A slant board is an incredibly effective piece of exercise equipment that can make a big difference to your workouts. Doing your lower body training on a slant board will put you in the ideal biomechanical position to work your quads and glutes. A slant board will also allow you to do a range of knee strengthening, calf, and tibialis stretching, and strengthening moves that you cannot do on any other piece of equipment.
Here is everything you need to know about buying a slant board…
Things to Consider When Buying a Slant Board
slant boards may look like simple pieces of equipment, but that doesn’t mean that you can just pick up any old board you find online. Here are five key buying considerations to take into account when you’re shopping for a slant board.
Material
When you buy a slant board, you expect it to last for many years. For it to live up to that expectation, the board needs to be made out of solid construction material. Structural timber is among the hardiest of slant board materials. Selecting a wooden board that features a reinforced center support system will ensure that the board will be up to the job day in and day out for many years to come.
Look for a board that arrives at your doorstep fully assembled. Boards that are assembled in the factory tend to be stronger than those that you piece together like a kitset.
Do I need an adjustable board?
Some boards are angle adjustable. While this can be an advantage in terms of giving you angle options, an adjustable angled slant board will not be as solid and secure as a fixed angle board. Furthermore, there is an angle for working the lower body that is close to ideal. That angle is 30 degrees. If you buy a fixed angle board that is set at that angle, you won’t have any need to change it.
Maximum User Weight
To ensure that your slant board is going to handle the work you demand of it, you need to know what its max user weight is before purchase. The max weight allowance needs to take more into account than the body weight of the person standing on it. As you progress in your use of the slant board you may want to do exercises with dumbbells in your hands or even a barbell across your shoulders.
As a general guide, we do not suggest buying a slant board that has a maximum user weight of less than 450 pounds.
Surface Material
Safety is of paramount importance when you are working out on a slant board. That means that the surface that you are standing on must be completely stable. That is why you should only buy a slant board that comes with a slip-resistant base. Make sure that the entire surface of the board is covered with some form of anti-slip material to allow for a variety of foot positions.
Transportability
A slant board is the type of training aid that you will want to carry with you. You may want to take it to the gym or pack it in your travel bag when you are going on a trip. As a result, you will want a compact and lightweight board that is travel friendly.
Look for a board that weighs no more than 3 kg (6.6 lbs). Ideal dimensions for a travel-friendly board are 50 x 32 x 15 cm.
Company
Do some research on the company that is selling the slant board. You do not want to deal with a fly-by-night outfit that isn’t going to be around when you have a problem with the board. How long have they been around? Do they have good customer reviews online? Does their website look professional and substantial? Do they feature a blog that is regularly updated?
Wrap Up
By taking our key buying considerations into account, you can be assured that you’ll be investing in a slant board that will become one of your most valuable and cherished training aids for many years to come.
