You do everything you can to create your best physique possible. You train like a beast, eat healthy (for the most part), and you get your eight hours of sleep.
You’ve got all facets of life covered when it comes to being an aesthetic athlete…
Or do you?
Take, for instance, work. What you do for a living, where you do it, and how are all factors that play into your long-term well-being.
If you sit all day long in front of a computer, how great is that for your posture and health? (Answer: Not that great.)
That’s why we have to rethink every single section of our lives if we want to reach peak fitness. So if you work a desk job, you should transform your desk.
Quick List of the Top Under-the-Desk Treadmills
- Fitbill f.Walk Smart Under Desk Treadmill
- Rebel Treadmill 1000
- Titan Fitness Under Desk Walking Treadmill
- LifeSpan TR1200-DT3 Under Desk Treadmill
- SereneLife Folding Digital Portable Electric Treadmill
How? With standing desks and under-the-desk treadmills!
In this article, we’ll tackle what under-the-desk treadmills are, list the benefits they provide you on the daily, whether to try out a walking or running treadmill, and what to be on the lookout for when you purchase your very own.
Lastly, we’ll go over the best standing desk treadmills money can buy, so you can leave this article with a confident decision.
Let’s get to steppin’!
What Are Under-the-Desk Treadmills?
These pieces of equipment — which we believe is the correct term for them — are revolutionary in altering your work environment.
Under-the-desk treadmills (or standing desk treadmills; the term is interchangeable) are contraptions that involves a desk attached to a treadmill.
But it’s more than that; some of these have settings you can adjust depending on what you want or how tall you are.
Your desk can move up and down, treadmill speed can be ramped up or slowed down…the choices are endless.
Under-the-desk treadmills are a way to do your work as you normally do, with the added benefit of putting one foot in front of the other simultaneously. It’s multitasking at its healthiest.
If you can imagine a regular treadmill, then place a desk at the top where the control panel usually is, you’ve got a pretty good mental picture of what a standing desk treadmill is.
This will severely up your caloric expenditure throughout the day, which will lead to plenty of benefits.
Speaking of which…
Benefits of a Standing Desk Treadmill
As you can probably already tell, under-the-desk treadmills can work wonders for your bottom line fitness and physique.
Here are some of the awesome advantages of having — and USING — a standing desk treadmill:
- Walk (or run) while you work: This one is pretty straightforward, but it’s still worth mentioning. You can get your steps in while typing away on your desktop. (One must satisfy the FitBit gods!) The benefits of walking or running cannot be understated, as this was what our bodies were made for…NOT to sit for hours on end at a desk, but putting one foot in front of the other for a sizeable amount of time. A standing desk treadmill connects you more with your natural self.
- You become more productive: Now, you’d think continuously walking or running would involve taking you away from your very important work. Funny enough, getting the blood flowing is super helpful for your brain, improving both your productivity and creativity. No matter the project or task at hand, you’ll be able to complete it quicker and better than if you were a slouch in your chair. Is that a potential pay raise I hear?
- Improves mood/reduces stress in the workplace: This one might be the most crucial advantage of a standing desk treadmill. Walking or running releases a slew of hormones in your body, including endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine, a.k.a the trifecta of feel-good. This elevates your mood during the workday, along with diminishing your stress levels (cortisol and adrenaline). Running also stimulate norepinephrine, which is technically a stress hormone, but it’s the one that keeps you alert and focused…which is something you want when you’re working on important business stuff.
- Helps you avoid numerous diseases: Walking and running more often will help you reduce inflammation and move things around in your body. The less static you are, the better equipped you are to stay away from horrible ailments, such as type 2 diabetes. In fact, if you already have this, walking or running throughout the day will help manage your diabetes. Also, the removal of chronic stress will further aid in inflammation reduction, keeping you clear of any inflammation-related diseases (see: all types of cancer).
- Promotes a healthy body weight: More movement = more calories burned = lower body weight. Don’t you love it when math works out like that? What’s more, walking doesn’t inherently up your hunger levels; this means you won’t be eating more just because you’re walking during your workday. If you eat the same amount and burn more via your under-the-desk treadmill, you’ll put yourself in a caloric deficit, which is the main way to reduce body weight (and, more importantly, body fat). Cue better body composition!
- Increased overall longevity: Walking and running more often will lower blood pressure, help maintain strong bones, limit stress, eradicate inflammation, and keep you at a healthy body weight. What does this all result in? A longer, healthier life. What you might call the ultimate advantage of a standing desk treadmill.
The conclusion is clear: Standing desk treadmills are wonderful for your health…and your career.
And if you don’t think the cost of an under-the-desk treadmill is worth the benefits, you must not value your lifespan all that much.
