Ohiyo!

The Treadmill Sensei will be back later today for a treadmill review, but to hold you over I wanted to answer an email that came in to the DOJO this morning. Craig is worried that the 21″ stride on a Smooth CE 7.4 Elliptical is too long for his 5’3″ wife. Let’s see what Craigs has to say…take it away, Craig!

Dear Sensei,

Would it be a mistake to purchase this machine given her height? Thanks, -Craig
Check out the 21″ stride on the CE7.4 Elliptical from Smooth Fitness.

Craig:

Thanks for the note. If your wife tried out the Smooth and the stride felt comfortable to her, then it is fine. A lot of people who use ellipticals at their gym are already used to the longer stride found in Precor, Life Fitness and Star Trac units (generally 20″-21″). I personally find the longer strides to be much more comfortable and less choppy. I’d suggest seeing if she could try the machine out for a 30-45 minute workout and see how it feels in a longer workout.

One of the things I’ve noticed in the 15 or so years Ellipticals have been on the market is that longer strides tend to be easier for shorter people to adjust to than shorter strides. Getting a machine with a stride that is too short is just plain uncomfortable and will kill your desire to workout.

I would say if she tried it and liked the 21″ stride then go with it because what is most important (and more important than any review site) is how it feels to the both of you. Do it if it feels good! The Smooth CE7.4 is a good buy elliptical for around $1999.

-The Treadmill Sensei
http://www.treadmillsensei.com

Ohiyo!

There are times when the Treadmill Sensei wishes that his son would come to his senses, give up art and take after his old man…perhaps one day even take over the DOJO. Unfortunately, on days like today such dreams of the Sensei are crushed. You see, I heard my beloved son yelling for a tool from one of the repair bays near my office. I couldn’t quite make out what he was saying so I poked my head out the door and asked if I could be of service (excited that he was even asking for a tool). To my dismay, the now adult child who sprang from my loins (my son), was calling out for “one of those starry headed screwdriving things.” I just shook my head and passed him one of the starry headed screwdriving things I had in my toolbelt. Needless to say, the boy takes after his mother. I believe the only hope for the DOJO lies in my first grandchild, in spite of him not being named after me.

Today we have an email from a reader asking about a CardioZone Center D Elliptical. Let’s see what he has to say. Take it away, Rolly!

Sensei,

I was originally looking at the sole and spirit, but came across this (CardioZone) Center D (Elliptical). I guess Keys makes it, but on their site, they only have 2 higher-end models. Cardiozone has this one and was curious if you knew anything about it. Thanks. -Rolly

Rolly:

Thanks for the note! I am indeed familiar with the Ironman CDT Elliptical, which you’ve seen online as the “CardioZone Center D.” CardioZone is a fitness brand own by the fine people at Fitness Blowout. The CardioZone line doesn’t actually exist in the most part and is just rebranded equipment from other manufacturers, Keys/Ironman making up the majority of their product and what appears to be BH Fitness units making up a good chunk of their treadmills. The CardioZone units are the same as the Ironman/Keys units, but tend to be a bit overpriced and sometimes over-spec’d. The CardioZone versions also have their MSRP double or triple what it really should be.

The Ironman CDT Elliptical is one of the better “center drive” style ellipticals out there and I think it performs slightly better than the New Balance 9000 because of the CDT’s heavier weight. The additional weight gives the CDT elliptical a huge amount of stability and sturdiness for even the heaviest duty work outs. This is a huge advantage when you factor in the incredibly natural pedal positioning on the Ironman CDT. Ironman has done an excellent job in the design of this unit and it gives one of the most comfortable workouts under $2000.

Going along with the stability and pedal placement, the Ironman CDT also has a fantastic feeling 21″ stride. Even at my shorter height of 5’8″ the Ironman CDT elliptical I reviewed and worked out on for 2 weeks here at the DOJO felt great. This unit will work for anyone from about 5’6″ up to 6’5″ or more. Even the static center handles are well placed and won’t get in the way of taller users (Octane take note!).

Rounding out the features on the CDT are 18 programs, 16 levels of resistance, heart rate monitoring and heart rate control. The lack of an adjustable stride on this elliptial isn’t missed due to the well-designed feel of its workouts. If you want a solid, natural feeling elliptical workout and you haven’t checked out the center-drive Ironman CDT Elliptical, then you’re really missing out.

