you to engage your core for balance and stability, so they also help strengthen your abs.
Meanwhile, reverse lunges, forward lunges, and running lunges all work the quads, hips, and glutes; however, since they also require you to engage your core for balance while doing them, they also help tone the abs.
On the other hand, plank jacks mainly work the core, so they are great as an ab exercise.
And squat jacks mostly target the cardio muscles, so they can be used to improve your body’s aerobic performance.
What Other Exercises Can be Done On a Slide Board?
Slide boards can also be used to do alternating slide pushups, which help strengthen your triceps, chest, and core.
To perform this move, with the slide board mittens or booties on your hands and the board spread horizontally in front of you, place your hands on the board and get into the push-up position or the modified pushup position with your knees on the ground.
Then, with your body in position and your core tight, slide one hand about 12 inches to the side, then perform a pushup on the board, pushing your palm back to the center as you press back up. Repeat the move on the other side.
Meanwhile, for a more hamstring targeted exercise using the board, try slide board hamstring curls.
To perform this move, place the booties over your shoes, then lie on the board with your knees bent and your feet flat.
Press your hips upward and off the ground until your pelvis is even with shoulders and knees.
Slowly, but steadily, slide your heels away from your body as far as your knees allow you, then slowly bring your heels back towards your body.
Perform this move as many times as you’d like for one set.
Can You Use a Slide Board Every Day?
Slide boards are commonly used for training during the offseason for low impact conditioning and to help increase injury resilience, or as rehabilitation needs arise, etc.
However, a slide board is also useful for many other needs, including regular fitness.
Therefore, they can be incorporated into your typical fitness routine to add variety or as a sole source of cardio exercise.
In which case, you can use it as much as 3 to 5 days a week for moderate to high-intensity exercise as recommended by the CDC.
However, slide boards’ low-impact design makes them safe for everyday use.
But to avoid pushing yourself too hard and cease seeing results, it is recommended you only use the board for cardio training every other day to allow your muscles to rest and recover.
And then, on the days in between, the board can be used for floor work and strength training exercises for full-body training in one device.
How Many Calories Can You Burn Using a Slide Board?
The number of calories burned during a slide board session depends on various factors, including your workout duration, body mass, and more.
However, research shows that, in general, slide board exercises can burn more calories per 60 minutes than a 4-mph jog.
This is because the slick surface of the board helps make the exercises more challenging than just a simple jog, so you burn more calories.
In fact, one online fitness app shows that you can burn over 700 calories per hour using a slide board.
According to the app, the average 163-pound adult female can expect to burn about 407 calories per 30 minutes of slide board exercise, while the average 190-pound adult male can expect to burn up to 474 calories per 30 minutes of slide board exercise.
So it means the average calories burned in one hour of slide board exercise for a typical 163-pound female is about 813 calories, and for the typical 190-pound male, it’s about 948 calories per hour.
This further breakdowns to an average calorie burned per minute rate of about 14 to 16 calories for both females and males.
Are Slide Boards Good for Weight Loss?
Because slide board workouts are exercise, meaning they increase your heart and lung function and engage the muscles of the body, thus helping you burn calories, it is possible to lose weight using them.
However, if you lose weight or how much weight you lose, using a slide board will depend on various factors, including how long and how often you use the board, the exercises you do, and your diet.
Quite naturally, the more you use the board, the more calories you will burn in a week, which leads to a major calorie burn overall.
However, the key to losing weight is to burn more calories than you consume. So even if you are burning over 500 calories per day but are taking in twice this amount in calories via your daily diet, then it typically still will not lead to weight loss.
On the other hand, if you burn 500 calories a day through slide board exercise and reduce your calorie intake by 300 calories a day, it will most likely lead to weight loss. According to Mayo Clinic, on average, about 1 to 2 pounds per week.
In the meantime, the more days per week you use the slide board, the more intense the exercises, and the harder you work at them in combination with reducing your daily calorie intake, the more it will lead to weight loss.
For example, based on 4 30-minute sessions per week of slide boarding, the average person can expect to lose about 4 to 8 pounds in 4 weeks, depending on their diet and lifestyle changes.
