It’s cold outside. Snow is falling, the sky is still dark at 6:30 a.m., and you don’t want to get out of your bed, let alone get dressed and go to the gym. Plus, you love running, and that means you hate the treadmill. It’s not the same thing at all. Treadmills are to running what a raincloud is to a sunny day. But you love running, and you have that half-marathon coming up in two months, and, well, you’ve got to keep training. Boredom will just have to suffice as you trudge your way through another mind-numbing run. Or, I guess you could go to that one class that uses treadmills. It doesn’t hurt to try.
Treadmills and Training
Treadmills can simply be defined as a run-in-place (or walk-in-place) machine. They’ve got grips to use while walking, a statistics tracking screen, and a belt and rotation system that allows you to run or walk in place for as long as the machine is turned on. If you’re just warming up, or just want a light sweat, you can pick a fairly low speed, and get in that part of the workout. If you’re more hard-core, you crank up the speed and knock out a 5-miler in no time. You can adjust the tension and resistance to create workouts that emulate an up-hill run or sprint run. Some machines even offer “hiking terrain” settings.
For inclement weather or unsafe neighborhoods, treadmills provide you the opportunity to train at any time of day or night, from the comfort of your home. Or, heck, if you just don’t feel like going outside today, a treadmill can help. Who wouldn’t want to work out in their pajamas every once in a while?
Of course, treadmill workouts become tedious as the days, weeks or, worse, months drudge on. The same wall or empty space stares back at you. Some treadmills offer scenery as you run or at least built-in music players or televisions, but for some of us, those really don’t do it. So, you keep running, longing for the trail behind Grandma’s farmhouse in Iowa.
Or, you could use a Peloton Tread.
What’s so Special About the Peloton Treadmill?
Like an Action Fitness Treadmill, the Peloton has a lot of great technological features. But the people at Peloton wanted to create a treadmill that deals with the issues of running indoors. First, they have engineered and utilized an advanced shock-absorbing belt of rubber that pairs with a ball bearing system that gives a smooth, low-impact run. For runners who hit the sidewalks and asphalt of the city, low-impact is especially enticing for the knees.
The Peloton Tread also offers other convenient features like seamless pace and incline adjustment while you run, using the knob on the control panel of the Peloton Tread.
And, like any treadmill offers, you can work out at your own pace, on your own schedule.
What the other guys don’t offer, though, is the 32” High Definition touchscreen, and the fitness classes it streams. Every Peloton comes with one of these fantastic screens, providing you with not only a larger screen than average, but the technology linked to it. Over 7,000 classes are available on-demand. You can also stream live classes during ten different times each day. These classes include everything from the running portion on your Tread to the off-treadmill strength training portions for a full-body workout.
The Peloton Treadmill is designed to completely immerse you into your workouts. The surround sound bar beneath the screen engages your sense of hearing, while the touch screen captures your vision.
Types of Treadmill Workouts
There are dozens of treadmill program types available online and through the network of resources pulled together by Peloton for this amazing treadmill. A few examples you could find include the following:
- 300 calorie burn sessions
- Beginner’s 40 minute treadmill runs
- 15 minute quick sprints
- 1 hour walk and jog mixes
- Pyramid intervals
- 20 minute quick runs
- Hiking simulations
- Endurance training runs
- Double duty cardio and strength
Things to Consider Before You Buy
Of course, before you start your home gym and get that treadmill, you’ve got some things to consider. The first thing is consulting your doctor and personal trainer. Never start a workout regimen without consent of your doctor. Make sure they understand your health issues, any injuries that still give you issues, and, of course, any symptoms you develop as you workout.
Once you’ve done that, you’ll want to check out various types of equipment and the companies that make them. Look for a Peloton review. Ask questions. How much will a Peloton cost? How much does the competition cost, and what’s the price difference really about? You’ll be committing to something for a long time here, so it’s worth knowing the cost and efforts required to benefit fully from your investment.