The only real downside that I’ve seen on this unit is the console. It really isn’t the most user friendly or intuitive and the instruction manual isn’t much help. It might take a bit longer to get the hang of the more advanced features but the workout makes the additional effort worthwhile.

The rather confusing display on the Ironman CDT Elliptical (also known as the CardioZone Center D elliptical).

For being another solid performer from Ironman for under $1600, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Ironman CDT Elliptical 4.5 out of 5 golden buddahs.

The Ironman CDT Elliptical is one of the best mid-range center-drive ellipticals around.


Find out more about the Ironman CDT Elliptical Now.

Ironman CDT Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 21″
Flywheel: n/a
Programs: 18
Resistance Levels: 16
Display: LCD
Readouts: Time, speed, distance, calories used, watt level, and pulse
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Max User Weight: 300lbs
Unit Weight: 240lbs

-The Treadmill Sensei
http://www.treadmillsensei.com

Ohiyo!

We don’t get a huge amount of traffic over on the Treadmill Sensei forums but we do get some. In order to try and support that budding community, the Treadmill Sensei tries to respond on there as often as I can. In fact, I’m usually on there once or twice a week at least and if you have a question that is one of the best places to get an answer to it.

Anyway, about a month ago on the forums, I was challenged to do a review on a new Horizon Fitness elliptical, the Horizon E1200 Elliptical. A loyal reader had seen one at a local Dick’s store and asked my opinion on it. Since we do not have Dick’s stores here in Southern California, and since the unit seems to only be available from Dick’s, I grabbed my credit card back from Mrs. Sensei and ordered one online. About 2 weeks later I received my brand new Horizon E1200 at the DOJO and assigned my now short-haired son to put the thing together. He grumbled a bit because he isn’t the most mechanically inclined person in the world — which actually makes him an excellent choice to find out how easy the E1200 incline ellipticals are to assemble. I told him if he did a good job I would buy him an ice cream. To that he informed me he wasn’t 12 years old any more…but he’d still take the ice cream.

Judging by my son’s cursing, I will estimate that the standard assembly of a Horizon E1200 elliptical will take around an hour for someone with moderate mechanical abilities. I’d give it a slightly harder than average rating for assembly — figure 3 out of 5 for complexity. Which isn’t bad at all. Most ellipticals take 45 to 90 minutes to get together and ready to go. Horizon’s instruction booklet did an acceptable job in illustrating the process.

Once it was all together, Hikaru and my son were both very excited about the IPod port on the top of the Horizon E1200′s console. From what I saw you can control your IPod through the E1200′s console controls. It’s a very neat little feature but doesn’t enhance the elliptical’s performance at all. It is a nice step up from just having speakers on an elliptical.

The IPod docking station on the E1200 Elliptical.

The main exciting features on the Horizon E1200 elliptical are the Precor-style adjustable incline ramp, the incredibly comfortable 19″ stride (if all Horizon models had a 19″ stride they would be dominating the lower end market for sure) and the pivoting/adjustable foot pedals. It’s not often you see those features in an elliptical under $2500. Horizon has done an excellent job in their design and implementation with the E1200 elliptical.

The E1200′s frame is solid and sturdy, and its flywhell is large, providing a smooth elliptical motion to its workouts. Horizon has taken the standard front-wheel design of the Spirit ellipticals to a new level of comfort, stability and excellence. With a 19″ stride, 16 programs, 16 levels of resistance, a 16% maximum incline and articulating footpads, Horizon has set the bar higher than any other manufacturer in its price range.

My two quibbles with the unit come mainly in the form of its lack of heart rate control. I would have also liked to have seen a 24lb flywheel on the unit to take it to an unbeatable level. However, the addition of the adjustable foot pedals and incline ramp more than makes up for my nitpicking. The Horizon E1200 elliptical is an incredible value at just under $1500.

While I was doubtful at first, the Treadmill Sensei was impressed by the Horizon E1200 Elliptical with incline and gives it 4 out of 5 golden buddahs.

