Treadmills deliver a number of benefits to the body because they are cardiovascular tools. When you perform cardio, you are doing physical activity. Regular bouts of physical activity help improve endurance and reduce the risk for high blood pressure, according to the American Heart Association. The word "manual" can mean different things when it comes to treadmills.
Manual Option
Treadmills come with consoles that contain a digital screen. During exercise, a readout of your time, speed, incline and caloric expenditure can be seen. You also will find buttons to change the speed and incline, or to choose a built-in program. If you choose a program from the computer, the belt will move on its own at faster and slower speeds, and the incline will go up and down from time to time. A manual option is when you choose to adjust the speed and incline by yourself and create your own workout.
Manual Treadmills
The kind of treadmills with the digital bells and whistles are called mechanical or automated. Another form of treadmill exists that does not involve electricity or a motor. It is called a manual treadmill, and as the name implies, you operate it manually with your body. These are not as big or high-grade as the mechanical models, but they can save you money if you are looking for a cardio machine for your home. Being that you have to move the belt manually, this treadmill takes more effort than the automated variety.
Reasons for Manual Adjustment
When you use a mechanical treadmill, the manual adjustment comes in handy when you are performing interval training or sprint intervals. To start out, walk briskly or jog lightly for five to 10 minutes to warm up. Continually hit the up arrow for the speed to get to a pace that you would consider 75 percent to 80 percent maximum effort. Remain at this pace for 20 to 30 seconds, then reduce your speed to about 50 percent maximum effort and remain there for 40 to 60 seconds. Alternate back and forth for the rest of your workout. Mix the incline into interval training. Instead of manually adjusting your speed, turn the incline up. This will increase your intensity while placing more resistance on your legs and buttocks. The main benefit of interval training is an increased caloric expenditure.
Keypad
Mechanical treadmills also come equipped with a numbered keypad. If you are warming up at 4 mph and want to jump up to 8 mph, you can use the keypad for a shortcut. Instead of continually hitting the up arrow, punch "8" and "0" into the keypad, then hit "Enter." The speed will automatically go up.
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