Some health tools is value your cash; others are gimmicks that ought to keep on the shelf. It’s not at all times straightforward to know which is which. For instance, at first look, the Sanddune Energy Stepper is a squishy platform that, for $280 a pop, leaves you questioning why you possibly can’t simply run and soar on flat floor.
In fact, you possibly can, however as Muscle & Health’ Zack Zeigler and Frank Sepe not too long ago realized whereas touring The Energy Membership (positioned in New York, NY), the Sanddune is a power coach-approved instrument for decreasing joint impression and bolstering stability. And that, people, is why M&F’s Gymnasium Excursions sequence exists—to study new coaching instruments that we (and also you) would miss out on in any other case. Hold studying for extra in regards to the Sanddune.
What’s it?
The Sanddune Energy Stepper is a foam field that mimics the texture of shifting on sand. It options two particular person platforms, so your ft and arms work independently of each other. Each platforms are additionally barely angled to position your arms or ft on a decline or incline.
You possibly can run, soar, and push off of the Sanddune, which supplies extra cushion to your joints whereas additionally difficult your stability. It’s sometimes used as a warm-up and conditioning instrument. Frequent actions on the Sanddune embody excessive knees, strolling in place, vertical jumps, and push-ups.
What We Like
- The Sanddune is joint-friendly. It mimics a sandy floor, coaching on which has been proven to cut back muscle soreness and stress. A research revealed within the Journal of Human Kinetics in contrast the outcomes of seashore handball gamers, half underwent regular preseason coaching; the opposite half added plyometrics carried out on the sand to their protocol. Within the textual content, the researchers write, “A sand floor is related to a better diploma of shock absorption and decrease stress to mushy tissue and bones on the decrease limbs throughout plyometric train.” (1)
- It’s an excellent warm-up and conditioning instrument. The Sanddune’s inherent instability supplies advantages to your conditioning and warm-ups which are arduous to duplicate on steady floor. For one, the stabilizing muscle tissues surrounding your ankles, knees, wrists, and shoulders will fireplace persistently whereas utilizing the Sanddune. Consequently, your muscle tissues ought to change into extra steady over time. You’ll additionally enhance your potential to stability and produce extra power.
- It has a small footprint. The Sanddune is 26” broad, 22” lengthy, and weighs 12.5 kilos, so it doesn’t take up a lot area in your gymnasium. Whereas it gained’t match comfortably in your bag, you possibly can simply toss the Sanddune in your automotive and haul it into your native gymnasium.
What to Think about
- It prices $280. That’s a reasonably steep value to pay for a chunk of apparatus that we’d hardly name important. Think about the Sanddune a nice-to-have, assuming you already personal free weights, a rack, and a weight bench.
Its functions are comparatively restricted. You’ll get essentially the most mileage out of the Sanddune leaping, squatting, and operating on prime of it. That’s about it, which is okay should you routinely carry out plyometric exercises. There are just a few different makes use of for the Sanddune, however they aren’t frequent data. For instance, you need to use it as a knee pad for Nordic curls or lay on it for dumbbell pullovers. By itself, the Sanddune is an adjunct, so take into consideration the way you practice and the way usually you’ll use it earlier than clicking “purchase now.”