For bringing the patented Precor Ramp to home users, the Horizon Performance E1200 Ellipticals comes away with 4 gold buddahs out of 5.

Find out more about the Horizon E1200 Elliptical.

Horizon Performance E1200 Elliptical Specifications
Stride: 19″
Flywheel: 17lbs
Max Incline: 16%
Programs: 16
Display: LED
Heart Rate Monitor: Pulse grip
Heart Rate Control: No
Resistance Levels: 16 levels
Articulating Footpads: Yes
Max User Weight: 300lbs
Unit Weight: Approximately 150lbs

-The Treadmill Sensei
http://www.treadmillsensei.com

Ohiyo!

One of the things the Treadmill Sensei has always wanted to be able to do is go in to a high end shop or car dealer and say “Give me the best…and money is no option.” Unfortunately, I’ve never been able to do that for two reasons: first, the Treadmill Sensei is but a simple repair tech and we don’t make huge amounts of money; second, and more important, the Treadmill Sensei is cheap. I clip coupons, count my pennies and bring my lunch to work every day. Mrs. Sensei, on the other hand, is not cheap and I flinch whenever she comes to the DOJO to take my credit card on another shopping trip.

The reason I bring this all up is because of a question I get asked quite a bit here at the DOJO. People as “Oh, great Sensei, what would you say is the top of the line treadmill when money is absolutely no option…what treadmill would you recommend to a high class gym who wanted the finest of the fine? Tell us, oh great, wise, intelligent, good looking and incredibly nice smelling, Sensei!” Ok, so I added in that last bit to stroke my own ego.

While I don’t normally bring up much of the ultra high end equipment here on the site, I thought I would sit down and write something up just for fun…or, for those few out there who really want to find out more about one of the top treadmills in the world, with the finest of components. After having spent over a month figuring out what the best of the best would be, and then another month trying to find one to review, the Treadmill Sensei has found what he considers to be the single best treadmill in the world if money were no option: the Motus 995TL Treadmill.

I know, I know. Everyone out there is saying “Huh? What the heck is a Motus?”

To answer that question I could mention that Motus is a 15-year manufacturer from Europe. Or I could mention that one of their US heads is the incredibly classy Tania Cobb — in fact, I could mention that their entire staff and attitude is more comparable to Fendi, Lexus or Christian Dior, who know about treadmills and fitness, but also do it with a level of sophistication seen nowhere else in the industry. Truthfully, though, absolutely none of that matters. What does matter is that Motus is a solid manufacturer who uses top of the line, name brand parts in their machines. And that is what places them at the top of the fitness food chain.

Starting at the heart of the Motus 995TL Treadmill, the unit is powered by a Mitsubishi 5.7 horsepower motor. This is one of the largest motors I’ve ever seen in a treadmill — heck, I think it’s bigger than the motor in Mrs. Sensei’s Nissan Maxima! Does a treadmill NEED a Mitsubishi brand motor? Well, no, but that does give it one of the single best motors around and gives a Motus owner the additional security of the company’s reputation with high end motors. It also gives a Motus owner the knowledge that their treadmill motor might actually out last the 995TL treadmill’s motor warranty.

Next, when I first got on to the Motus 995TL Treadmill I was surprised at how incredibly solid and sturdy the unit was. The only brand on the market that might be more stable would be Noramco…unless you move up to a car or horse treadmill! I had my son and Hikaru both take turns running on the 995TL and the treadmill never waivered. These things are built as solid as the reputations of their components. Plus, being able to run on a 20.5″ x 63″ deck as nice…I almost felt like I could have another person on there running with me and still have lots of room!

The other two things to talk about are the Samsung 15″ LCD TV screen built right in to the Motus 995TL’s console and the Hyundai electronics package. Both of these make the 995TL one of the best performing machines on the market. Not having to rely on OEM electronic parts manufactured at a small plant in China allows the Motus brand to blow every other treadmill on the market away. No faulty wiring. No poorly manufactured circuit boards. No fuzzy or dim TV screens. We plugged a DVD up to the 995TL here at the DOJO and all stood around and watched a few episodes of the first season of REBA. The screen was as sharp, as clear and as bright as the Sony TV I have in my office. Please, don’t ask why I had the first season boxed set of REBA in my office. Just don’t ask.

