ATG Backward Treadmill Review: Revolutionizing Knee Health

What is ATG and Who is the Knees Over Toes Guy?

Athletic Truth Group (ATG) is a revolutionary fitness program founded by Ben Patrick, popularly known as the "Knees Over Toes Guy." Ben gained widespread recognition for his unique approach to fitness and rehabilitation, particularly focusing on knee health. Contrary to traditional knee rehab advice that often discourages allowing the knees to move past the toes, Ben discovered through personal experience and extensive research that the stronger you are with your knees over your toes, the more robust and resilient your knees become.

Ben’s journey began with his struggle with chronic knee pain and multiple injuries, which traditional methods failed to alleviate. Frustrated and determined to find a solution, he started experimenting with unconventional exercises that involved deeper knee flexion and allowing his knees to move over his toes. These movements, once considered harmful, proved to be incredibly beneficial. Ben found that strengthening the muscles and tendons around the knee in these positions reduced his pain and enhanced his overall athletic performance.

Nowadays, ATG offers a $50 per month online coaching program designed to educate and coach clients out of knee pain. With my personal history of Four ACL tears in Eight years, I have been a member of the ATG program for just over two years, and it has been a lifesaver for my knees. The program has opened my eyes to a different way of training, and it has given me hope that I can have a bright future free of knee pain and injuries.

The Benefits of Knees Over Toes Training

“Don’t let your knees go over your toes”

We’ve all heard that saying when it comes to exercising. That’s because the further your knee goes over your toes, the more stress you’ll place upon it. But, in everyday life – from picking things up, walking up and down the stairs, getting in and out of the car, and playing sports, our knees naturally go over our toes. If we don’t train our bodies to be used to these movements, then we’re making ourselves susceptible to injury. So, you shouldn’t avoid training and exercising with your knees over your toes. You just need to do so in a controlled and gradual manner, and that’s where the ATG program, and the ATG Backward Treadmill comes into play.

Backward Walking: A Staple of the ATG Workout Program

A key component of the ATG workout program is the incorporation of backward walking and backward sled drags. These exercises are fundamental to the ATG philosophy, providing unique benefits that support knee health and overall lower body strength.

Backward Walking: A Path to Better Knee Health

Knees Over Toes during Backward Sled Drags

Backward walking, a seemingly simple yet highly effective exercise, plays a crucial role in healing knee pain and strengthening your knees. Here are a few reasons why backward walking is so effective:

  1. Enhanced Quadriceps Activation: Walking backward places a greater emphasis on the quadriceps, particularly the Vastus Medialis Oblique (VMO), which is essential for knee stability. Strengthening this muscle helps support the knee joint and prevent injuries.

  2. Reduced Joint Stress: Unlike forward walking or running, backward walking places less stress on the knee joints. This makes it an ideal exercise for those recovering from knee injuries or experiencing chronic knee pain.

  3. Enhanced Blood Flow: Walking backward can enhance blood flow to the lower extremities, promoting healing and reducing inflammation around the knee.

  4. Rehabilitation and Pain Relief: By forcing the knees to move through a controlled range of motion (especially when adding load), backward walking helps to build resilience and strength in the knee joint, making them ideal for rehabilitation and injury prevention.

The ATG Backwards Treadmill: A Game-Changer in Fitness Equipment

Knees Over Toes on the ATG Backward Treadmill!

Knees Over Toes on the ATG Backward Treadmill!

Okay now that you know about the benefits of backward walking and backward sled drags, we can get into the real reason you clicked on this article, the ATG Backwards Treadmill! The ATG Backward Treadmill is designed to make backward walking an accessible exercise that anyone can do daily.

In my case, I was interested in getting the ATG Backward Treadmill because I don’t have a yard or a garage. Knowing how important backwards sled drags are for knee health, I try my best to go to the gym, or my local park, to use a sled, but that’s usually easier said than done. With the ATG Backward Treadmill, I can set it up in my small home gym and use it on the daily. By using the treadmill for just 10 minutes per day, I know I’m going to see some major knee health benefits. That’s why I call this piece of equipment a game-changer. It makes the amazing benefits of backward walking and sled drags accessible to everyone.

Complete with a slight 8 degree incline, a resistance knob, handles, and back support, you can use the ATG Backward Treadmill for simple low-stress backward walking, or you can crank up the resistance and get the same (or better) effect as you would with pulling a weighted sled.

Unboxing and Assembling the ATG Backward Treadmill

ATG Backward Treadmill

Overall, my unboxing experience of the ATG Backwards Treadmill was pretty seamless. The box includes all necessary tools, components, and detailed instructions for assembly. Setting up the treadmill is pretty straightforward and shouldn’t take you more than 30 minutes from start to finish. Once fully assembled, the treadmill feels super sturdy and high-quality, and I love how it folds up, allowing for easy storage.

One important thing to note is that the treadmill weighs about 80 pounds, so the box is big and heavy. You may need some help depending on your situation.

You can see a full overview of unboxing and assembling the ATG Backward Treadmill in the 10-minute video at the top of this article.

Personal Experience and Final Thoughts

Man using the ATG Backward Treadmill!

After using the ATG Backwards Treadmill, I can say it lives up to the hype. I’m very excited to have the ability to incorporate the backward treadmill into my knee health routine, all from the comfort of my home gym. Although I’ve only owned the treadmill for about two weeks, I know it will lead to some serious knee health gains down the road.

Overall, here are a few or my favorite things about the ATG Backwards Treadmill:

  1. The Size - I’m 6 feet tall, and the size works well for me. It’s big enough for my stride, but small enough to be placed in a small room, and the fold-up capabilities make it great for easy storage. Overall the treadmill is 48” X 25.5” when in use, and 29” X 25.5” when folded up.

  2. The Resistance - With the option to change your resistance, you can go from a low resistance walk to feeling like you’re pulling a weighted sled on the high-resistance setting. It’s pretty cool to feel like I can be pulling a sled in my 100 sq ft little home gym.

  3. The handles and back pad - By giving you something to lean against and hold, you can really dig in and focus on push through your feet. You don’t have to worry about your balance, which makes it that much easier to focus on getting a solid burn while generating those knee health benefits.

In conclusion, the ATG Backwards Treadmill is a game-changing knee health tool that aligns perfectly with the principles of the ATG system and the Knees Over Toes Guy. Its focus on backward movement offers unparalleled benefits for knee health, muscle balance, and overall fitness. Whether you're rehabilitating an injury or looking to enhance your workout routine, this treadmill is a fantastic investment.

If you want to purchase the ATG Backward Treadmill, use code KNEEHAB99 at checkout for 10% off.

Looking for ways to heal your Knee Pain? Here are three ways I can help:

  1. Explore my other Kneehab Articles

  2. Download my Free Knee Strengthening Guide - An overview of my three favorite knee health exercises

  3. Inquire about 1:1 Coaching Here.

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Strengthening the Tibialis Anterior Muscle: A Key to Alleviating Knee Pain