Padded training board

A slant board device, formed of a base on the ground, and supporting a slanted top surface. The top surface has a pad and artificial grass. The top surface is used as a slant board for exercizing with cleats on.

BACKGROUND

A foot board can be used to allow athletes to practice placing their feet in proper positions for different kinds of activities. Foot placement guidance of this type can also be used in physical therapy settings. Proper foot placement can reduce risk of injury during sports events.

A slant board is a flat-surfaced device that is used for training by standing in a slanted position on the board. This can improve the performance of the muscles for exercise and cut down on cases of injury

The inventor recognized that existing slant boards do not adequately address training issues, as described herein.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The inventor recognized that there are a number of drawbacks with the current systems such as slantboards.

One such drawback is that on existing devices of this type, athletes cannot safely perform exercises while wearing cleats. This means that athletes often cannot wear the actual shoes they will use during the gameplay.

The present application describes a slant board that uses artificial grass along with padding to allow users to practice foot positions while wearing cleats and other traction-improving structures. The slant board has structure to promote proper foot placement strategy and loading patterns in the field of play for athletes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present application describes a angle shaped platform with artificial grass on a flat but inclined surface, with padding underneath the artificial grass.

The platform in one embodiment is formed of wood, but can be formed of other materials such as plastic or metal. The platform100has a bottom surface101which sits on the ground. The top surface112is intended to be interacted with by the user of the platform. The top surface112is covered with a padding114, such as car padding, rubber matting or carpet padding. Artificial grass120is layered on top of the padding114.

The padding114is preferably thick enough to allow a user to wear cleats when stepping on the top surface. That is, the padding114and artificial grass is thick and spongy enough to absorb the force of an entire cleat on the bottom of a user's shoe. The cleat will not penetrate any of the materials, due to its spongy nature. Also, the materials are thick enough that the cleat will not entend through the materials (artificial grass and padding) and touch the material of the top surface112that is underneath the padding.

In an embodiment, the system can be used with conventional cleats, which are typically are sized between 3/16 inch and ¼ inch.

In an embodiment, ⅜ inch carpet padding is used, with conventional artificial grass, e.g., Astroturf which can have a thickness between 1 and 1½ inches. This produces a thickness that is adequate to absorb the force and pressure from conventional sized cleats.

In an embodiment, this forms a system where cleats can be used on this practice board, and the location of the cleats pushes down the artificial grass and the padding on the artificial turf and on the padding itself, allowing the cleats to change the shape of the artificial padding temporarily while the cleats are pressing against the top surface, and where the pad then retains its original shape after the foot and cleats is removed.

In embodiments, the device varies from 9×12 to 2′×2′, although other sizes are also possible. The angle of the platform can range from 2° (very slight incline) up to 45° for a steeper incline and also all sizes in between.

In an embodiment, shown inFIG.1, the device is made of wood. Two wood triangle sides102form side surfaces of the device, and the bottom surface of the wood triangle sides102form two parts of the bottom surface101of the device. A wood rectangle104forms the rear surface of the device, and a bottom surface of that rear surface again forms the bottom surface101. The top surfaces of the two triangle sides102and the rectangle104forms a triangle base, on top of which is formed a rectangular wood plank110. The top surface112of the wood plank110receives the user's foot during exercize. The top surface112has a layer114of padding, covered with another layer120of artificial grass.

This embodiment defines a closed side device, where the sides102close in the edges of the device.

In this embodiment, the wooden rectangle104can vary with the platform size, from 12 to 24 inches for example. The wood plank can range from 12×9 to 24×24, in preferred embodiments. Rubber padding or carpet padding and artificial grass such as “Astroturf” can be sized to match the plank size.

A second embodiment, shown inFIG.2, has an open side device, where there are open sides200, only using a support part210in the front so that the bottom surface201of the device extends between an edge surface of the wooden plank, and the bottom surface of the support part210. The support part210is shaved at an angle to create the pitch, which can be a pitch between 2° and 45° in different embodiments. The top surface220of the board can be formed with a wooden plank, which as in other embodiments, can be covered with padding and artificial grass.

A third embodiment, shown inFIG.3, has side pieces300which include grooves or notches,302,304,306in the bottom surface. The grooves provide openings, forming surface edges such as301,303which hold better to the surface below, especially when on a natural surface such as grass. The grooves open in a bottom surface of the base, facing toward the ground. A top surface of the grooves forms a border within the structural surface of the base, that is the grooves do not extend completely through the structural surface area of the base.

In addition, the grooves such as306have inside surfaces such as307that enable a user to loop a resistance band such as315through the notches, to allow different kinds of resistance band exercises. The wristband can be an elastic device.

In an embodiment, since artificial grass is used along with padding, the user can wear cleats while using the device. The cleats may deform or dig into the artificial grass, and may also deform or dig in to the space of the padding under the artificial grass, However, the cleats digging in to the artificial grass and padding simulates the way that cleats dig into grass and dirt on a field of play.

The purpose of this device is to promote proper foot planting or foot placement strategy and loading patterns for athletes. The athletes can drill while wearing the cleats that they will normally wear during the play, to carry out sport specific drills for different sports including soccer, football, and baseball. By using a slant board, this promotes straight foot planting, which study shows can reduce the risk of ACL injuries.

Use of such a slant board strengthens the lateral edge of the foot, as well as strengthening the ankle and hip, and thus can reduce ankle sprains and ligamentous injuries. Users can carry out specific exercises and movements that mimic actual gameplay while wearing the actual cleats that they would use during the gameplay.

The previous description of the disclosed exemplary embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present invention. Various modifications to these exemplary embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. For example, the system can be used in a weight room, physical therapy, and joint positioning settings. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.