Every part of the unit is refined and perfectly designed as one would expect from a high end company like Motus. They aren’t selling these units to small office gyms…they’re selling them to the heads of multi-million dollar corporations or the top resorts in the world.

Do you want to know what the best part for me was? The anti-microbial handgrips. Why that feature? Because Hikaru sweats more than any other man I’ve ever seen and it has been rumored he doesn’t wash his hands in the bathroom. Anti-microbial handgrips should be standard for anything Hikaru touches.

After running for more than a week on the thing, the Treadmill Sensei (plus his son and Hikaru) found the Motus 995TL Treadmill to be a world class machine. For that, the Treadmill Sensei gives the Motus 995TL a perfect 5 out of 5 Golden Buddahs.

5 gold buddahs out of 5 for the Motus 995TL Treadmill.


Find out more about the most upperclass treadmill in the world, the Motus 995TL.

Motus 995TL Treadmill Specifications
Motor: 5.7HP
Max Speed: 10mph
Max Incline: 15%
Running Area: 20.5″ x 63″
Folding: No
Programs: 5 + 5 custom
Heart Rate Monitor: Pulse Grip and Wireless
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Display: 15.1”LCD TV
Readouts: Time, Remaining Time, Distance, Watts, Calories, Speed, Incline, Resistance Level, Target HR, Telemetry HR
Max User Weight: 410 lbs.
Product Weight: 450 lbs.
Cost: Under $8500

-The Treadmill Sensei
http://www.treadmillsensei.com

Ohiyo!

I haven’t talked about my son for a week or so now because things have been a bit crazy at the DOJO, like always! Since he arrived in Southern California for his summer vacation a couple of weeks ago, I have put my son to work in the repair shop. He said it was too hard for him to find a summer job becase of his long hair so I solved both of his problems in one fell-swoop: I told him he was going to work with me at the DOJO and then informed him my beloved wife would be cutting his hair. It didn’t take him long to get over the double shock and he’s been doing really well helping me review and test out equipment for the reviews. He’s been spending 4-5 hours a day working out on treadmills or ellipticals we have in here at the shop and seems to be enjoying it quite a bit.

Here at the DOJO the Sensei has been hearing about a lot of interesting new equipment coming up for the next busy season — in fitness, the busy selling season runs from about November through April. I say “interesting” because while I am hearing about some very cool equipment I’ve also heard rumors about one formerly decent manufacturer potentially producing one of the worst ideas since allowing Rosanne Barr to sing the National Anthem. But more on that after the big fitness show in Denver next month.

Today I want to talk about a long historied company which tends to go unnoticed, at least on the treadmill and elliptical side of things. The company I’m talking about is Recreational Supply, Inc., who produces the BodyCraft line of fitness equipment. Now, anyone who is in to strength training or high quality home gyms is probably already familiar with that name: BodyCraft manufactures some of the top rated gyms you can buy and are known for ultra high quality, good pricing and excellent customer service. Let’s see how one of their treadmills holds up to their reputation.

A few weeks ago one of the DOJO’s clients, a local gym owner named Ken, offered to loan me a BodyCraft 1160 Treadmill he had picked up several months before. I was a bit surprised Ken could run because he is one of the largest men I’ve ever met — I believe he’s got muscles that haven’t been named yet. Whenever he calls to have us install or service equipment in his gym I always joke and ask if he needs a neck installed as well. He’s a good guy. Ken made me swear not to take his treadmill apart. Don’t tell Ken, but that is the first thing we did in order to see how easy the BodyCraft 1160 is to assemble.

Beginning with the assembly, the 1160 treadmill was very easy to put together. BodyCraft did an excellent job with all of its machined parts and drilled holes…and everything lined up perfectly on the machine. I made my son put the unit back together so I know it isn’t that difficult — he has problems putting a sentence together, so him getting the BodyCraft 1160 together in under 20 minutes was a great indication of the unit’s great instructions.

