TITAN Muay Thai boxing bag vs TrueForm Runner

This is a comparison between the TITAN Muay Thai boxing bag and TrueForm 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".

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

Better posture
Easier adjustment of speed
No power supply needed
No programming needed
Less impact
Good resell value
Low maintenance

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.

Overview and review of the TITAN Muay Thai boxing bag

This is an overview of the TITAN Muay Thai boxing bag 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 of the TITAN Muay Thai heavy boxing bag

The TITAN Muay Thai heavy boxing bag is a long boxing bag that allows for all kinds of punches and kicks to be thrown at it. The biggest advantage of this bag is that you can practice high kicks, low kicks and body punches on the same bag because of its length. The full specifications of this punch bag are:

- Protects effectively against your strikes so you can hone your offense

- Shock absorbent material helps minimize unnecessary strain

- Practice shielding against all eight Muay Thai limb strikes

- Material is durable and strong, keeping your bag stable

- Overall height: 72-in

- Diameter: 14-in

- Bag weight: 90 lbs.

Solid bag for beginners that can be bought in bulk for a gym.

Pros of the TITAN Muay Thai heavy boxing bag

The pros of the TITAN Muay Thai boxing bag are:

Price
Length
Simple design

One of the best things about this bag is its price. If you take your bags to a lot of abuse by beginners, this is the bag to get. It does everything for a cheap price and will last.

The length of this bag makes it possible to use it for all kinds of strikes and kicks. This is a complete bag that can be used to hone your entire arsenal of kicks and punches to the max.

Besides, the design is pared back and simply leather with a logo on it. This makes it nice to look and fit in many gym environments without being too loud in color.

Cons of the TITAN Muay Thai heavy boxing bag

The cons of the TITAN Muay Thai heavy bag are:

Big bag
No hit markers
Not body shaped

This is a very big bag which is hard to move by yourself. If you want to change your gym setup around often this might not be the best bag to get as you have to unhook it and haul it somewhere else like a dead body. Because of the length of this bag, it is also hard to carry on your shoulder to move it around.

Some other bags of this length have specific hit areas marked on them to make the training easier. Some people think that these are helpful, others do not. This is a matter of taste and training styles, but this bag has no markers.

Some trainers and athletes like punching bags which are shaped like real humans torsos to train to throw a punch. This is a classic cylindric design and nothing too fancy.

Alternatives to the TITAN Muay Thai heavy boxing bag

Alternatives to the TITAN Muay Thai boxing bag are:

The TITAN power strike punching bag is a good alternative if you want to move your bag around a lot. Based on the shape and size of this bag it is easier to unhook and place somewhere else compared to the Muay Thai bag. The disadvantage of this bag is that it is not very long, so you can not practice low kicks and body punches.

The TITAN 88 lb boxing bag is a classic boxing bag that you find in a gym all over the world. If you want a classic bag that works for all boxing workouts then this is the place to go.

The Pivoting reflex trainer is the boxing bag that punches back. The rotating arm comes back at you to train your blocking and ducking skills.

The freestanding RDX punching bag is an option when you do not want to drill anything into the wall or the ceiling. This self-standing punching bag can be weighted down with water or sand and is held in place with suction cups. Not great to be used outdoors, but good in a gym with groups of beginners where you want to be able to move things around fast.

The RDX Heavy punching bag comes in different sets for beginners that cover all you need. You can get this with gloves, a wall-mount, and a skipping rope. Spending around $150 will get you covered for a starter kit to get going home.

The RDX filled face is an option to get some variety into your training. Not necessarily the first choice for a bag, but definitely a strong contender as a second bag.

Conclusion for the TITAN Muay Thai heavy boxing bag

The TITAN Muay Thai boxing back is a great pick to get a bag for everything in one go at a reasonable price. There is not a lot you can do wring for so much bag for so little money.