Your current metabolism will also dictate how many calories per day you burn. Hence, the more you exercise, the more it will increase your metabolism over time for increased calorie burn.
The more muscle mass you have, the more it will also enable you to burn more calories. Therefore, be sure to incorporate resistance training at least 2 to 3 times per week into your regimen to build more muscle and also increase your calorie burn.
Can a Slide Board Be Used Outdoors?
Most slide boards can be used on just about any surface, including patio surfaces like concrete and wood, provided the ground is flat.
They can also be used on the outdoor lawn as long as the terrain is even throughout.
However, for marble or tile surfaces, be sure to use a board made of PP or PVC because it won’t damage the floor. It also helps provide a non-slip surface on the bottom to keep the board from sliding while you are using it.
You can also place an area rug or exercise mat under the board to help keep it in place and protect the floor.
Do I Have to Wear Booties While Using a Slide Board?
Slide board booties and mittens are made of soft materials that make sliding side to side on the board’s slick surface possible. Therefore, yes, you need to wear them when using a slide board.
Otherwise, the rough textured design and materials on your shoe bottoms will prevent you from gaining friction on the board, which can cause you to fall.
It is also important to ensure the bottoms of your shoes are free of debris before putting the booties over them and then using the board because it can also create a rough surface that can prevent you from sliding.
Furthermore, any debris on the bottoms of your shoes can poke through the material and damage the board’s surface.
Meanwhile, trying to slide on the board simply using your bare feet will also cause your rough skin to stick, which can cause you to fall and hurt yourself.
The same goes for trying to use your bare hands on the board. Hence, many manufacturers also make slide board mittens to help your hands glide freely on the board during floor exercises.
Or you can simply wear the booties on your hands to glide easily through slide board pushups, stretches, and more.
How Do You Clean a Slide Board?
You want to avoid letting dirt, dust, sweat, and more accumulate on your sliding board because it creates a rough surface that will prevent you from gliding easily.
Therefore, it is recommended you clean the sliding board after each use.
To clean the board, gently wipe it down using a soft cotton cloth. However, avoid using harsh chemicals or harsh cleaning tools, such as a scrub brush, to clean the board because they can damage the surface.
Once the board is clean, allow it to fully air dry before storing it away to prevent mildew and mold growth.
It will also enable you to exercise on a dry, smooth surface during your next session as opposed to on a soggy one, which can also affect its performance.
How Do You Keep a Slide Board’s Surface Slick?
Maintaining the slick surface of your board, whether it’s polymer, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, or another other high industrial plastic material, is crucial to preserving its long-term use and durability.
Hence, you will need to keep it clean of rough particles, such as dirt buildup, to maintain its smooth texture and thus its function.
In fact, many manufacturers recommend that you also clean your board with a soft towel and warm water before using it for the first time to remove any factory contaminants and debris that may have accumulated on it during the manufacturing process.
This way, you can begin with the slickest board possible for optimum results.
If you’d like, you can also regularly treat the board with a specially formulated slide polish to stop it from getting sticky and losing its quality.
Some manufacturers also include their own brand polish with your purchase to help you keep the board slick.
How Do You Store a Slide Board?
Once you have cleaned and polished your board, it is also important to store it properly to help keep it that way.
The best way to do that is to store it in a dry space that is free of moisture and dust, such as in the closet. Some boards also include a slide cover with weighted corners or a carrying bag to help preserve its materials when not in use.
You should also avoid placing the slide board in direct sunlight, which can cause the surface to become discolored and distorted.
In the meantime, the smaller the board, the easier it will be to store under a bed or couch, while slimmer models can simply be stored against the wall. Or, some boards also include a tab so you can hang it on the wall.
Some boards also enable you to easily disassemble them between uses to help make them easier to transport and store.
How Much Do Slide Boards Cost?
Slide boards range in price depending on various factors, including their size, features, and materials.
However, most slide boards, like the ones we reviewed, are affordable and only range in price from about $44 to $299 compared to the more bulky and expensive equipment offered at professional gyms and training facilities while still enabling you to get the same quality workouts.
