TITAN Low bar push pull drag sled vs TrueForm runner
This is a comparison between the TITAN low bar push pull sled and the True Form Runner including pros, cons, and alternatives. This article was originally published in Which cardio equipment to get from TITAN. Follow the links for more details.
Overview and review of the TrueForm runner
The TrueForm Runner comes in at $5695 - $6195. In this article you will learn more about the product itself, its Pros and cons and alternatives you might want to consider. This article has originally been published in the overview "
Which conditioning equipment to buy from Rogue".
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Overview of the trueform runner
The
TrueForm runner is the latest and greatest in the treadmill industry. Compared to other treadmills it has the advantage that it is not motorized and propelled by your own weight. In addition, the surface you run on is curved so the impact of your footfall is not as hard as on a flat surface. This dynamic is achieved by a conveyor belt that runs on bearings. Think of the conveyor belt at the airport but moved by your own bodyweight. It has been used at the CrossFit games and has gained popularity since then. The dimensions of the
TrueForm runner are:
- Height 57’’
- Width 36’’
- Running surface 54’’ x 17’’
- Weight 325 LB
You can choose from two different options, Enduro and Performance. Both options come in at the same price and with the same dimensions. The performance model provides a higher railing. This is especially useful when you have athletes who run very fast on the machine.
Apart from this, you can pay $500 extra to get grass or track and field topping on the running surface. If you use the
TrueForm runner to train track and field or football athletes you might want to go with one of these options.
Pros of the TrueForm runner
There are several pros to the
TrueForm runner
Based on the setup of the
Trueform runner it actively helps your clients and athletes to have better running form. If you strike with the heel the curve of the machine will help to remedy and correct this over time as you push the belt from the front to the back.
With the
Trueform runner, you can adjust the speed at any given time yourself without worrying about faceplanting. Doing interval training on motorized treadmills can be really annoying as the acceleration and decelerations come in jumps rather than continuously when you program them in at the start of your workout. If you adjust them while exercising it is almost impossible, especially at high speeds.
If you deploy a whole row of these (10 - 20 machines) you might also be pleased that you do not need to plan for cabling when the gym is built and powering these treadmills all year around.
As mentioned before you can free run on these machines to your hearts contempt. No buttons or panic stops needed. Just slow down and the belt slows down with you. You will not be catapulted into the wall behind you.
The curve will also be helpful to have less strain in the ankles and knees from the impact of the food. This helps you to train longer for harder.
As with most things which are "hip" and high price you usually get a higher resell value out of them than for the lower range options. While this is mostly less important for individual buyers it can be important for a chain that regularly closes off unprofitable subsidiaries and wants to shuffle equipment around.
As there are no motors which can break down you will also have fewer maintenance needs. Although you are probably more likely to need a welder rather than an electrician when this beast breaks.
Cons of the TrueForm runner
The cons of the
TrueForm runner are in my opinion:
-
Hard to do pace training
-
Not for beginners
-
Price tag
-
A big piece of equipment
-
Poor monitor
When I prepared for my marathons there was one thing I liked about treadmills, you could set an exact pace for some of your long runs. This is actually a strength rather than a weakness of a motorized treadmill. For me, it was handy to plan my splits and hit my target time as the pace I chose was slightly challenging. I would do one of these a week slightly above the planned pace for the marathon and add distance each time. The rest of my training would be outdoors. This raised my confidence to reproduce the exact pace I needed on race day. With the
TrueForm Runner, it would have been hard to have that reference, but it would have been better to do Interval runs indoors.
Tell me what you want but this thing is not for beginners. This is designed for people who want to go like cheetahs and could not do it properly on normal treadmills. Fast acceleration and breaking are where this is at home. Not for beginners or someone who is wobbly on their feet because they do rehab or are overweight. A slow motorized treadmill is the better option here.
With $5000 a piece, this is a steep price. If you want to signal to your clients that you are doing well and justify the membership of $300 a month, this is a strategy. For two of these, you can get a 10 pack of concept 2 rowers,
skiergs or bikes. 10 x $100 in membership fees from a spinning class is more than 2x $300 with a bigger spread of risk in your income.
Last but not least these are big. If you have a garden or basement gym I would almost consider this no option unless you live in a mansion. If you want to maximize floor space in your commercial gym this is also not the way to go. CrossFit boxes might like this, especially if they are in the middle of a busy city.
The monitor is poor compared to some of the concept 2 options where you have leaderboards implemented to keep yourself motivated.
Alternatives to the TrueForm runner
There are the following alternatives to the
TrueFrom runner:
The
assault air runner is one alternative to the
TrueFrom runner if you still want a self-propelled treadmill. The
assault air runner comes in at a lower price point than the
TrueForm runner. The mechanics are also a little different which makes running easier on this one.
The
Versa Climber is often referred to as one of the hardest things you can do in endurance on a machine. It simulates climbing a steep wall with a good grip. It comes in at about half the price and takes up less footprint than the
TrueForm runner. If you want a good machine for your home to knock you out this is can be a great pick. For a commercial gym, you might not have the uptake as many people just want their treadmills.
The
Rogue Echo bike is a solid choice for the home gym that wants to kick your butt. Combined to the Versa Climber and the
TrueFrom Runner it comes in at a fraction of the cost. A good air bike workout will still challenge you and is highly recommended.
Summary for the TrueForm runner
This is a well-built piece of equipment which is worth the price if you have the need and space for it. Athletes who know how to pace themselves, have balance and want every workout to be as challenging and adaptable as possible will love this.
For the average gym with average clients it is probably a bit too intimidating and high performance. I do not see overweight stay at home moms or retired manly beer bellies stepping on the
TrueForm runner first thing through your gym doors.
