One of the reasons many people buy a treadmill (treadmill deals on major brands) is for treadmill cushioning which offers shock absorption upon foot-strike and results in a lower-impact workout compared to walking or running on pavement.
Treadmill cushioning has come a long way in recent years. In fact, I’m impressed with some of the treadmill shock absorption technology offered by some treadmill manufacturers. Some treadmill shock absorption technology reduces impact up to 40 percent.
What is bad treadmill cushioning technology?
There are 2 bad forms of treadmill cushioning:
1. Thick tread belt
Yes, it would a bit of a joke for a treadmill manufacturer to claim it provides treadmill shock absorption technology because of the thickness of the tread belt.
Any treadmill that says its thicker treadmill belt is good for low impact cardio is not good. In other words, don’t buy a treadmill for lower impact workouts simply because it has a thicker treadmill belt.
In fact, a thicker belt is not considered cushioning technology. These days you won’t find many, if any treadmill makers touting a thicker belt as cushioning technology. I want to mention it so that you know this when you first start researching treadmills. It may occur to you that looking for the thickest tread belt may be the best approach to take. It isn’t.
2. Spring technology
Spring technology results in a bouncy treadmill deck. This is not the optimal treadmill shock absorption.
What is good treadmill cushioning technology?
In a nutshell, quality treadmill cushioning treadmill that turns a treadmill into a lower-impact cardio machine is one where the running deck is cushioned in some fashion.
3 types of treadmill shock absorption technologies:
1. Full tread-deck cushioning
Full tread-deck cushioning is where a treadmill deck’s cushion is the same all over the deck.
2. Multi-zone cushioning
Variable cushioning is where the tread deck is softer at the front where you step down and firmer at the rear where you lift off. This is the best form of treadmill shock absorption. It provides low-impact where it’s needed and a firm lift-off for running performance.
3. Adjustable cushioning
Adjustable cushioning is where you can actually adjust the amount of cushioning on a treadmill. Note, that some treadmills with adjustable cushioning will either have the same amount of cushioning across the entire running deck or on higher-end models, provide multi-zone cushioning.
To help your treadmill research, I’ll briefly set out the types of cushioning used by various treadmill manufacturers.
Yowza Fitness Treadmills
Yowza Fitness treadmills are designed with a “floating deck” resting on multi-durometer elastomer rings. Essentially, Yowza treadmill decks sit on sturdy rubber rings that soften the rigidness of a treadmill deck resulting in a lower impact workout.
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Sole Treadmills
Sole calls its cushioning technology “Cushion Flex Decks” resulting in a .365 lower impact than walking or running on asphalt.
The Cushion Flex technology suspends the treadmill deck providing for some give on each foot strike reducing the impact blow.
ProForm Treadmill Cushioning Technology
Some ProForm’s higher end Treadmills uses what ProForm calls “ProShox Plus” cushioning. This treadmill low impact technology is air-based.
Because ProForm’s shock absorption system is air-based, you can actually adjust the cushioning levels for your desired amount of cushion.
Smooth Fitness Shock Absorption Technology
Smooth’s cushioning technology offers lower impact at the front of the tread deck while it’s firmer at the rear for a firmer push off. This makes sense because when you run or walk, the impact occurs with foot strike which is at the front of the treadmill.
Some of Smooth’s higher end treadmills offers adjustable cushioning as well. This is the best of both worlds where you get multi-zone cushioning as well as the option to adjust cushion settings.
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Bowflex Treadmills
Bowflex uses it’s Strike Zone deck suspension technology, which like Smooth Fitness, offers a soft landing and firm lift-off. This is multi-zone cushioning.
Precor Treadmills
Precor manufacturers higher-end treadmills. However, it delivers on cushioning technology with its Ground Effects and Integrated Footplant cushioning technology.
Ground Effects cushioning is the multi-zone treadmill shock absorption technology which is a cushioned impact at the front of the treadmill and a firmer running deck at the rear.
Integrated Footplant technology adjust tread belt velocity 710 times per minute to accommodate your foot speed reducing tread movement interruption. This reduces foot and joint discomfort.
Horizon Fitness
Horizon Fitness also offers treadmill shock absorption technology. They call their treadmill cushioning PerfectFLEX Plus.
PerfectFLEX Plus is a multi-zone cushioning technology where it’s lower impact up front and firmer at the rear. Horizon calls it a variable shock absorption system.
Treadmill shock absorption generally
As you can see from some of the prominent treadmill manufacturers above, the technology varies, yet the one commonality is the cushioning is not based on a thicker tread belt. Fortunately treadmill cushioning technology is more advanced than that.
Can you have too much treadmill cushioning?
Yes. I equate too much cushioning to running in sand. If you’re a performance runner, then if the running deck is too soft, your running performance is compromised. This is why, if you can afford it, it’s best to get multi-zone treadmill cushioning technology.
Treadmill cushioning is not the ultimate low impact cardio machine
If you have serious joint and/or back problems, treadmill cushioning may not be sufficient for you. Instead, you might want to consider a low impact cardio machine such as an elliptical trainer, stepper, and/or exercise bike.
On the other hand, if you’re a runner and don’t have joint and/or back problems, using a treadmill with cushioning technology can prolong your running career. In fact, mixing in treadmill workouts with your pavement-running workouts provides lower-impact cardio workouts which give your joints and back a breather from constant hard-impact workouts running on pavement.
Advanced treadmill shock absorption technology costs money
Another commonality among some of the above treadmills is that the more advanced treadmill cushioning options are on treadmills that cost more money. If cushioning is important to you, then be prepared to pay for a higher-cost treadmill.
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