From there I had him give the BodyCraft 1160 treadmill an hour workout. He doesn’t have a huge amount of experience with the equipment so it was an excellent opportunity to see how a real owner of one of these treadmills would use the machine. The first thing he did was play with the speed and incline controls. He mentioned that the BodyCraft’s controls were a lot more responsive than the ones on the Bowflex his roommates use back in New York city. He also liked the layout of the treadmill console with an LCD screen above and LED readouts below.

From there he worked his way through a number of the 15 programs on the BOdyCraft 1160. I also asked him to hop a bit to test to treadmill’s sturdiness and shock absorption. My son is a bigger guy, approximate 260 lbs and 6′ tall, and the solid frame and deck of the BodyCraft 1160 held up extremely well to his bulk — a bulk my wife is hoping we can help him reduce over the summer.

On the technical side, BodyCraft has learned very well from its home gym construction in regards to making one of the most solid treadmills available for under $1800. Very few other treadmills in this price range can give you the rock-solid feel of the BodyCraft 1160.

I was a bit surprised to see a 2.5 horsepower motor rating on a treadmill in the $1500-$2000 price class. Normally a manufacturer will rank up a motor in order to compete spec to spec with other models. Do not be fooled by the 2.5hp rating on the BodyCraft 1160. The motor is a monster. It runs cool, at low RPMs and don’t pull a huge number of amps when loaded down. This is a motor that someone like Icon would rank up as a 4hp or higher, and is commercial quality. These are the same motors used in a number of gym grade machines out there.

The 1160 stacks up and even exceeds most other standard home treadmills in its class. It has a runner-friendly 20″ x 58″ running area, well-machined 2.5″ rollers, an outstanding 15 programs, heart rate monitoring and control, and power assisted folding. The only areas to nitpick on the machine are the top speed (11 MPH) and maximum incline (12%). I’d like to see BodyCraft punch those numbers up a bit in order to be the top choice for those looking for running workouts or marathon training. Bowflex, Spirit and Sole watch out…these guys mean business!

For putting out a great machine (and for having an owner named Al Gore!), the Treadmill Sensei gives the BodyCraft 1160 Treadmill a top score of 4.5 out of 5 golden buddahs.

The BodyCraft 1160 has a nice showing with 4.5 gold buddahs out of 5.


Get more information on the BodyCraft 1160 Treadmill.

BodyCraft 1160 Treadmill Specifications
Motor: 2.5hp
Running Area: 20″ x 58″
Rollers: 2.5″
Max Speed: 11mph
Max Incline: 12%
Programs: 15
Console: LCD
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Readouts: Speed, incline, pulse, time, pace, calories and distance
Folding: Yes
Max User Weight: 350 lbs
Unit Weight: 270lbs

-The Treadmill Sensei
http://www.treadmillsensei.com

Ohiyo!

From time to time, your Treadmill Sensei likes to bring up questions that you, his loyal readers, ask him time and time again. Usually I end up writing an incredibly witty and insightful article to answer the question for everyone who has asked it and for those of you who haven’t had a chance to ask it yet. Over the past year there has been a question I’ve been asked time and time again — and it’s been a question that I’ve been unsure how to answer and, even more important, a question I wasn’t sure if I should answer it at all.

The question in question is “where to buy a good treadmill or elliptical and where to get a good deal.” I’ve tried to refrain from pointing anyone out in particular beyond placing some links at the bottom of my articles showing off the best price I know of online. But, beyond that I tend to shy away from focusing on any one dealer (online or offline) in particular.

What I’ve decided to do is to start posting deals I find online — coupons, rebates, sales and so on. If another treadmill “review site” can post when CostCo is having a deal because of their backroom agreements with Icon Fitness, then I’ll at least try to post some useful savings for you on quality equipment.

The best deal of the summer is probably the one at Elite Fitness Equipment. If you’re looking for a discount treadmill or discount elliptical, then check them out. They have a solid reputation for shipping quickly and for quality customer service.

The other consistantly great place to pick up deals is the Fitness section of Amazon. That company has some unbelievably low prices that pop up for discount treadmills and discount ellipticals.

What I’ll try to do if time allows is set up a coupon section here on the website to display what coupons and deals are floating around on the internet at any given time. In fact, if you, my loyal readers, find any great deals then feel free to pass them along and I’ll post those as well. Look for a new review later on tonight.

