Treadmill Guide: Computers & Consoles

[ The Software ]

NordicTrack T 6.5s consoleAdvanced console on the NordicTrack T 6.5s
One of the biggest advances in home fitness equipment technology have been made in the computers and consoles. Gone are the days of an LED row of lights with the odd beep sounding off that Mr Spock would have been familiar with. These days, some on the top home and commercial treadmills have displays and controls that wouldn't look out of place on the flight deck of a Boeing 777 Dreamliner.

But are they just for show? Do you really need all that jazz?

The good news is they bring so much more to the everyday activity of indoor running. And in the past few years even more strides have been made (keep your eyes open, we use running terms quite a lot on this site!)

And even more good news, the sort of features that not too long ago would have been available on expensive, commercial treadmills, can now be found on very reasonably-priced models for the home.

So, apart from the obvious functions of a treadmill's console, such as, controlling the speed of the belt and incline settings, what can these fancy-looking bits of kit do?

Console and Training Profiles Explained


Actually, buttons are soooo yesterday. More treadmills now have color, HD touchscreens with maybe one-touch controls for fast speed and incline adjustments. But there's more to the console than just the display screen. Inside the box you'll find a computer with some pretty powerful functions interacting with the equipment's hardware.

The computer serves a number of purposes.
  1. Pre-set Programs: These automatically control the speed and incline settings to up your work rate. These usually include interval training where either the speed or incline increase and decrease at set intervals to give you chance to recover, before upping the pace once more. Other workouts are optimized for weight loss, increasing speed or improving fitness. For more information, see our page on treadmill workouts.
  2. Storing User Profiles: Some models record your performances over time and adjust the workouts to keep you moving in the right direction. And those that do usually can do so for multiple users - very useful if more than one member of your household wants to use it. Plus, the treadmill having knowledge of your progress is great for motivation. 
  3. Online Workouts: Some models have the ability to host races with other users around the world. Others have virtual runs from scenic or iconic places where you actually see the route. One of the leaders in this field is Icon Health & Fitness with their iFit training system. Their brands include NordicTrack and ProForm, but note, iFit is a membership service with a monthly fee.
  4. Real-Time/ Interactive Coaching: If you've seen the Peloton ads you'll know what's involved. You take part in a real-time workout with a real coach, but beware, the coach can take control of your speed and incline settings to stop you slacking! In addition to the brands mentioned above, Life Fitness and Nautilus offer this feature.

And of course, no onboard computer worth its salt would be without BlueTooth connectivity. This allows you to sync your device so you can listen to your favorite workout playlist through the console's speakers while you train. Plus. many SmartPhone fitness apps can be enabled to sync with your treadmill

For help on treadmill components, please see here>>>
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