NOTE: All Slant Stack exercises are shown in the module for quick reference. Please see below for the complete upper body workout.

Goals: Bulletproof hips, knees, & ankles; leg & posterior chain strength; calf strength; mobility

Duration: 60-90 minutes

Frequency: 1x per week

Perform The Slant Stack Complete Lower Body Workout #1 at the beginning of the training week, and The Slant Stack Complete Lower Body Workout #2 two to three days later.

How to Progress the Movements

Full ROM Split Squats: improve balance & control; strive to get more reps; add 5lbs every 3-4 weeks 

Deficit Deadlift: strive to get more reps; add 5lbs every 2-3 weeks; increase deficit height

Patrick Step-up: improve balance & control; push further into dorsiflexion; increase box height

Slant Board Calf Raise: strive to get more reps; add a pause at the top; add 5lbs every 3-4 weeks

Hamstring Stretch: increase hold times; strive for a deeper stretch

A. Full ROM Split Squats (Choose One)

Option 1: KOT Split Squat (Detailed Breakdown)

How to Perform It

1. Stand in a split stance with your front foot on the Slant Board and your back foot behind you.

2. Lunge your front knee forward as far as possible while keeping the foot flat on the Slant Board.

3. Keep the torso upright and allow the trailing knee to shift forward as much as possible.

4. Descend until your hamstring covers your calf, or as far as your mobility allows.

5. Drive through the ball of the front foot to return to standing.

Muscles Worked: Quads (emphasis on VMO); Glutes; Calves; Hip stabilizers

Benefits:

1. Increases quad strength and control in deep knee flexion

2. Builds knee resilience and mobility

3. Improves ankle dorsiflexion capacity & hip flexor length

4. Great for bulletproofing knees and improving single-leg strength

Option 2: Bulgarian Split Squat (Detailed Breakdown)

How to Perform It

1. Stand in front of a bench or platform and place your rear foot on it.

2. Split your front leg out in front of you and place it on the Slant Board.

3. Flex the hip on the front leg down while allowing the knee to shift forward at the same time.

4. The trailing knee should drop mostly down, as opposed to forward (like with the KOT Squat).

5. Drive through the middle of the front foot to return to standing.

Muscles Worked: Quads; Glutes; Adductors; Hip Stabilizers

Benefits:

1. Builds unilateral leg strength

2. Improves balance and hip stability

3. Build hip flexion mobility on the front leg while stretching the hip flexors on the rear leg

B. Deficit Deadlift (Detailed Breakdown)

How to Perform It

1. Stand on one Slant Stack platform to elevate your body.

2. Place a barbell about 2-4 inches in front of your shins.

3. Hinge back at the hips while maintaining a neutral spine until you can grasp the bar.

4. Pull the hips down and knees forward until the shins make contact with the bar.

5. Drive through the legs (think “push the floor away”) until you are standing upright with the bar.

6. Lower under control back to the floor and reset for the next rep.

Muscles Worked: Hamstrings; Glutes; Erector Spinae; Hands & Forearms

Benefits:

1. Builds immense posterior chain strength and back resilience.

2. Hypertrophy all the pulling muscles.

3. Teaches you how to safely pick up heavy objects.

C. Patrick Step-Up (Detailed Breakdown)

How to Perform It

1. Stand with one foot on a Slant Stack platform. The other leg held out in front of you.

2. Bend the working leg under control by letting the knee travel as far forward as possible while keeping the foot planted flat on the Slant Stack. You will feel a stretch on the back of the ankle.

3. Lightly tap the heel of the floating leg to the floor in front of you without shifting weight to it.

4. Drive through the midfoot of the working leg to return to the start position.

Muscles Worked: Quads (especially VMO); Calves; Stabilizers in the ankles & feet

Benefits:

1. Builds resilience in the knees while emphasizing the VMO

2. Strengthens knee tendons

3. Improves ankle mobility and control

4. Enhances single-leg balance

Rehab Application

1. Ideal for knee and ankle injury recovery

2. Allows controlled exposure to knee flexion and dorsiflexion with or without full weight bearing

3. Start with body weight and one Slant Stack. As strength, mobility, and control improve, you can add another Slant Stack to increase ROM, and then add a small amount of weight later.

D. Slantboard Calf Raise (Detailed Breakdown)

How to Perform It

1. Stand on the Slant Board with your heels at the bottom and toes at the top.

2. Drive through the big toes to lift your heels as high into the air as possible. Pause briefly at the top and squeeze the calf muscles hard at peak contraction.

3. Lower under control until the heels make contact with the bottom of the Slant Board.

Muscles Worked: Gastrocnemius; Soleus; Tibialis posterior; Foot intrinsic muscles

Benefits:

1. Improves calf strength and size

2. Builds resilience in the Achilles tendon

3. Enhances ankle stability and foot function

4. Stretch + strength = improved mobility and durability

Pro Tip: Once you can nail 20 clean reps with bilateral calf raises, try switching to one leg at a time.

E. Hamstring Stretch (Detailed Breakdown)

How to Perform It

1. Stand on the Slant Board with your heels at the bottom and toes at the top.

2. Flex the quads to keep the knees locked and maximize the stretch.

3. Hinge at the hips and slowly reach toward your toes until the hamstrings are fully stretched.

4. Hold the stretch while breathing in and out slowly and rhythmically.

5. As the muscles relax, try to gradually ease your way into a slightly deeper stretch.

Muscles Stretched: Hamstrings; Calves; Lower back

Benefits:

1. Improves posterior chain flexibility

2. May reduce sensations of tightness on the backside of the body

3. Enhances movement efficiency and promotes recovery

Progressions

1. Hold deeper stretches

2. Increase total stretch duration per session

Pro Tip: Hamstring flossing is a quick and simple way to prime your posterior chain for more effective static stretches. Transient but immediate improvements in mobility can be had after just 30-60 seconds.

Also consider: Finish the workout with 2 rounds of the Couch Stretch (30–60 seconds per leg).

This targets the hip flexors and quads, improving hip mobility and anterior chain recovery, which is especially helpful after split squats and step-ups.