TrueForms vs. Treadmills
If you’ve been to an Xcel class at Nexus Fitness, we don’t have to tell you that TrueForm runners differ greatly from traditional treadmills.
A TrueForm is a non-motorized treadmill designed to teach proper running form. It’s the only running device that cues running form, reacting to every change in your movement. When on a TrueForm, you will feel instantly when your body is not in the optimal position for running or walking.
Whereas the TrueForm is self-propelled, the traditional treadmill features an array of electronics and motors that help to propel the belt at whatever speed is requested by the user. It is also flat at its base, with another motor that helps the machine raise to an incline.
The unique curve of the TrueForm is designed to both propel the treads and force the runner into the proper body position. It teaches proper running form by being significantly more difficult to use if the user attempts to run with improper form.
In order to run effectively on the TrueForm, the runner must focus on his or her hips, head, arms, glutes, rotation, foot position and rhythm. Basically, the runner needs to be conscious of every movement as he or she attempts to reshape bad running habits to good ones.
TrueForms empower the runner to set the speed and level of exertion. On motorized treadmills, the belt is powering the runner. As a result, TrueForms require more discipline, concentration and exertion than regular treadmills.
A study done at the University of South Carolina’s Department of Exercise found that running on a TrueForm for four minutes resulted in significant changes in all aspects of the gait characteristics measured. The study showed a decreased in stride length and step length, as well as improvement in stride angle and imbalance with greater exposure to the TrueForm Runner. Step and stride length are factors linked to running impact, and a reduction in stride length has been shown to reduce impact peaks and loading rates experienced by runners.
Stepping on TrueForm may seem foreign and more difficult than a traditional treadmill but getting out of your comfort zone is the way to see results.
To learn more about the TrueForm, attend our TrueForm Running Workshop on August 11th. Ask your coaches at Nexus Fitness for more information and stay tuned for more details coming soon!