Looking
for workout
equipment
you can take
with you wherever
you go? The
Omniglide
may be exactly
what you're
looking for!

One of the
biggest problems
a person faces
when it comes
to exercising
at home or
while traveling,
aside from
time, is the
availability
of equipment
to workout
with.
While
there are
options in
terms of bodyweight
exercises,
sometimes
having some
good equipment
can give you
that extra
variety and
motivation
you need to
do your training.
Let's face
it...hotel
exercise rooms
that consist
of a couple
of pink neoprene
2 lb dumbells
and an exercise
bike with
no seat aren't
going to do
you a whole
lot of good!
But
what do you
do when space
is at a premium,
i.e. if you're
traveling
and can only
pack equipment
into a suitcase
along with
everything
else you're
bringing?
Or if you
just don't
have room
at home for
normal, bulky
exercise machines?
That's
where a new
product called
the Omniglide
comes in.
The
Omniglide,
while being
simple in
design, allows
for good versatility
in the exercises
you're able
to do with
it. In fact,
there are
exercises
you can ONLY
do with the
Omniglide!
What Is
It and How
Does It Work?
The
Omniglide
is a very
compact product,
consisting
essentially
of two plastic
hand-grips.
The bottom
surface is
flat and smooth
while the
top surface
provides a
comfortable
grip for your
hands and
fingers. The
small size
means you
can take it
with you pretty
much anywhere
you go.
The
Omniglide
works by sliding
on carpet,
using your
bodyweight
(applied at
various angles)
for resistance.
Your hands
grip on the
top of the
Omniglide
sliders as
you do the
exercises.
Having
separate,
freely-moving
handles for
each hand
allows for
a good range
of effective
exercises
to be performed,
even allowing
for diagonal
movement of
the hands
for a totally
different
kind of stress
on the body.
This ability
to perform
diagonal movement
(similar to
how the arms
work when
cross-country
skiing - one
goes up while
the other
moves down)
is unique
to the Omniglide.
The
exercises
can very easily
be tailored
to your ability
level. Depending
on how you
position your
body, you
can increase
or decrease
the resistance
you apply.
Some
of the exercises
you can do
with the Omniglide
include:
Circles
- Front
Circles -
45 degrees
Circles -
Single Disc
Degree Extensions
Front Extensions
Front Extensions
- Single Disc
Swim
V Extensions
V Extensions-
Single Disc
Fly Front
Side Swing
Fly Front
X Extensions
You
can view these
exercises
in action
on the Omniglide
site (the
URL is listed
below) and
the product
itself does
come with
an instructional
video so you'll
know exactly
what you're
doing and
how to get
the most benefit
from the product.
After
testing these
exercises
for myself,
I found them
to be very
effective
at working
the chest,
abs, arms
and even the
back. With
a little experimentation,
I was even
able to come
up with a
few exercises
of my own
that weren't
on the site
(and I'm sure
there are
plenty more
that could
be done that
I haven't
thought of
yet). The
freedom of
movement that
the Omniglide
gives provides
you with a
great base
from which
to work.
Also,
being equipment
that uses
your bodyweight
for resistance,
the Omniglide
is very good
for building
functional
chest and
core strength.
Exercises
that move
your body
through space
will actually
activate more
muscle fibers
as well. The
Omniglide
is a great
example of
innovative
bodyweight
exercise equipment.
There
were only
a few minor
drawbacks
that I noticed
with the Omniglide.
The first
is that there
really aren't
any direct
lower body
exercises
you can do
with it. Only
the muscles
of the upper
body can be
worked due
to the size
and shape
of the grips.
As there are
many effective
bodyweight
exercises
you can use
for the legs,
such as squats,
lunges, calf
raises, one-legged
squats, etc.,
this is not
a big concern.
It is good
to know going
in that this
is an upper-body
exercise tool.
The
other drawback
that I could
see was that
the Omniglide
can only be
used on carpet
or other similar
surface. That
being said,
most homes
and every
hotel or motel
room I've
ever been
in has some
carpet in
it, so this
is not a very
big limiting
factor for
the Omniglide.
It may simply
restrict where
in your home
you can use
it.
[NOTE:
while it is
possible to
use the Omniglide
on other surfaces,
carpet is
the manufacturer's
recommended
surface.]
Conclusion:
All
in all, if
you're looking
for a good
piece of versatile
and very portable
exercise equipment,
the Omniglide
may be a very
good choice
for you. It
provides a
nice variety
of very effective
exercises
for a wide
range of ability
levels.
The
drawbacks
of not being
able to work
your lower
body and not
being able
to use it
on every surface
are minimal
and not hard
to overcome.
It's
an innovative
piece of equipment
that can help
you get a
great workout
at home and
on the road.
For
more information
on the Omniglide,
including
pictures and
videos of
the exercises
you can do
with it, please
click the
following
link to go
the product's
website:
Click
Here
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