Read More: The Best Curved Treadmills
Walking vs. Running Treadmills
You can go one of two ways: You can walk the walk, or you can run like the wind. Both options are stellar for those benefits listed above, but perhaps you value one over the other.
I could go into the differences between the two, but instead I’m going to cut through the comparisons and give you a cheat code.
Get a running under-the-desk treadmill. With this, you can obviously do a quick HIIT workout during your lunch break; however, you can also take it slow and steady due to the setting options on a running version. You can easily walk on a running treadmill…it’s simply a matter of setting the pace at a slower speed.
If you only get a walking under-the-desk treadmill, you’re limiting your choices, which is both costly and unnecessary.
(Note: You can also opt for a manual treadmill — which we’ve covered before — that allows you to go at your own pace no matter what.)
Considerations Before Buying
Don’t just go buy the first standing desk treadmill you lay eyes on! You’ll want to research and come to an educated decision on which one fits your daily exercise needs.
- Noise: No one likes a loud coworker. Thankfully, many of the latest under-the-desk treadmills are great at noise cancellation. You’ll know whether or not the treadmill is noisy by testing it out in-store. That way, you’re still in the running for employee of the month.
- Weight Capacity: The last thing you want is to be working on a big project and have your entire workplace setup crumble around and beneath you. Getting a treadmill that can handle not only your body weight, but the weight of your work as well, is ideal for the longevity of your equipment. Plus, then you’ll avoid injury. As a rule of thumb, add 150 pounds to your body weight for your treadmill weight capacity, just to be on the safe side.
- Durability: This goes hand-in-hand (foot-in-foot in this case?) with weight capacity. You need a standing desk treadmill that can last as long as your career…or, at least a decent number of years. The materials with which the treadmill is made should be of the highest quality.
- Size: This refers to the total amount of space this treadmill will take up in your office (or, heaven forbid, your cubicle). Seeing as you most likely don’t have all the room in the world, you’ll want a treadmill that complements your area. Measure out your office space, then figure out what you have to “work” with when deciding on your new desk. A typical treadmill goes a little over two feet wide, and more than five feet long for reference.
- Top Speed: This factor is for those who love to run like crazy when looking at expense reports. Top speed is vital to know when purchasing your under-the-desk treadmill because that will be as hard as you can go. While the choice of how hard you go is up to you when you’re at work, it’s always nice to have the capability to run hard. A run-of-the-mill (is there a pun there?) treadmill tops out at 12-14 mph, which would be a solid range for max speed for your office needs.
- Belt Length: The length of your belt will determine how long your stride can be. And while you have to consider how much space you have for the treadmill itself, you shouldn’t skimp on belt length. If you’re wanting to run on your under-the-desk treadmill, you need the belt to be at least 48 inches long. If you’re taller than 6 feet, you’d need a 52-inch belt for walking and a 54-inch belt for walking. Always err on the side of caution and get a treadmill that eclipses 50 inches in belt length.
- Foldable/Unfoldable: For convenience or storage, having a standing desk treadmill that folds could be helpful. You’d want a foldable treadmill if you still like to use the space for other things. Also, if you share a space, it’s courteous to fold up your treadmill when out of the office. However, if you have your own spot in the office (or work from home) and you’ll use it on the daily, it isn’t necessary to get a foldable treadmill.
As you can see, there are a TON of elements that go into your under-the-desk treadmill.
When you go to buy yours, make sure you’re deliberate about your decision; you don’t want buyers remorse for something so crucial to your everyday wellness.
Best Under-the-Desk Treadmills Reviewed
Fitbill f.Walk Smart Under Desk Treadmill
First up on our list of the best under-the-desk treadmills is the f.Walk Smart Under Desk Treadmill from the company fitbill.
This thing is sleek and practical, making it ideal for any office vibe. It comes with a remote controller and a workout app to keep track of your fitness progress. The footprint is small overall, boasting a 47-inch long and 18-inch wide tread belt.
The f.Walk is also supremely quiet: It has a 1.0 HP motor that lets you respect other people while getting your walk on.
Incredibly portable, lightweight (the thing weighs 64 pounds), and compact (a slim 1.8-inch height), this treadmill is easy to store, setup, and store again.
There are some shortcomings with the f.Walk, though.
For one, the max speed tops out at 3.7 mph, making this a definite walking treadmill. (But this is why it can remain so quiet.)
For two, it only has a 220-pound weight capacity, which doesn’t work for someone who weighs 221 or more.
On top of that, this treadmill is a true under-the-desk treadmill…in that it doesn’t come with a desk. You have to provide a standing desk in addition to the treadmill.
Even with its cons, the fitbill f.Walk Smart Under Desk Treadmill could satisfy the needs of someone looking for a walking treadmill that isn’t super imposing.
