Location: Evolve Gym, South Ruislip

The Sanddune Stepper

The Sanddune Stepper is a portable high-end fitness device made with special material which mimics sand and soft memory foam. If you close your eyes and step on it, you’ll almost feel like you’re on a beach.

The material causes a rapid rebound of the memory foam, increasing the challenge and resistance of each step. This also equals the ground reaction forces on someone’s feet when they’re standing on it therefore reacting to the user’s environment.

Sand Training, what is it?

There are distinct physiological and biomechanical differences associated with sand exercise, including alterations in kinematics and muscle activation patterns when running on sand, resulting In greater energy expenditures, and decreased impact forces due to the shock absorbing qualities of sand, leading to reduced tissue damage and soreness.

The research has shown sand training offers a high energy consumption and low impact training stimulus when compared to hard surfaces you would see in a gym, or on a track.

Applications for an athletic individual

It provides an alternative for athletes in competitive season to perform tough plyometric drills, sprint intervals, weightlifting exercises without aggravating the joints. I have found my ability to do vertical jumps on hard surfaces improve after a few weeks on the Sanddune.

Applications In rehab

It would be an avenue for rehab patients with feet, ankle, knee or hip problems because of the low impact forces on the joints, and the material which provides a comfortable platform for your feet to rest on, especially those with plantar fasciitis, heel calcification, or chronic knee pain who I have personally trained and can comfortably perform jumps, sprints, split squats on the Sanddune Stepper with no sign of discomfort.

Studies and testimonials reveal this device is useful in restoring gait efficiency in the elderly, stroke, and neurological diagnosed patients on firm surfaces. This is due to the material, which when you step onto it, sinks your feet into it and alters ankle strategy.

Applications in weightlifters

The ankles and feet are heavily undervalued especially when it comes to lower body training, when you lift it you always initiate from the feet, and there is a certain learning curve one needs to overcome in order to know how to engage muscle groups through the feet.

Through personal use, I have found the Sanddune Stepper to be a great alternative to applying Ben Patrick’s ATG principles, as the device provides an efficient surface for the feet to produce that forward-learning spring on the balls of your feet posture, at the same time testing ankle and knee stability.

Performing deadlifts, squats, and swings on the device makes the muscle groups fire about 10-15% more because of the slight instability and targeted activation through the feet. For example, if you do a kettlebell swing on this device you can feel where your centre of mass shifts on your feet through the range of motion, and comfortably absorb those forces through your musculature.

Feel free to message me on my Instagram or Email for more questions about the device or the services we offer at Elite Fitness Performance

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