-The Treadmill Sensei
http://www.treadmillsensei.com

Ohiyo!

The Treadmill Sensei wants to lecture you, his loyal readers, for a couple of minutes about a brand you may or may not be aware of. I’ve talked about SportsArt Fitness a few times here on the website, generally in very glowing terms. Unfortunately, a lot of readers aren’t familiar with their equipment because SportsArt’s treadmills and ellipticals are sold only in brick-and-mortar stores. As a result they don’t have as high of a recognition factor for those of you who do a lot of your equipment research online.

The Treadmill Sensei, on the other hand, only has a deal with his readers. And that deal is to give you my opinion on what sucks and what doesn’t…and your side of the deal is to hang on my every word. That seems fair to me…

Anyway, today I want to talk a bit about the SportsArt TR31 Treadmill. I was able to borrow a demo unit from a local gym owner for a week in order to get some solid workout time on it. Reviewing a piece of equipment for an hour or two (or only for a few minutes at a tradeshow like some other sites do) really isn’t enough to get in to the meat and bones of it. The only real way to see how a unit is going to perform for a buyer is to spend a week or more working out on the treadmill, logging in hours and hours while trying out every little detail. I was able to spend a little over 10 hours on the SportsArt TR31 and I must say it was an excellently performing treadmill.

The basics of the SportsArt TR31 are the same as its bigger brother, the TR32 treadmill. Same monstrous 3.2 horsepower motor. I’ve seen this motor in action for a couple of years now and in my experience it will not breakdown if properly maintained. SportsArt picked an excellent motor to power all of its top end machines and they found one that will probably outlive most of its owners! Put a treadmill mat under your unit and spritz the motor with compressed air every few months and you’ll see exactly what I’m talking about.

The TR31 also has the same deck and the same basic display set up. The main difference comes in the lack of pulse grip heart rate monitors on the TR31 Treadmill’s hand grips and the lack of the manual Adjustable Cushioning System of the SportsArt TR32. This does make a difference in the machine, but not a huge one for the pricing. It’s like buying a Lexus versus buying a Lexus with the automatic parallel parking feature. Both are excellent cars but one has just a little more for an increased cost.

If you’re looking for an ultra high quality treadmill but aren’t ready to step up to the SportsArt TR32 Treadmill’s $3500 or so cost, then take a look at the SportsArt TR31 at a bit under $3000. It may not park itself, but it will give you one of the most comfortable workouts in its price range.

For being another solid treadmill from an excellent manufacturer, the Treadmill Sensei gives the SportsArt TR31 Treadmill 4.5 out of 5 Golden Buddahs.

At 4.5 gold buddahs out of 5, the Treadmill Sensei hopes he can convince Mrs. Sensei to let him get a SportsArt TR31 treadmill to match the SportsArt Elliptical in his den.


Find more information on the SportsArt TR31 and get the lowest price online.

SportsArt TR31 Treadmill Specifications
Motor: 3.2hp
Running Area: 22″ x 61″
Max Speed: 11mph
Max Incline: 15%
Programs: 9
Display: Dot Matrix
Readouts: Calories, Speed, Incline, Time, Disatance, Heart Rate, Mets, Pace
Heart Rate Monitor: Wireless
Heart Rate Control: Yes
Rollers: 3″
Max User Weight: 450lbs
Unit Weight: 330lbs
Price: $2899

-The Treadmill Sensei
http://www.treadmillsensei.com

Ohiyo!

Elliptical trainers have been around in the fitness industry for just a bit less time than the Treadmill Sensei has. They first popped back up in the early 1990s (me? the late 1980s) and have taken off like no other piece of equipment before it. While there has been a wide acceptance, and even love, of the elliptical trainer (or the crosstrainer), there has been one nagging question which has plagued people working out on them since the very beginning. Let’s check out the note below from “Christine” to see what that question is.

Take it away, Christine!

Sensei,
Your website is fantastic, and enjoyable, too!

