I have finally found a treadmill I could love!
Yes people…for those of you who’ve been around here for a while and know how I feel about treadmills this may come as a shock…but I’ve found just such a treadmill! The AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill.
I got to meet my new love last Friday at Functional Fitness and Physical Therapy in N. Easton, MA. There I met co-owner Sarah Anestam, a licensed physical therapist, who walked me through getting set up on the AlterG. I slipped on a pair of neoprene shorts so I could be zipped into the AlterG’s pressurized air chamber. Sarah started the machine and I could feel the air chamber begin to fill with air. The machine then calculates your weight – (I love that they don’t rely on you to tell the truth!) – and once it calibrates you’re ready to run. Sarah first reduced my body weight to 80% – I instantly felt light and quick. She then took me down to 50% explaining that this closely mimicked running in a pool – but without any risk of slipping or getting stitches wet if recovering from a leg/hip surgery. Sarah soon left me to my own devices, encouraging me to play with the weight, speed and inclines.
Running on the AlterG felt smooth and effortless. I easily pushed the pace, at one point hitting the 8 min range, while still chatting with Sarah (only in my dreams people!). I could focus on form and turnover without any undue stress on my legs – my cranky ITB was silent!
The AlterG allows you to walk and run from 20 – 100% of your body weight making it an ideal tool for rehabbing from surgery or coming back from injury. Sarah also pointed out that time on the AlterG was also very beneficial for runners looking to train longer and faster – building both endurance and leg strength without undue stress. Yeah sign me up!
In fact, at Functional Fitness, runners can buy time on the AlterG, $25 for 30 minutes or a 10-pack for $200. Sarah noted she sees a lot of runners come in during peak Boston Marathon training! I am thrilled to have discovered this great training resource and, with Functional Fitness a short drive away, I will be putting this to use in the future.
A huge thanks to Outside PR for arranging this demo for me and to Sarah at Functional Fitness and Physical Therapy for being so generous with her time!
Awesome Michelle! You have done something I never have 😛 I have always wondered how it feels, and now you shared how. Glad you are enjoying it, but hopefully you do not become tooooo accustomed to it, because that means something is wrong. Hope training is going well this week 🙂
Tina muir recently posted…25 Must Have Items for Race Day- An Elite Guide
Absolutely Tina – I think it’s a great tool to have available but not something you should become dependent on!
When I tried one at EAC in Falls Church Va, I thought it felt really weird at first — like walking on the moon! Luckily I haven’t needed to use it, but I’m glad to know there is one near me.
Coco recently posted…What I Ate For Ragnar Relay Food
Yes knowing that you can access one if needed is a bonus!
Isn’t it the COOLEST?? I was SO pumped to try one and to know it’s not as $$$ as I imagined PLUS it’s pretty close by. Great tool!
Marcia recently posted…21-Day Reset: Week 1
I know what you mean – I so expected it to cost a lot more to get access to one!
I’m glad you got to try it! They are a really great tool, for sure. I don’t particularly like them simply b/c I get bored (and hot!) on them just as I do on regular treadmills, but..I am thankful I have two right down the road if I ever need them!
misszippy recently posted…Be a butter burner
Oh my gosh Amanda that would be my one complaint for sure – I got hot pretty quickly! No treadmill will ever replace running outside for me, but definitely a great tool to have access to!
Here’s a trick for you….take off the front cover if it starts to get too hot. That way it draws in air from outside and cools down the air chamber 🙂
I’ve always wanted to try one of those suckers! They look awesome.
Courtney @ Don’t Blink. Just Run. recently posted…Surftown Half Marathon Recap
Courtney you can plug in your zip code on their website to see if they have one in your area.
I did it while I was recovering this spring. It felt like I could have run for hours on there-but they wouldn’t let me LOL!
Deborah @ Confessions of a Mother Runner recently posted…Ragnar Relay- 20 things I Learned & Loved
Great to know that it helped with your recovery!
This looks so cool! And the price isn’t bad either. I would love to know what it feels like to run weightless!
Janelle @ Run With No Regrets recently posted…RnR Philly Week 10 Training Recap: Taper Time
I was surprised by the pricing too. Glad it’s so reasonable!
Never heard of this before. I’m always looking to try new things and this sounds pretty freaken cool!
<3 jamaica
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I haven’t heard of this either. It sounds pretty amazing! Great to know that there things like this to help train after surgeries or injuries.
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