How The Slant Stack Changed Knees Over Toes Training

Knees Over Toes (KOT) training has transformed the way athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and individuals recovering from injuries approach lower body strength and mobility training. Among the innovative tools that have emerged in this field, The Slant Stack stands out as a game changer. By offering adjustability, progressive range of motion, and a variety of movement mechanics that can be targeted, The Slant Stack has redefined how KOT training is performed, making it more effective and accessible than ever before.

Revolutionizing Progression of Motion

One of the primary ways The Slant Stack has changed KOT training is by providing a customizable platform for progressing the range of motion. Traditionally, slant boards offer a fixed level of elevation, limiting the ability to gradually increase the difficulty of movements. If more range of motion is desired then the slant board needs to be placed on top of weight plates or boxes, which can be precarious and difficult to adjust incrementally.

The Slant Stack, however, solves these issues by allowing for easy incremental and stable adjustments, enabling users to progressively challenge their range of motion and strength. Progressive overload is essential for continued improvement in strength and mobility. By giving you the ability to gradually increase the range of motion of your Slant Board exercises, the Slant Stack helps target key muscle groups, including the quadriceps, patellar tendons and hip musculature more effectively. This feature is particularly useful in exercises like the Poliquin Step-up, where most people are better off starting with a highly truncated range of motion (a low stack) and very slowly and gradually, building that up over time (to a high stack).

Optimizing Knee Strength and Resilience

The foundation of KOT training is strengthening the knees in a way that enhances durability and reduces pain. The Slant Stack optimizes this process by creating an ideal environment for controlled knee over toe movement. Unlike flat surfaces that may not allow for deep knee flexion without excessive strain, the Slant Stack (when combined with The Slant Board) encourages full range of motion knee flexion and greater knees over toes movement to strengthen the VMO's and tendons around the knees, enhancing stability and resilience.

Further, being able to regress movements like the Full Range Split Squat, where the barrier to entry is too high for most people, is also a very important function of The Slant Stack. Here, starting from a higher position is much more manageable (the opposite progression from the Poliquin Step-up), and with The Slant Stack you can incrementally decrease the height of the stack over time to increase the difficulty of the Split Squat. Combine The Slant Stack with The Slant Board to really take the knee bulletproofing gains to the next level!

Supporting Injury Rehabilitation and Prehabilitation

Rehabilitation and prehabilitation (i.e. bulletproofing!) are key aspects of KOT training, and The Slant Stack serves as an invaluable tool for both injury recovery and prevention. Individuals recovering from patellar tendinopathy, ACL injuries, or general knee pain can use The Slant Board to target and gradually load the knees, building strength and resilience in the process.

For prehabilitation purposes, movements like Poliquin Step-ups and Split Squats strengthen the supporting structures around the knees, while also promoting strength at terminal extension (step-up) and strength at end range with a full bend of the knee (split squat).  These movements build great resilience in the knees and The Slant Stack allows you to regress both of them to an optimal starting point, and slowly and gradually progress from there as strength, mobility, confidence, and knee stability all improve.

Versatility Across Training Levels

One of the most remarkable aspects of The Slant Stack is its adaptability. As noted, whether someone is just beginning KOT training or is an elite athlete, this tool provides an effective way to scale exercises to the appropriate difficulty level to ensure an appropriately challenging starting point that can be gradually built off of.

Beginners may start with a low stack for step-up variations and a high stack for Split Squats. More advanced athletes can increase the height of the stack for step-ups, decrease the height of the stack for Split Squats, and ultimately, add external resistance in the form of barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, etc. to further progressively intensify the challenge once a large range of motion has comfortably been mastered. This scalability makes The Slant Stack an excellent long term investment for anyone serious about knee health and lower body performance.

Compact and Portable Design

Unlike large, cumbersome gym equipment, the Slant Stack is designed to be both compact and portable. Its stackable nature allows for easy storage and transport, making it an ideal addition to home gyms, rehabilitation centers, and even on the go training setups.

For those who travel frequently or train in multiple locations, The Slant Stack offers a convenient way to maintain consistency in knee strengthening routines. For athletes who want to get in a workout on the field and then finish up with some targeted KOT style knee strengthening work while their muscles and joints are still warm a solution like The Slant Stack is perfect. Its lightweight yet durable construction ensures reliability while the unit remains easy to move and adjust on the fly.

Expanding the Scope of KOT Training

KOT training has traditionally relied on a handful of key exercises, but The Slant Stack has expanded the possibilities by introducing new variations, movement patterns, and easily scalable regressions and progressions. By experimenting with various ranges of motion, users can explore unique exercise adaptations that provide fresh challenges and target muscles in new ways. This enhanced diversity makes training more engaging and effective in addressing various athletic and rehabilitation needs.

Conclusion

The Slant Stack has fundamentally changed Knees Over Toes training by providing a versatile, adjustable, and effective tool for improving knee strength, mobility, and overall lower body resilience. Its ability to facilitate progressive range of motion training, enhance movement mechanics, and support injury prevention makes it an invaluable asset for individuals at all levels of training.

By integrating The Slant Stack into regular workouts, users can experience significant improvements in knee health, overall function, and even athletic performance. As KOT training continues to evolve, The Slant Stack remains at the forefront of innovation, empowering individuals to train smarter, move better, and build a stronger, more resilient lower body.