Among the highly anticipated releases of new sports equipment and clothing at the 2014 IDEA World Fitness Convention was the Total Body Board by American high jumper Charles Austin, who managed to keep his design under wraps until the event itself.
Austin’s innovation reflects a trend of focusing on resistance training without heavy weights and going back to basics with equipment that allows for infinite moves able to serve a wide variety of goals.
The Total Body Board enables training in the domains of aerobics, strength, balance and flexibility and the product can be used for rehabilitation and physical therapy.
The board itself is a weighted platform with 16 points of attachment for resistance bands, which are mostly sold separately, starting at $12.95 for bands that offer 10lb resistance and going up to $20.95 for the 70lb band.
Exercisers can perform resistance-based sit ups, jumps and squats and even rowing is possible. Exercises that require sliding, enabling the benefits of cross-country skiing, for example, are possible wearing specially fabricated booties.
The product corresponds to an iOS app that provides five pre-designed workouts and provides photos and videos explaining how to do many of the possible moves including variations.
The Total Body Board costs $1,399 and comes with handles; two sets of resistance bands of 20lb and 30lb each; a slide board sheet, stop blocks and booties; a pair of thigh straps; a pair of straps to be used on the wrist or ankle and a waist belt.
Not included in the package are the chest harness ($69.95) and gym stick (89.95). Free shipping is available within the US.
To see a demonstrational video, visit vimeo.com/103400667.
Further information on functionality and purchasing is available attotalbodyboard.com.