Thanks for your website – it is pretty much the ONLY place for reliable information! -Christine

Christine:

Thanks for your note and I’m glad you were able to get some help from the website. As I mentioned above, having your feet go numb during a longer elliptical workout has been a problem since ellipticals first appeared in gyms. If your workout went longer to 30 minutes you’d generally start to feel a strange tingling in your feet, and if you continued beyond 45 minutes then your feet and toes would go completely number or “asleep.” It was and is a pain for a lot of people and it causes a lot of people to cut their workouts short or to even quit working out on the machines all together.

The problem stems from an inherant flaw in the way a lot of ellipticals are built. The pedals on a lot of ellipticals are set at an unnatural angle to the way we walk and keep your feet completely flat on them during a workout. And what happens when your feet are set unmoving, and with constant pressure on them while you stand? That’s right, they fall asleep! Think about it like standing still in a line for 45 minutes — that constant pressure on your feet will cause you to get the very familiar “pins and needles” sensation known as paresthesia, which comes from prolongued pressure on your nerves (my wife’s Uncle Chris causes this sensation to appear in my head when I’m around him too much).

The funny thing is that what helps your knees and joints on an elliptical (keeping your feet planted) is what causes the elliptical’s biggest problem!

Unfortunately, a lot of elliptical manufacturers are still producing units using some very outdated designs which will still cause your feet to fall asleep while working out on them. Luckily, tho, a number of units are produced which should reduce this effect. Units which have “articulating footpads” are ellipticals which are specifically addressing this problem. As are units which place pedals closer together and/or place them at a slight inward incline.

There are a number of things you can do to further reduce the chances of your feet falling asleep during a workout.

• Wear comfortable, well padded shoes. This is just basic common sense for any workout and applies to elliptical training as well. Keep your shoes laced up a bit looser than normal. The tighter the shoe the more chance your feet will take a nap during your workout due to lessened circulation.
• Change the positioning of your feet during the workout. Make sure to move them around on the pedal a bit and wiggle your toes. Believe it or not, this will help and will keep the circulation up on your feet.
• Keep your workouts shorter and do multiple “sets.” Instead of doing a 1-hour workout, try two 30-minute ones instead. Truthfully, multiple workouts over the course of the day are more effective for weight loss and in keeping you metabolism up for a longer period.
• Try breaking up your workout with a short period going in reverse. Even if your elliptical won’t track the workout, changing the direction of your workout for a few minutes will work a different set of muscles and the change will help keep your feet from falling asleep by altering where the pressure is falling on them: from the ball to the heel.
• If your elliptical has an incline option, use it and vary the settings. Changing the degree of your elliptical’s workout arc will help by keeping constant pressure off of one area of your feet.

If your feet keep falling asleep during your workouts, don’t dispair and don’t stop working out…there are things you can do to help yourself, even if you’re stuck on an old Tunturi Elliptical. The most important thing is to keep working out and to get healthy.

-The Treadmill Sensei
http://www.treadmillsensei.com

Ohiyo!

The Treadmill Sensei gets a lot of email everyday, and far too much of it goes unanswered. So, starting today I am going to be posting some of the reader comments here on the website. If you’ve got something to say – positive or negative – then it can end up here for every to read. In fact, if you’ve got your own review of a piece of equipment you’ve purchased, then send it in and I’ll post it too! Check back every day for new comments and reader reviews.

Enjoy!

READER REVIEWS AND COMMENTS

7/16/07
I really love your humor and personality that shows through on your web site, and have suggested that my hubby read some of your entries just because they are kind of funny. You’ve been a great help – thanks! -Christine

Hello Sensei,
I’ll be buying a treadmill sometime over the next few months: Your website has been a HUGE help in figuring out what I need to buy in a machine. -Kat

First of all, great website. It is a must read for any less than professional shoppers. Very easy to understand and very much appreciated. The only other thing I can find are user reviews and those are usually less than helpful. -Rob

Hi Sensei,
First of all, I just wanted to say that your website is absolutely wonderful! Great information that I feel is completely trustworthy and brutally honest -Ted

Sensei,
Thanks so much for your efforts on behalf of those who are looking for sound fitness equipment!! It is a great thing to find someone who is knowledgeable and that can be trusted!! -Bob

7/3/07
Hi Treadmill Sensei,
Your website was so helpful!! I just placed an order for the F63 from Sole. Thanks! -Theresa

Osu Sensei!
Your site has been a great source of information while I am researching which elliptical to purchase. – Bob

Hello Sensei,
Love your site and treadmill advice. When the time came to buy a treadmill for my wife and myself, it was extremely helpful. -Jacob

Dear Sensei,
Your site is wealth of information and I love your witty humor! Thanks to you I am moving toward achieving elliptical enlightenment! -Nicole

Hi!
I just found and love your web site…best info I’ve found on the web, Thanks! -Steve R.

