Curve Boring Workouts with a Curved Treadmill: The Best 5 Options You Can Buy

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Why run on a curved treadmill?

Other than looking really cool, why should you invest in a curved treadmill for running? We asked Dr. Helen Goldstein, the Director of Physical Therapy at FlexIt, a virtual personal training service. According to her, there are three key benefits of using a curved treadmill:

1. A better workout. “You work harder on a curved treadmill,” she explains. She goes on, “The curved shape allows for the weight of the body to utilize gravity to pull the belt down and back, adapting to your speed. With a bigger stride, the foot strikes further up on the treadmill, allowing you to gain more speed.” She says to think of it like a skateboarder on a half-pipe: the higher up on the half-pipe the board goes, the faster it’s gonna travel back down. So, does Vans make running shoes?
2. Improved safety. On a curved treadmill, Dr. Goldstein explains, “your own feet set the speed, rather than clicking a 10.0 speed that you realize too late you can’t keep up with.” No more getting yeeted off your own treadmill. She does remind us that a curved treadmill is a totally diff experience from a standard treadmill and may take some getting used to, though.
3. Convenience. Finally, adds Dr. Goldstein, curved treadmills are hella convenient — OK, she didn’t say “hella.” No electricity required, so you can set it up wherever you want and use it whenever you want.

Pros of curved treadmills

• more intense workout
• ideal for speed training and HIIT
• safer to change speeds and stop than a regular treadmill
• you set the pace
• no electricity required

Cons of curved treadmills

• extremely expensive
• takes some getting used to
• bulky and heavy

Our picks: how we chose

OK, so there really aren’t that many curved treadmills on the market, nor are there many reviews on those treadmills. We went with the ones that were made by otherwise trusted brands (like NOHrD, Technogym, Woodway, and Assault Fitness) and the ones that we could find reviews for. On the whole, they seem to be remarkably well made and haven’t yet reached the popularity needed for there to be lots of cheap Amazon knockoffs.

We also made sure to choose curved treadmills at a variety of price points. They’re all expensive TBH, but for some of us *raises both hands* there’s a huge diff between $3 grand and $10 grand.

Pricing guide

• $ = less than $3,000
• $$ = $3,000–$6,000
• $$$ = $6,000+

The bottom line

A curved treadmill just might be your new BFF if you wanna get faster. The foot-powered slat design gives you total control over your speed and provides a more intense workout than a flat treadmill with a belt. They’re also ideal for HIIT workouts. Curved treadmills are bulky and expensive, but may be worth it if you wanna take your running game to the next level.