What is a curved treadmill?

Designed for natural human movement, a curved treadmill is a modern concave-shaped running machine that's powered solely by your legs. 

No electricity required and no top speed, very similar to outdoor running. With its curved, slatted running surface, it allows you to propel the treadmill belt using the balls of your feet, pushing your body forward as you do. 

It also has an impressive weight capacity of 400 pounds. This makes for effortless moving of the belt, making your running feel that much more natural.

So What are the benefits of a curved treadmill?

Curved treadmill burns calories faster

According to its makers, you can burn 30% more calories on a curved treadmill. Scientists measuring the physiologic intensity of a standard motorised treadmill compared to a non-motorised, curved treadmill reported stronger results from the latter. Thanks to this higher intensity, curved treadmills are perfect for High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). You’ll increase your heart rate faster and keep it up, increasing your need for oxygen and helping torch more calories than regular aerobic exercise. Read more about the benefits of these brilliantly effective workouts and how to do them in our guide to HIIT.

Curved treadmill engages more muscle groups

Since you don't have to push to propel yourself forward, traditional treadmills don't actually activate your entire leg. Curved machines, on the other hand, force your legs to power them from the very start – activating everything from your glutes to your hamstrings to kickstart the machine. You can't just flick an up switch to control the running speed, either – you can only increase the pace by working out harder.

Curved treadmill is less harmful on the joints

You don't have to sacrifice your running to save your knees. The rubber surface of a curved helps absorb the impact on your joints and connective tissue, preventing injuries often associated with pounding the ground. Standard treadmills aren't designed to soak up this shock, meaning your joints are more prone to wear and tear over time.