Alabama Now Trying to Beat Gravity, Introduce Anti-Gravity Treadmill for Players

Life would be so much easier without that pesky gravity getting in the way. 

That might be the logic behind an extremely cool treadmill on display at the Alabama training facility. 

The Tuscaloosa News' Aaron Suttles (h/t College Spun) tweeted out a couple of posts showing off some high-tech training equipment that should illustrate how serious this program is about getting its players fit for the field. 

Back in March, Business Insider's Cork Gaines reported on Alabama's new training facility, which is absolutely stunning. 

Still, this is the first we are hearing about this anti-gravity treadmill being a part of the facility, bringing some student-athletes the kind of care usually relegated to superstars like the Lakers' Kobe Bryant, who recently posted an image of himself using one. 

Back in 2012, WBRC FOX 6 in Alabama had a full report on the benefits of having a treadmill that lessens the load on an athlete's body as they run. 

The report centered on two people with two different injuries. Chris Kovatch (Achilles) and Terri Rosenwald (knee) both found remarkable recovery time using the Alter G treadmill. 

Physical therapist Ben Deszczykiewicz explained further. "It gives patients another option besides water treadmill or harness treadmill.  It's not as restrictive as those."

Little by little, physical therapy patients—or in this case, hobbled athletes—can increase the burden of gravity until they are out and running like new. 

If you are wondering the how and why, we'd like to point to the huge pile of cash that continues to grow. As Gaines offered in his report, Alabama's football team garnered nearly $82 million for the 2011-2012 season, adding to the $42.2 million the rest of the school's athletics departments produced. 

If you are wondering how this benefits some of the student-athletes, Tyler Siskey, associate director for player personnel at the university, illustrates a rather astounding stat with this tweet. 

It states that all nine members of the school's 2013 draft class made out in a big way. Essentially, their combined NFL contracts were over $51 million. 

Football produces a great deal of coin for Alabama. The least it could do was bring every conceivable idea to the table to keep its stars healthy and on the field. 

You can't say the Tide aren't trying, because they are even attempting to thwart gravity for their cause. 

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