We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article. As runners, we have loads of reasons to thank our legs. They carry us through every stride, whether they like it or not, and they experience thousands of impacts with the ground every time we lace up our trainers and tap out a jog.
Ultimately, those impacts add up over time. And if you’re not taking time to strengthen key areas like your calves, ankles, and knees, you might end up with some underdeveloped mobility, which isn’t ideal if you’re a high-mileage runner. If avoiding injury is a goal of yours, try a slant board: a multi-use tool for your gym that can yield more targeted gains from your leg workouts.
Often simple in their construction, and sometimes made up of only wooden boards and some triangular wedges, slant boards provide an angled surface that you can stand on to place your calves or shins in a more stretched-out position. In turn, this extension allows for a more well-rounded activation of your lower leg muscles’ full range of motion. And more range of motion is often a good thing—it can help you yield more power from your running form.
Whether you use a slant board to better engage your knees in a deep squat or simply to give your calves an extra stretch at the end of your run, slant boards are straightforward but effective tools that function as intuitively as they look. Surprisingly enough, however, some brands achieve far more than others, with boards like StrongTek’s Professional Slant Board outperforming some competitors at a near-identical price. So we’ve found you the boards that best take advantage of their inherent simplicity and will find a natural home in your gym routine.
StrongTek’s flagship slant board has plenty of reasons to deserve the title of our favorite. But the trait that ultimately stood out as its crowning achievement is its noticeably holistic design. This being a few planks of wood with grip tape and a hinge, it’s evident that StrongTek took time to make their product look and feel well put together.
It’s sturdy, has five different angle settings, and comes with neat touches like rubber carrying handles and a smooth wood finish. Best of all, the grip is extra effective without feeling like it will tear your shoes up. This board comes in two other versions, too: One with rows of grip tape instead of full coverage, as well as a beefed-up XL version that gives you even more surface area to find your footing.
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