Tall Runners Talk Treadmills: 4 Essential Features That Help Tall Runners Train Indoors, Without Breaking The Equipment Or Injuring Anyone

Did you ever hear about the king who was only 12 inches tall?

He was a terrible monarch, but an excellent ruler…

I know, I know, that has nothing at all to do with treadmills or training, but a lot of what we’re going to talk about today is going to involve some measuring.

The problem, if you’re not already aware, is that typical exercise machinery simply isn’t made for larger people. We don’t fit, and it’s not our fault.

Photo by Intenza Fitness on Unsplash

Does that mean that if you pass a certain height, you shouldn’t be allowed to exercise anymore? I certainly don’t think so…

But it does mean that you might want to avoid certain equipment at the gym, because you could break it or hurt yourself, or both.

It’s simply a stone-cold fact that traditional treadmills get crushed by bigger folks, if we even get that far. Sometimes, it happens the other way around.

Sometimes, instead of hurting the treadmill by accident, the treadmill causes the hurt instead. Sometimes, by breaking in just the wrong way at the wrong time, or even just by being so small we miss a step.

The long and short of it is, anyone tall enough to be considered a giant by “the normal heighted folks” has to take some special precautions.

We can’t just play with the normal people’s toys and expect them not to break, but there are still toys, and exercise equipment, that we can use.

If you’re more than 6’ 4” tall, and tired of breaking your treadmills, I have a few suggestions that I want to throw out there based on what I’ve learned in my own journey.

Most of these facts I didn’t figure out on my own, to be fair, but I learned them from talking to other tall folks and finding what worked for them, long-term and without breakdowns.

We might have more options than we expect, once we know what to look for. Here’s what I recommend.

Photo by Kobe Kian Clata on Unsplash

1. Overbuilt For Oversized People

Step one is obvious: don’t buy a normal treadmill for normal-sized people, look for one that’s overbuilt.

Most treadmills come with a weight rating, and if you’re a large person, you want to go well above your weight, just in case.

For me, I weigh in at a solid 260 pounds, but I use a treadmill that’s rated for 375 pounds.

As they say, overkill is underrated, and using a model that’s built to be more durable just makes good sense.

2. Mega-Motors Matter

When I first started running on a treadmill, I had it all mixed up.

I thought the motor didn’t really matter, because your feet barely touch, and the motor mostly moves a track with nothing on it.

I was totally, entirely wrong.

If you want a top-tier treadmill that can take your weight and keep on turning, pay attention to the motor.

Don’t even bother with anything under 3.0 horsepower, you’ll be wasting your money, because it will just burn out on you.

Instead, look for a 3.0, 3.5, or even a 4.0 horsepower motor, and it’s pretty much guaranteed that it can take your weight and more, for a long time to come.

Though it’s also worth buying from a company with a great warranty service… just in case.

3. Do A Wobble Check

This might sound like silly advice at first, but if you’ve ever used a treadmill that’s designed for someone smaller and lighter, you’ll understand right away.

Before you buy a treadmill, if you’re not totally sure it’s solid enough, do a wobble check.

By that, I don’t mean that you should shake it, but rather that you should give it a test run.

A heavy-duty Z-frame treadmill should take your shifting weight no problem, while an inferior design is going to wobble like it’s caught in a windstorm.

If the model you’re looking at is a wobbler, you’ve got the wrong one. Try something heavier.

Photo by Intenza Fitness on Unsplash

4. Maximum Cushion & Sound Reduction

The last thing you want to do before pulling the trigger on a new treadmill is make sure that it’s going to be comfortable, and you won’t be playing a bass drum with every step.

While cheap treadmills will transfer the force of each step directly to the ground, resulting in hard impacts, more sprains, and a loud thump, the better options have dampening.

You’ll feel the difference and hear it — and the larger you are, the more important it is.

That extra weight means extra likelihood of injuring yourself if you don’t take the proper precautions, and that’s not helpful for anyone.

As a large man, I’ve always enjoyed the jokes about my height, but regretted that I couldn’t use a treadmill without damaging it or wearing it out.

Finally, they’re building them in my size — and I can exercise inside with everyone else.

Just remember that the treadmill also adds a little more height, so don’t go jumping for joy or you’ll just smack your head on the roof.

I know, I’ve been there, and it still hurts a little.