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TITAN Pivoting Reflex bar vs TrueForm Runner

Written by Pascal Landshoeft | Feb 4, 2021 5:00:00 PM

TITAN Pivoting Reflex bar vs TrueForm Runner

This is a comparison between the TITAN Pivoting Reflex bar 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".

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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 
 
  • 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 Pivoting Reflex bar

This is an overview of the TITAN Pivoting reflex bar 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 Pivoting Reflex trainer

 
The Pivoting Reflex trainer is a good addition to a commercial boxing gym or a well-equipped home gym to train reaction times, blocking, and ducking. This is the speed bag that hits you back. The full specifications are:
 
- Wall-mounted or fits on T-3 Series Power Rack
- Swinging padded target for reflex training
- Pop-pin adjustable height
- Designed to boost fitness reflexes for boxers, fighters, karate enthusiasts, and more
- Durable powder-coated finish
 
- Mount Plate: 8-in x 8-in.
- Target Length: 27-in.
- Target Diameter: 3-in.
- Arm Length: 36-in.
- Height Adjustment Slots: 10
- Weight: 22 lb.
 

Pros of the TITAN Pivoting Reflex trainer

 
The Pros of the TITAN Pivoting fitness trainer are:
 
  • Price
  • Rack-mounted
  • Small
  • Can be wall mounted
 
The first thing to mention is the price which undercuts most special stores you could this item from. This is due to the strategy of TITAN fitness to be a cost leader for all of the products they are presenting in their shop at the cost of quality assurance and customer service. This means you buy it cheap and then have to figure it out yourself and if it is broken you might need to fix it up a little yourself.
 
This particular reflex trainer can also be mounted on a T-3 series which avoids having to drill it into a wall. With that, it is special in the market of Reflex trainers and something to be looked at for somebody who wants to build an entire home gym based on TITAN products.
 
Compared to a speed bag and a heavy boxing bag it takes up way less space in your gym. This can be an advantage in spaces that are already constrained.
 
Compared to free-standing boxing bags and reflex trainers this can be wall-mounted. This is usually better as the free-standing versions tend to be all over the place once an adult has a serious go at them.
 

Cons of the TITAN  Pivoting Reflex trainer

 
The cons of the Pivotings Reflex trainer are:
 
  • Needs to be wall-mounted or attached to a rack
  • Can not be hit very hard
  • As a gimmick rather than an essential item
 
The first disadvantage of the Reflex trainer is that it will not work if you do not mount it properly. If you do not have the option to place a rack in your gym or mount the Reflex trainer to the wall you will not be able to use it.
 
This Reflex trainer is not a replacement for a heavy bag or a speed bag. You can not hit this machine as hard as a heavy bag as it does not provide the surface to place the punch or kick. While it is great for coordination and reaction times it is not an essential item to become a good boxer. These things can also be addressed by shadow boxing or having simple pieces of string in the ring.
 

Alternatives to the Pivoting Reflex trainer

 
 
 
The TITAN power strike punching bag is a good option for anyone who wants to move their punching bag around a lot. As long as you have the mount in the ceiling or in the wall you can move this bag around easier compared to other bags because of its shape. Especially good for smaller and lighter athletes that see boxing as a cardio workout rather than a sport to be taken seriously in itself.
 
The TITAN MuayThai boxing bag is one of the best value for money bags from TUTAN you can get. It is heavy and long and is therefore suitable to place low kicks, body punches, and uppercuts on it. The only downside is that it is quite hard to move it around by yourself, so if you want to change things around often, this might not be the bag for you.
 
The TItan 88 lb punching bag is TITAN's version of a heavy boxing bag. It is slightly thicker than the Muay Thai bag and they are better suited to athletes over 80kg to hack away at it. The only downside is that it does not go low enough to the ground to work for low kicks.
 

Conclusion for the Pivoting Reflex trainer

 
The TITAN pivoting reflex trainer is a great cheap option to get your hand on a pivoting Reflex trainer if you wanted to get one. It is also one of the few ones that are rack-mountable right out of the box, so if you design a gym fully around a rack rather than walls and ceilings, then this is a good option.
 
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