It is affordable, powerful, quiet and it will help you shed those unwanted pounds.Yes this treadmill is expensive, but that expensive cost is more than made up for by the warranty that simply cannot be beat. When people complain about the treadmill being boring, it is probably because they do the same workout over and over.magnetic exercise bikeMy brother-in-law was almost 350 pounds 3 months ago and the Sole F83 didn't have any issue carrying his weight at higher speed. Each are twenty minutes long, include a warm up and cool down period, and are equally effective for runners or walkers.With a non-motorized treadmill, you go only as fast as you push yourself.manual treadmillFortunately, all that has changed. Granted it doesn't exactly mimic an out door run but it works great when you just can't get out.As you can see, the price rises with the higher level of quality and durability that is built into each of these machines and that is to be expected. Before you make a treadmill purchase, there are some things that should be taken into consideration.And since it's still selling really well, more and more companies have begun manufacturing them. There are a lot of choices out there and it can be difficult to filter through all of them and choose one.
A new patent application from Apple describes an exercise motivation feature that presents a "virtual competitor," providing an "interactive and engaging experience" for fitness enthusiasts.
The application revealed this week, entitled "Real-Time Interaction with a Virtual Competitor While Performing an Exercise Routine," notes that while there are currently a variety of methods designed to push athletes farther, some people want something even more engaging.
Fitness enthusiasts sometimes need new sources of motivation, such as when training indoors during inclement weather," the application reads. "Modern health clubs partly serve this need by providing television monitors and music to entertain members using treadmills, stationary bicycles, elliptical trainers, and other fitness equipment. Products like the Nike+iPod Sports Kit provide workout-based voice feedback, motivational media, and the ability to share workouts among Nike+community members."
The application describes a networked system that could download a workout file associated with the virtual competitor. The system could also determine the performance of the athlete using the iPod or iPhone, and compare their performance with that of the virtual competitor.
Such a system could track the "performance metrics" of the user in both physiological terms, such s heart rate, blood oxygen content and temperature, and non-physiological performance indicators, like speed and distance.
As for the competitor, the system could display visual cues, such as location, via GPS, on Google Maps, demonstrating the user's position relative to the virtual opponent. The system could also be done audibly, allowing a runner to focus on their performance.
"For example, as user� passes the 2-mile mark, an audible cue played through the headset� may announce a 2-mile split of 10:27," the application reads. "If user� has a lead� cues may be played if the lead is less than a predetermined distance. For example, if the lead is less than 100 feet, an audible cue may be played, such as 'He's right behind you.' For smaller leads, an audile cue may be the sound of footsteps thumping."
If a user were running indoors on a treadmill, cycle, or elliptical machine, the virtual competitor system could be turned into a game, where the runner can conduct "tactical maneuvers," tracked with a camera, that can be use to complete certain actions. The competitor, represented by a virtual avatar, could potentially be crowded out by the user with a hands-free mouse, and such actions in the game could earn the runner points.
Have you ever thought how cool it would be if your treadmill could take you on a virtual jog through nature so you could watch something more scenic than the gym wall while you run? Well, your day is coming.
Virtual Active, which lets you access a library of running, hiking, and biking workouts filmed live in beautiful outdoor locations, is releasing a free half hour sample of its virtual exercise experience for download on iTunes on March 1.
Virtual Active is also working with cardio equipment manufacturer Johnson Health Tech, the #4 manufacturer of cardio equipment, and The Indoorcycling Group, a leading European indoor cycling company. Johnson’s 7xe line of Matrix Cardio equipment will automatically adjust the treadmill incline to mimic the terrain in the video, adjust the speed of video playback based on the user’s running speed, and provide on-location nature audio (in the case of cardio-enabled downloads, the video would not be able to provide such interactivity). In addition, these manufacturers plan to introduce SyncStep, which will allow users to hear the sounds of their steps over the terrain as they run or walk. For example, when running on a wooded trail, the user might hear crunching leaves underfoot each time their foot hits the tread.
The company has perfected filming while running at 12-14 mph paces for smooth video playback, all shot in HD. Virtual Active will also be introducing its commercial equipment to health clubs on March 10 at the International Racquet and Sports Club Association (IHRSA) fitness trade show in San Diego.
Videos of the location-based workouts, which include Yellowstone, Yosemite, Niagara Falls, Mount Rushmore, and the Grand Tetons, will be sold on DVD for $19.95, as downloads for $9.95, on Blu-ray disc or as part of specially-equipped cardio equipment packages.
The company will be launching their full online store May 1, where users can downloads instructional videos by fitness professionals as well as upbeat workout tunes from music provider Rumblefish, which can be played on any iPod-compatible fitness equipment or can be burned to DVD and watched at home.
The company’s business model is a mix of software sales and manufacturing partnerships on which it is paid per unit of cardio equipment sold as well as the majority of the revenue from additional content downloads. It also has a Passport Player, a standalone web-connected media player that health clubs can install to conduct classes and would be based on a monthly subscription. In addition, it is exploring brand associations and partnerships, in which a billboard along a running route or the instructor’s fitness gear would be provided by a sponsor. I was able to view some mockups, and these opportunities are not at all intrusive to the user’s fitness experience but offer brands prominent product placement throughout the video.
Johnson Health Tech and The Indoorcycling Group also have a partnership with Livestrong that will include Virtual Active’s content for Livestrong-branded equipment.
Virtual Active was founded by John Ford, who is a runner and has also played competitive soccer, after he left his job in corporate accounting at Clorox, in 2006. The company is based in San Francisco and has 10 full-time employees. The privately held company has received $2.5 million in funding from friends and family to date. Most competitors, such as Trixter and Expresso, focus on cycling, whereas Virtual Active is focusing on the full range of cardio equipment, including mountain biking, running and hiking for treadmills and ellipticals, and steep hiking on step machines, said Ford. “By Fitting entertainment to a person’s favorite exercise and not making them change modalities,” Ford believes the market for Virtual Active is quadrupled.
While all the locations filmed are in the US, The company will be filming locations in Germany and Italy in April and Australia and New Zealand later this year. It hopes to film locations all over the world, said Ford. Ford said his goals for the company include acquiring some powerful brand partnerships, expanding the content library to cover the globe, and increasing Virtual Active’s distribution to every place screens exist in the fitness world.
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Are you determined to stay with your weight loss program, but you need to travel a lot? If it is raining, snowing, loose dogs, or what ever the reason is, you will not need to worry because you will be able to get your running in no matter what by using this machine.If you're like one of the millions of people out there that have wanted to start a better healthy lifestyle, or just simply looking to lose a few pounds, you might want to get yourself a great motorized treadmill. If you're not a new comer to the treadmill arena, then you'll love the more advanced features found on this machine. With a sturdy constructed frame, and full options you're going to love how great and easy to use this machine really is. folding treadmillThe treadmill is built according to the demand and specification of health clubs and gyms. When looking for a higher end 'commercial grade' treadmill for your home gym, consider a 'lighter' version of a commercial treadmill model or a home fitness equipment brand that is known for higher end machines. This allows for a larger user weight, and will come with a lifetime warranty against cracks or breakage.As more and more people developed the habit of doing regular exercise, the popularity of commercial treadmills has also increased.
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