How Walking Pads Close the Gap Between Movement & Exercise

You don’t always have to go on a jog or a run to get some cardio in. You don’t even have to leave your house or apartment now, either. 

Merach, a supplier of household fitness products, knows that burning calories doesn’t have to come at such a high time and energy cost. With the right equipment, it’s as simple as putting one foot in front of the other.

Earlier this year, Merach launched the W60 Plus, a cutting-edge and home-friendly walking pad. The product allows users to adjust speed, incline and enjoy other connected workout features, packing everything a busy consumer needs to train in less than eight square feet.

The product reflects Merach’s belief that everyday movement, rather than extensive cardiovascular exercise, can still drive results. Its convenience and sustainability make it a more appropriate priority for the busier, modern-day consumer as well. 

“We believe that cardiovascular exercise is usually something you plan — you set aside time to work out, with a strong fitness goal in mind,” said Bella Jiang, public relations specialist at Merach. “Everyday movement is more about finding little ways to stay active throughout the day, like taking a short walk during a work break or getting a few more steps in at home to keep yourself healthy and the body active. We built this brand for home fitness, so we don’t just develop products for people who already have, or want to have, a stable workout routine.”

Walking Works

Whether on a treadmill or outside, running is often the first activity that comes to mind when people conceptualize cardiovascular exercise. However, “first” doesn’t always mean “best.” While Merach views running as effective, it’s not always suitable for the person logging more than 40 hours a week in the office or the one with constantly evolving fitness needs. 

However, walking on a pad is, and when done under the right circumstances, it can burn calories at an effective rate. 

“Walking can become an effective cardiovascular workout by adjusting three key factors: speed, duration and incline,” Jiang explained. “A faster pace increases heart rate and cardiovascular intensity, longer walks help build endurance, and adding an incline increases effort without the need to run. The transition from a casual walk to a cardio workout isn’t defined by a specific speed or duration, but by reaching a moderate intensity — where you’re breathing harder.”

Users can also gradually increase the W60 belt’s incline level or speed to continually challenge themselves as they advance physically. This makes the W60 applicable to that busy employee just looking to get a few steps in between meetings, and the more goal-oriented fitness consumer.

“People can hop on for a few minutes during a work break just to get moving, or increase the speed and incline for a more focused cardio workout,” Jiang said. “The walking pad gives them the flexibility to do both.”

Merach also recently collaborated with American track and field Olympian and expectant mother Annie Kunz, who sought a way to stay active throughout her pregnancy.

“She is looking for convenient ways to stay active at home,” Jiang said. “As she said, the W60 Walking Pad in the house will make it so much easier for her to jump on here and there when she feels a burst of energy.”

Built for All, and To Last

Along with applicability, the Merach team prioritized durability when crafting the W60, aligning with the priorities of at-home fitness consumers in the process. 

“From the cost perspective, the more durable the product is, the lower the long-term cost will be,” Jiang said. “Many users choose to build their own home fitness setup because, at a gym, they not only need to share equipment with many other people, but also have to deal with relatively high membership fees.”

The pad supports up to 330 pounds, has a theoretical motor lifespan of 15,000 hours and comes with a two-year warranty. This makes W60 a trustworthy, long-term fitness solution and positions it to meet the needs of the various potential users found in the home. 

“The whole family can use it,” Jiang added. “The pad has a high weight capacity so it can adapt to the needs of every family member. For family members who are heavier and do not have a training foundation, they can do longer periods of slow walking. For family members who already have some training experience, they can adjust the incline and speed.”

Additional Support

The W60 also leverages app-based classes to help users establish training plans that incorporate the product. Jiang shared that in the future, the brand intends to add AI-generated classes as well to create more personalized experiences for users.

Going forward, Merach also sees opportunities to expand the W60’s impact beyond strictly cardio, particularly in areas like mental health. The product’s ease of use could play a key role in encouraging consistent exercise habits, leading to positive impacts on that front.

“Maintaining long-term and consistent exercise is not only for physical health,” Jiang said. “Some studies now identify regular exercise as a way to protect mental health. Regarding this area, we plan to have more in-depth discussions with medical and health experts in the future and share this knowledge with our users in the form of educational content.”

Jiang also shared that Merach recently partnered with the American College of Lifestyle Medicine to provide additional educational content and support centered around disease prevention and overall health management.