Press Room
From The Thighmaster to Peloton, All Fitness Fads Go Bust. Except One. (Business Insider)
Posted: Sep 11, 2025 in In the News
This article originally appeared in Business Insider on September 11, 2025.
You may be surprised to learn that the treadmill was invented as a prison torture device in 19th-century England. Or maybe you’re not surprised, depending on your feelings about huffing and puffing as you trod along on an automatic belt to nowhere. Still, it’s a little wild to realize that upward of 50 million Americans willingly use a device each year that was conceptualized to make criminals suffer. A lot of people are gluttons for punishment, though.
“The treadmill endures because it really delivers on the essential basics: accessibility, convenience, and proven effectiveness,” says Cedric Bryant, the president and CEO of the American Council on Exercise. “The most basic element to maintaining an independent lifestyle, typically, as we mature, is to be able to ambulate and move on our own. Treadmills help to maintain that quality.”
Read the full article here.
Stay Connected
Media Contact
For media inquiries please:
Phone: 858.583.7871
or
Submit a Press Inquiry
Sign up for ACE Press Alerts
ACE Brand Anthem
Watch
ACE Logo Story
Watch
2023 ACE Impact Report
Get a more in-depth look at the work ACE has done in the past year, as well as the progress our country has made in responding to the obesity and chronic disease epidemics.
View