If you want to improve your health without becoming most hated in the office, this is a terrific choice.
Get The Fitbill f.Walk Smart Under Desk Treadmill on Amazon.com
Rebel Treadmill 1000
Next is the Rebel Treadmill 1000, created by the Rebel Desk company.
This is another under-the-desk treadmill that doesn’t come with a desk attachment — you’ll have to provide the standing desk.
Other than that, this hits all the requirements you could ever want. Weighing 88 pounds, setup is a cinch.
Plus, you get a 2-year warranty for the parts and a 20-year warranty for the frame, meaning Rebel Desk is putting their money where their mouth is in terms of durability. This one also has a quiet motor, keeping your coworkers happy.
However, this is probably due to the limited range of speed; the Rebel Treadmill 1000 can only go between 0.5 and 2.0 mph.
You can get a lowkey workout in without breaking a sweat, but you won’t be able to run at all.
For a simple, no bells or whistles under-the-desk treadmill, you can’t go wrong with the Rebel Treadmill 1000.
Get The Rebel Treadmill 1000 on Amazon.com
Titan Fitness Under Desk Walking Treadmill
TITAN FITNESS is a staple in exercise equipment, and they provide excellent daily exercise with their Under Desk Walking Treadmill.
This treadmill goes the fastest so far of the top treadmills, going up to 4.0 mph. While that can be constituted as a light jog for some, it still limits you.
As was the case with the previous two, it doesn’t actually attach to a standing desk; it’s more of an accessory to your standing desk.
The coolest feature of this treadmill is the portable console that can easily fit on your desk.
This is where you can control and track your speed, as well as records your overall time, number of steps taken, and how many laps you’ve walked.
It also comes with a safety key you can secure to your clothing; when the key disengages from the console, it will automatically turn off the treadmill, which keeps you from injuring yourself.
The belt has a length of 53 inches and a width of 18 inches, making it the biggest one so far.
And with a walking platform height of 6 inches and a weight capacity of 250 pounds, this is the most durable machine at this point in the list.
If you want a better version of the above two standing desk treadmills, definitely opt for the Titan Fitness Under Desk Walking Treadmill.
Get The Titan Fitness Under Desk Walking Treadmill on Amazon.com
LifeSpan TR1200-DT3 Under Desk Treadmill
Our list continues with the LifeSpan TR1200-DT3 Under Desk Treadmill, which might be a mouthful, but it more than makes up for it in its ability to make you fit.
The deck and side rails are phenolic and made of a non-slip plastic, keeping you safe from injury. It has a separate console that records distance traveled, calories burned, walk/run time, and it can help you adjust belt speed.
The range goes from 0.4 to 4.0 mph, making it a jogging treadmill at best.
This under-the-desk treadmill comes with wheels for easy portability, as well as six independent compression shocks to keep the impact off your knees and joints.
A quiet and high capacity 2.25 HP electric motor allows you to be borderline silent, while the 20-inch wide, 50-inch long belt surface gives you a decent range of motion for your stride.
Maximum weight capacity is 350 pounds, making it extremely durable. And with a few years’ warranty on the motor and parts, LifeSpan Fitness is confident in their product.
For the most holistic standing desk treadmill yet, the LifeSpan TR1200-DT3 Under Desk Treadmill is the way to go.
Get The LifeSpan TR1200-DT3 Under Desk Treadmill on Amazon.com
SereneLife Folding Digital Portable Electric Treadmill
Last on our list, we have the Folding Digital Portable Electric Treadmill from SereneLife.
This treadmill has one of the biggest belt surfaces on this list, with a length of 51 inches and a width of 18.3 inches.
It comes equipped with a handle for balance, but you can always fold that down for your standing desk.
You can roll this one on its wheels for portable storage, plus the digital LCD touchscreen controls tracks your speed, steps, distance, and calories burned.
It can withstand 220 pounds at max capacity and you can adjust your speed settings using state-of-the-art touchscreen controls. You can swap from jogging to walking effortlessly (but only get up to a jog).
This particular under-the-desk treadmill looks great and gets the job done.
If you’re looking for a treadmill that gives you everything you need, look no further than the SereneLife Folding Digital Portable Electric Treadmill.
Get The SereneLife Folding Digital Portable Electric Treadmill on Amazon.com
Conclusion
Phew! Never thought there was so much to know about under-the-desk treadmills, huh?
Well, you’re now a bonafide expert and you’re ready to grab your own!
Trust us, this will elevate your fitness to a level you didn’t believe was possible.
Your career takes a lot of your time (as it should). But that doesn’t mean you have to be unhealthy during those hours you spend working on projects.
By using a standing desk treadmill, you’ll explore the upper limits of your productive and creative abilities, all while becoming more athletic and healthy.
Happy walking!
