Treadmills are one of the most widely-used and reliable workouts used in the day-to-day routine of fitness-minded folks.
Using a treadmill offers you some mind-blowing benefits that you can't enjoy while using other workout machinery. As such, diverse modifications and innovations are being introduced to give you a more befitting workout session.
This brings us to the crossroad of whether or not the perks of a curved treadmill outweigh its flat counterpart. Hence, it doesn't matter whether you plan to get a treadmill to lose pounds or simply keep fit, we'll show you the best out of these two options as we dig deeper.
With a special focus on foldable walking pads, you'll also unearth all the important health benefits that each treadmill offers.
What is a Curved Treadmill?
A curved treadmill is a platform specially built for indoor running and the idea is to give you a more thrilling version of when you're running outdoor along an arched route. In other words, you can relish in the savor of a running track experience right in the comfort of your house - in the corner of a room.
Having a curved treadmill will also save you from the rigors of enrolling in a public gym. Meanwhile, the unique feature that a curved treadmill has is that you can get a manual type. In that case, all you need is to power the machine's running belt with your legs.
Therefore, we'll advise that every beginner starts with a manual curved treadmill. You can also adjust the treadmill's running belt by applying some aggression with the balls of your feet. That's another advantage since it has a curved running center that gives you the room to move your body forward.
Curved Treadmills v. Flat Treadmills
As the name implies, a flat treadmill is more of a walking platform with no curve, bend, or tilt along the way - flat all through. The best analogy we can use here is when you're walking on a flat floor in your house where no inclination or elevated angle comes your way.
It'll help you maintain a similar pace while walking or running. And it comes in handy if you need to get up from your desk or work out but can't engage in thorough workouts. This could be a result of joint or muscle limitations.
Furthermore, a flat treadmill works perfectly when you combine it with another task. For instance, you can place the treadmill under the desk and enter your beast mode. That's a huge advantage because it doesn't require extra movement that might affect the flow of your usual work routine.
On the other side of the divide is a curved treadmill. And it has certain indentations and tilts along the path which will engage your muscles and push them into intensive workouts.
Most importantly, the difference between the duo can be traced to their source of power. Flat treadmills must be electrically powered before they can "roar" to life and give you the needed movement.
For the curved treadmills, your legs or muscles are enough to power them. Thus, getting a curved treadmill should be more affordable when compared to the flat treadmills Therefore, let's explore other advantages of curved treadmills.
Various Ways Through which Curved Treadmills Outrank Flat Treadmills
The preeminence of curved treadmills is largely connected to the equipment's characteristics, the nitty-gritty of running, and the sharp distinction between using it and jogging on bare land. To further break it down to your understanding, here are the perks.
No Electricity to Power
A curved treadmill is more environmentally friendly than flat treadmills since it doesn't use any source of power that discharges or emits harmful chemical products into the atmosphere. So this will help you make more savings and your operational expenses can be minimized.
Enhanced Energy and Improved Muscles
The curved treadmill puts your muscles, especially the glutes and hamstrings, to work while running on it. After all, what's the essence of working out when your muscles are not fully engaged? This is easily achievable because the machine's running belt has to be set into a forward motion by using a method quite similar to when you're running outside.
Subscribing to a curved treadmill (COM) will also ensure that your vertical body displacement is reduced to the barest minimum. You should check it out today.
Your Calories Burning Rate Goes Higher
Would you love to increase your calorie-burning level by 30%? Then all you need is a curved treadmill. This is a fact that has been supported by various manufacturers over the years. It's even certified that a curved non-motorized treadmill works more effectively than the regular motorized one.
Therefore, going for a curved treadmill comes with the perk of higher intensity (HIIT) which will help you come out stronger and better every workout session. Unlike the usual aerobic exercise, you can also trust a curved treadmill to burn more calories. And this often occurs when your heartbeat rate (up to 16%) is increased alongside a 2.5% increase in cadence.
With this workout equipment, you have all it takes to perform some incredibly effective exercises, even beyond your imagination.
It Helps Your Joints
It's quite natural that as you grow older you'll end up canceling workouts more often. That's due to bone pain, aching joints, and other discomforts associated with aging. But do you know the bitter truth? That's when you need to work out like never before because slower metabolism is very common among older folks.
Thus, they need an engaging and intensive lifestyle to keep their bodies in good shape. And that's where a curved treadmill comes to your aid. However, this doesn't mean that you should not take a break regularly. All you have to ensure is consistency!
Except it's extremely important, we'll advise that you don't skip your workouts. Finally, curved treadmills are friendly to your joints because the inclined surface eases your movement while walking on it. Through that, the pressure wielded on the joints will be reduced.
You Call the Shots
Curved treadmills are self-regulating. That is, you're always in charge of the speed and intensity of your workout. And if it suits you, you can slow down the pace. In other words, you don't have to start searching for the buttons to push the equipment to optimal speed or demanding the stop button since you're the only determinant that matters.
Higher Endurance Level
The struggle to keep the belt moving, irrespective of your pace, is enough to increase the rate at which your heart beats. If you could compare the heartbeat rates recorded while performing that same exercise on a regular treadmill, you'll understand your VO2 max (higher limit of aerobic capacity or oxygen intake) is enhanced.
Simple to Use
Getting started won't be a big deal since the machine is completely user-driven. That is, no buttons are required. All you have to do is hop onto the treadmill, and push yourself a bit forward to start jogging, walking, or running.
But if you're a beginner, your best bet is to start by walking. This technique will help you adjust and conform to the difference before picking up the speed.
The Perfect Way to Train
We've already made it known that curved treadmills are self-powered. So they depend on your movement to give you prompt rate, speed, control, and breaks in return. It also follows that opting for a curved treadmill requires a higher level of endurance and stamina build-up.
On that note, you should start the cycle with a gentle walk. This will help you gather the momentum and get mentally ready. Once you're satisfied, you can start increasing your pace. Easy peasy!
Try this Curved Treadmill Workout Plan
It's a 4-step process introduced by Reid-Simms to help you have a quality workout session without getting exhausted for the day or other tasks you might have.
Warm Up
Work for 4 minutes and rest for a minute.
Make yourself comfortable on the treadmill and put your style into practice. Slowly level up your heart rate and ensure that you're maintaining the correct posture.
Workout
This is the real deal. Go hard (run) using your 1-mile speed for 45 seconds. And engage yourself into the recovery mode (slow walk or full rest) for a minute.
This stage should be repeated 6-10 times.
Cool Down
Go on a walk for 4 minutes and make sure your breathing and heart rate are brought under control.
Key Takeaways
Whether for fitness or shedding some fat, any treadmill will do a perfect job. However, you should also be ever-ready to give the machine a run for its money.