Hello Sensei,
I found your site the other day because the wife and I are looking for a good piece of health equipment for you house. I really like your view as a mechanic on the products. It really seems to allow you to see the guts of the machines and let us buyers know what to watch out for…Thank You! -Jeff T.

Treadmill Sensei,
I’ve been looking for sound advice on elliptical trainers, and your blog is a revelation. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. -David V.

I was looking for some reviews on the sole ellipticals and stumbled across your website. Needless to say I was very entertained AND received some great information.
Regards, Cary L.

Dear Sensei:
What a terrific discovery your website has been as I search for the ideal home elliptical machine for me and my wife. You’ve been a great resource. -Mark C.

-The Treadmill Sensei
http://www.treadmillsensei.com/

Ohiyo!

In spite of having run this website since June 2006, the Treadmill Sensei is actually pretty internet and computer ignorant. Now, I have been online since the mid 1990s, but I’ve only ever used my computer for email and for playing games online (something I enjoy, but have less and less time for every day). The idea of starting a “blog” was completely alien to me and I didn’t even know what that term meant until my wife and daughter suggested I start one after hearing me complain about the shady dealings of other treadmill review sites for the thousandth time. I guess that was their way of telling me to “shut up” about it!

Smooth Fitness, on the other hand, has been one of the leading fitness websites since around 1996 and is easily the most successful treadmill/elliptical manufacturer online. Smooth Fitness as a fitness retailer has been around since the early 80s but has only been producing the Smooth treadmills and ellipticals since the late 90s.

Because Smooth sells its units direct to customers instead of going through retail outlets, there are no additional costs associated with a “middleman.” What that means is Smooth can sell its higher end units at a much lower cost, allowing a customer to buy a near commercial quality unit for a very low price. You can see the difference of going manufacturer direct by comparing a $999 Smooth 5.25 to most everything in its price range…the Smooth will out-perform just about everything.

In the past Smooth’s ellipticals were a bit under featured and over-priced, but they’ve taken a huge step in the right direction this year. With new longer strides, better consoles and great pricing, the Smooth CE2.1 and CE 3.2 ellipticals are now some of the best units in the $1000-$1700 price range. Smooth’s star unit is its Smooth CE 7.4 Elliptical, which is one of the finest units just under $2000 and one of the best rear drive ellipticals ever produced for the home market.

If you’re looking for top of the line treadmills between $1000 and $2000, then Smooth should be at the top of your list.

Smooth Treadmills:

• Smooth 4.25 Treadmill Review: Excellent treadmill for a limited space
• Smooth 5.25 Treadmill Review: An outstanding treadmill at 4.5 buddahs.
• Smooth 6.25 Treadmill Review: A solid runner’s treadmill but the deck is a tad short for taller owners. 3.5 Buddahs.
• Smooth 7.1HR Treadmill Review: A top rated treadmill under $2000 at 4.5 buddahs.
• Smooth 7.1HR Pro Treadmill Review: Best Buy Runner Up under $2000 at 4.5 buddahs.
• Smooth 9.25HR Treadmill Review: Easily one of the best non-folding treadmills under $2000. 4.5 buddahs.
• Smooth 9.25x Treadmill Review: 2008 Best Buy Award under $2500 winner at 5 buddahs.

Smooth Ellipticals:

• Smooth CE2.1 Elliptical Review: Solid elliptical now updated with an 18″ stride. 4.5 buddahs.
• Smooth CE3.2 Elliptical Review: Solid elliptical for $1500, now with an 18″ stride. 4 buddahs.
• Smooth CE7.4 Elliptical Review: The best rear drive elliptical under $2000 and a best buy with 4.5 buddahs.

-The Treadmill Sensei
http://www.treadmillsensei.com