Further reading
Overview and review of the TITAN Low bar push pull drag sled
This is an overview of the TITAN low bar push pull drag sled including pros, cons, and alternatives. This article was originally published in Which cardio equipment to get from TITAN. Follow the links for more details.
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Overview of the TITAN Low bar push-pull Drag sled
The
low bar push pull drag sled from TITAN is a low price sled option from TITAN that has everything in the box to add resistance to your sprints. The full specifications of this sled are:
- Load the 8" weight post with either standard or Olympic plates to increase difficulty.
- Low Bar design allows for more leverage, giving your quadriceps a burn like no other.
- Includes a harness and carabiners to attach to the sled for sled drags.
- Weight: 36 LB
- Length: 36"
- Width: 24.5"
- Weight Post Length: 8"
This is the easy throw-away option of a sled to be bought in bulk for a commercial gym or as a throwaway option for a home gym.
Pros of the TITAN Low bar push-pull Drag sled
This little sled only costs you $100 which makes it a great option to get for a sled that you intend to wreck anyway. Other sleds will usually start at around $200 or be almost unusable when they drop under $50 for a new piece. This means that you can justify getting two of these and abuse the hell out of the first one to be replaced by the second. For a commercial setting, especially if you have a sled friendly floor, this is a serious consideration to buy for group training.
With this sled, everything you need comes in the package and you are not running a risk of ballooning costs or having to get the extra attachments to use them. This package is plug and plays on arrival if it gets delivered as advertised.
Another advantage of this sled compared to even lower-priced models is that you can use it without a harness based on the handles on each side. Is are fairly low, which makes the workout even harder and maybe not suitable for beginners or anyone who is fairly overweight.
Cons of the TITAN Low bar push-pull Drag sled
Do not expect high-quality components from a sled that retails at $100. This is to be used until it breaks and then thrown away by a serious athlete or used timidly by someone who just wants to push some weight around once a month.
This sled will directly touch the ground with no buffer in-between. If you intend to use it on concrete it will come apart rather quickly. If you use it on grass or a running track it will not slide very smoothly. So the best use would be in an indoor gym with some kind of rubber mats. If you have this scenario it might even be a good sled for group training and you can get 5 to 10 of them depending on the group sizes you run.
The loading pin for this sled is quite small and also the surface to load the plates on. This is fine if you intend to load 30 - 100 lbs on it for adding some resistance to sprints. If you want to use this sled to train linebackers and Rugby monsters, abandon your plans. To these guys, this thing will be just a toy.
Alternatives to the TITAN Low bar push-pull Drag sled
The
TITAN Pro sled is TITAN's clone of the Rogue Dgosled 1.2. It comes with many possible attachments at some extra cost which can keep training interesting. This is a good sled if you are a personal trainer to wealthy clients who expect you to keep things interesting or for an ambitious home gym. If you are training a professional team and want to buy in bulk for high quality because you are using the sleds very often, then the
Rogue Dogsled 1.2 would be the better pick. In that setup maybe get all of the different attachments once and a sled to equip them with each.
The
TITAN heavy-duty sled is a clone of the
Rogue butcher sled. This sled is designed to deliver very high capacity in weight. This is a good sled for a strongman who trains at home and has the space to store it. If you want to use a sled at home for sprints I would lean more towards the
TITAN Pro sled. If you are looking for heavy sleds to entertain an NFL or professional rugby team, get a couple to a dozen of the
Rogue butcher sleds instead. They hold up longer and your athletes will be happier using them. I only recommend this if your players earn 10.00 thousand to millions a year as a bill for $10.000 for a dozen
Rogue butchers won't make a difference in the accounting department, but might make a difference to happiness and performance to the players because you got the good stuff rather than being cheap.
The
power weighted sled with leash and harness is the ideal sled to throw in the back of a truck or under a seat. This sled has a pin that you can collapse and therefore store easily. It is also cheaper than Push-Pull Sled. In my opinion, this is the better option for sprints with resistance as they are easier to store and transport if you want to be cheap about it.
The
XPO trainer 2 sled is the ultimate gimmick in the realm of sleds. It has big wheels and can therefore be used in suburbia without being sued by the neighbors. It works with a resistance mechanic that makes it harder to push or pull the sled the harder you work at it which is similar to the resistance techniques used in
fan bikes, air rowers, or water rowers. This is the ideal sled for the weekend warrior who can afford and store it as the quality is high.
The
Rogue Dogsled is the most modular
Dogsled you can currently get in the market. compared to the
TITAN Pro sled it has a higher quality finish and a little more attention to detail. In return, it costs more money. If you are intending to get this sled, also buy some extra plastic feet for it to exchange, once the first ones have worn off. This is a good sled for the serious home athlete with a big backyard or a team that wants to create the speed of their players. It is not the ideal sled for anyone who wants to get stronger to move stones, trucks, or big burly men, as it can not be loaded as heavy as other models.
The
Rogue Echo dogsled is an option that moves the purchase price of the sled closer to the TITAN Pro without providing as many options for attachments. If you want a Rogue sled and do not care about all of the different attachments, this is a good pick and also sturdier than the
Push-pull drag sled from Titan. The only downside here is that it is harder to store and that the harness and leash are sold separately.
Conclusion for the TITAN Low bar push-pull Drag sled
If you want to make your kids happy, have a throwaway sled yourself, or just use this tool very occasionally in your training, then this is the right sled to get. If you take your sled work very seriously and you want to focus on speed it is a choice between the
TITAN Pro sled and the
Rogue Dogsled 1.2. If you are considering a sled to increase your strength for very heavy pushes and pulls you should be comparing the
TITAN heavy-duty sled and the
Rogue butcher.