Here’s why the world’s most recognisable athletes and celebrities can’t get enough of this Aussie-made workout device.
If you follow Khloe Kardashian, the ‘sporty spice’ of the bunch, you’re likely faced with clips and pictures of her intense daily workout routine on Instagram every time you open the app.
Watching the reality star tone up the very assets her family has built an empire on, it’s hard not to feel inspired. But while replicating most of Kardashian’s professional-grade home gym (and hiring a few handy full-time trainers) may be exponentially out of your budget, there’s one thing you can effortlessly get your hands (and feet) on.
The Aussie-made workout invention, SlantBoardGuy, has infiltrated the global fitness industry, making its way into the inner circles of some of the world’s most high-profile celebrities and athletes. Here’s why the world is going crazy for this unique device.
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Developed by Gold Coast tradie Nathan Grant, the SlantBoardGuy has been praised by experts in the fitness industry for its simple, yet effective, approach to increasing mobility.
“The inspiration for the slant board came when Nathan attended a fitness camp with a bunch of super fit PTs,” director and co-founder Kimberly Grants explains.
“Not wanting to be left behind by everyone else who was doing heavy squats the traditional way, Nathan improvised and did squats the only way that was comfortable for him, by elevating his heels with a block of wood.”
Armed with their own experience, support from their family, and a whole lot of determination, the couple embarked on sharing their newfound mobility hack with their community, developing the prototypes of the product from the family’s Gold Coast garage.
Now, to keep up with the booming demand just three years later, the couple operates the manufacturing and distribution of their boards from warehouse locations in both Australia and the United States.
How does it work?
Anyone who has succumbed to the perils of limited mobility, from injury or overuse, knows just how lengthy the recovery journey can be. One hardcore netball season or an accidental run-in with a curb can often lead to months of physiotherapy, a costly and frustrating outcome.
Offering a simple, yet science-backed solution, the Grants’ SlantBoardGuy utilises the power of a slanted angle to strengthen the vastus medialis oblique muscle, enhancing a user’s ankle mobility in the process.
“Elevating the heels takes away the limitations people experience which in turn allows them to perform a squat with the correct technique placing more emphasis on the muscles around the knee,” explains Nathan.
A simple solution to a growing problem
According to the pair, the ever-increasing instance of knee pain and stunted mobility amongst Aussies is the driving force behind their rapid success on the market.
While celebrities of every calibre are jumping on the trend (significantly boosting the band’s presence on social media), the device is just as popularly endorsed by industry professionals too. Physiotherapists across the country are prescribing the boards to clients presenting with knee pain– roughly 20 per cent of the population.
As Nathan explains, a lack of education about how and why knee pain can manifest in people is to blame for the current mobility epidemic, saying the Australian attitude of ‘just deal with the pain or use medication’ has prolonged the issue.
Overseas, however, the business’ American customers have embraced the workout device, being used by professional teams in the NFL, NBA, WNBA, and NHL, as well as high-profile celebrities like Kardashian, Joe Rogan and Dwayne Johnson.
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“We never intended for this to blow up the way it has, but knowing how the board helped me I am so grateful to be able to help so many other people all around the world,” says Nathan.
But no matter the level of success the business seems to surpass year on year, the Grants will always be grateful for their bootstrapped beginnings and the family values guiding them.
“I couldn’t imagine being on the crazy journey with anyone else other than Kim,” Nathan says. “Sincerely grateful to be lucky enough to have my soulmate by my side every day.”
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