When we think of squats, we often imagine the knee-wrecking pain associated with them. Squatting pain is discouraging, and it can really kill your morale.
But when done right, squats are ideal for burning calories, improving posture, and strengthening the muscles.
The Dad-knees are weak, and we need them back in shape; enter slant boards.
Slant boards are a shaky-knee Dad’s best friend because it lets you perform squats while standing in a slant. Now, you can squat in perfect form without splitting any tendons by using a slant boards for your squat workout.
See also: Best Slant Boards for Squats
What is a Slant Board, Anyway?
A slant board is a simple flat-surfaced device carved from lightweight plastic material or durable wood.
The slant board comes in varying angles, but they’re often adjustable to see you through your exercise and minimize injury. The lightweight and durable materials come through to help slant boards withstand weight and pressure.
Benefits of Using a Slant Board
Slant boards can be an invaluable workout tool because they offer several benefits, including:
It Improves Your Back Health
When standing in an upright position, gravity pulls our bodies down and subsequently compresses our spinal discs. It affects muscles, tissues, and nerves, causing back pain in the long run.
Conversely, your body follows a different incline when you use a slant board, inverting gravity and pulling up toward your head. This process loosens any tightening, stretching out your back, and even adding some height. Using a slant board can relax tight muscles, stretch your spine, and relieve back pain.
It Enhances Ankle Mobility
If you’ve been experimenting with squats, then you’ve probably struggled with your position and form. Poor ankle mobility is responsible for a great deal of squatting problems, including our inability to get into the right position.
Man’s adaptation to wearing shoes has drastically reduced our ankle range, so most of us exhibit naturally poor ankle mobility.
Using a lightweight plastic slant board can help ease your squat and give you that full motion range. Plus, it’s a great way to ensure that your squat is more quad-dominant.
It Increases Squat Depth
Squat depth varies by individual and relies heavily on the state of their joints, muscles, and tendons. Therefore, a weak area can negatively impact your muscle performance and motion range.
Some essential areas that can adversely affect squat depth include:
- The upper hamstrings
- The lower back muscles
- The ankle joint
- The lumbar spine
- The calf muscles
- The hip joint and capsule.
These muscles work in an intricate formation to aid different movements around the body. So, it’s pretty logical that these muscles cause discomfort when weak or torn. The connection of these muscles is also called a posterior chain.
When you stand on a slant board, your ankles incline downwards and slacken the posterior chain, increasing your body’s available range of motion. The slackening ensures that there is more space for your body to utilize as you drop further into the squat.
A deeper incline can really improve your performance and even double muscle activation.
It Improves Quad Dominance
There are two main ways to perform a squat: quad dominant and hip/glute dominance. Quad-dominant lifters are pretty distinct, with their signature upright stance and forward knees.
In contrast, Hip dominant squats require you to move weight by hip extension—picture Ed Coan’s low-bar squats.
Both methods are effective when focusing on different muscles, and quad-dominant squats build up your quads much faster than hamstrings or glutes.
How to Use Your Slant Board Correctly
Different slant boards incline at different angles, but the basic method is to balance your body securely on the wedge. Don’t worry; the incline board will have unique gripping features to support you. You might even have grip rails to hold onto as you get into position.
Here are some tips to help you use a slant board properly:
- Ensure that your heart is at a resting state and your stomach is empty
- Set the board to your chosen incline
- Step onto the wooden board and steady your feet as you gently lay back
- Start with short durations as you build up endurance. You can start with as little as 15 seconds and build up to a couple of minutes.
- When disembarking from your squat, stand up slowly, loosen the grips, and get down from the incline board.
What is the Ideal Slant Board Angle?
The ideal slant board incline is between 20-30 degrees, but it can largely depend on your personal preferences. For example, if you’re someone with really good ankle mobility, then a 15-20 degree slant will suffice.
Inclines above 30 degrees are often excessive and may even limit your stability and cause injury. Plus, they won’t be very helpful if you’re lifting heavy.
Conclusion
Slant boards are a helpful addition to a healthy Dad’s inventory. They can help improve your range of motion, reduce back strain, and even prevent injury. The best slant boards will be especially helpful for stretching and squatting, so you can get back in shape in no time.