5 Not-to-Miss Techy Treadmill Features

Yesterday’s treadmill was a basic motor pulling a belt, if you were lucky there was a heart rate monitor on the handles. That was yesterday, though — today’s models are high tech dynamos with incredible features that make them absolutely amazing machines. If you’re shopping for a treadmill right now, here are some of the coolest tech features you’re likely to encounter:

Inclines and Declines. It’s been a long time since your basic treadmill wasn’t capable of creating an incline to challenge your running prowess, but there’s no real world track that only goes up.  That’s why today’s high tech treadmills can also create up to three percent declines. Now you can run up that hill and back down, working all the muscles in your legs.

Adjustable Shock Absorption. Shock absorbers are a big deal when you’re running on a treadmill, but for a long time they only exactly the way they came — maybe they were too soft or too hard for you, but that was just the way it was.  Some of today’s top treadmills allow you to adjust that shock absorption to fit your running style better — even allowing you to turn the shock absorbers off entirely if you’re a hardcore asphalt runner.

Wireless Heart Rate Monitors. Mostly manifesting as chest straps, the wireless heart rate monitors that come with better treadmills are more accurate and useful than their ancestors.  Instead of getting a reading only when you grab the handles, your machine can continually monitor your heart and adjust your workout to keep you in your optimal zone.

Built-in Color LCD Touchscreens and HDTVs.  It had to happen eventually — after all, we’ve got touchscreens and TVs built into our cell phones these days.  Forget the basic displays of yesteryear and check out treadmills with increased interactivity and more entertainment depth.  Whether you’re running for fun or to burn off extra pounds, you may find a little extra motivation when you’re not bored stiff during your workout.

iFit Live. There are knock-offs, but don’t waste your time with them — iFit is the real deal when it comes to ultimate connectivity.  After a simple online setup, you’ll be able to download workouts tailored to your fitness goals.  As you complete them, iFit Live will adjust your routine accordingly to give you the best workout possible.  On top of that, iFit Live connects to Google Maps, allowing you to walk or run through paths from across the world.  Your treadmill will even simulate the up and downs as you watch the local scenery fly by.

When you’re looking for more information on the latest treadmills on the market, it’s a good idea to read lots of treadmill reviews — that way you can figure out which models have the features you really want and how well they work in real life.  Treadmills aren’t for everybody, though, and if you’d rather choose a high tech elliptical, Fitness Equipment Source has plenty of useful reviews of these machines.