Benefits

1. PROVIDES THE PERFECT COMBINATION OF STRENGTH AND SPEED TRAINING

It's like lifting weights and sprinting at the same time. The ramp gives resistance to the athlete's steps, making them more difficult while being shorter in distance and duration. Including running the ramp in your training program can bring great results in as little as 15 minutes 1 or 2 times per week.

2. BUILDS STAMINA  

Endurance is something that everyone needs – but it is a special kind of endurance. If you want to perform at your peak, then low, slow distance types of cardio just won't work. Endurance training needs to mimic the demands of a game or something similar. Those needs being – short bouts of intense exertion broken up by periods of lower intensities. Running the ramp provides just this type of interval training. It will take your hearts and lungs to intensities far greater than those found in jogging or traditional types of endurance training. Your body will become used to reaching these higher levels, and recovering quickly in between the "sprints."

More and more scientific studies are showing that VO2 Max (the traditional measure of aerobic endurance) is improved as much – or more- by using high intensity interval-type exercise like hill sprinting.

3. INCREASE ANKLE STRENGTH 

Helping to prevent one of the most common injuries in sports – the ankle sprain.

Ankles are made stronger due to the need to push off harder when running fast up the ramp. Because of the incline, more drive is needed than when sprinting on a flat surface. Improved ankle strength also leads to the ability to push off harder during the game – benefiting a athletes important "first step" and lengthening their stride when sprinting. 

4. INCREASE ATHLETES SPEED AND EXPLOSIVENESS 

This is because ramp training promotes two key factors in running faster and jumping higher. First, it forces proper knee lift – essential for driving the legs downward and back for more force. Second, running the ramp makes the sprinter dorsi-flex their foot while running. The closer the toes are brought to the shin, the more force they can apply on ground contact. Think of dorsi-flexing as loading your foot – then unloading it into the ground - pushing you forward.

Explosiveness is also shown in the way running the ramp can increase athletes vertical jumps – a key measure of power. Jumping is really the same as sprinting – pushing your body forward (or up) against gravity. The more power you can generate from your legs when pushing, the farther or higher you will go.

5. PROVIDES A WAY TO SAFELY TRAIN ATHLETES 

In addition to protecting your ankles, running the ramp protects athletes' from other types of injuries as well. The last thing you want to do is to injure athletes while conditioning. Running the ramp provides safety in two ways: One, the slightly shorter stride length while running a hill sprint is a great way to protect hamstrings. Most hamstring pulls and strains result from over-extension – something which rarely occurs when running at an incline.

Second, running the ramp can decrease the pounding on legs. Studies have shown that even a slight grade added to sprints can decrease the impact on the runner's legs by as much as 25%. Shin splints, foot problems and sore knees can be greatly reduced by getting on the ramp for your sprints.

6. MENTAL TRAINING

Besides all of the physical benefits of running an incline, they also promote mental toughness and goal-setting behavior in athletes. Looking up at the ramp can be daunting when you are fatigued and nearing the end of their session. By using the ramp as a metaphor, you can show them the importance of having a goal (the top of the ramp), taking the steps necessary to reach it (one step at a time up the ramp, and celebrating success when you reach your goal (your very own Rocky imitation at the top of the hill). Looking back down the ramp after their workout, you can feel the satisfaction of accomplishing something that may have seemed an impossible obstacle.