What Results Will You Get Using the Bowflex Treadclimber?

The Bowflex TreadClimber is a hybrid cardio machine that combines the benefits of a treadmill with those of the stair stepper machine. Bowflex claims that the hybrid technology built into the TreadClimber allows you to "get the body you want in half the time," but there's no scientific research to prove this statement. As of 2011, there are three Bowflex TreadClimber models on the market: TC1000, TC5000 and TC5500.

The Bowflex TreadClimber features dual treadles, or treadmill decks for each of your feet. These treadles oscillate up and down while the treadmill belt on each moves similar to a treadmill motion. There are handle bars available for balance as well as an electronic dashboard for changing programs and monitoring your progress. The top-speed of TreadClimber ranges from 3.8 mph on the low-end TC5000 up to 4.5 mph on the top-of-the-line TC5500 model.

The cardio benefits are potentially high with consistent training on a TreadClimber machine. Professional fitness models at Fitness-events.com tested the TreadClimber and found the cardio benefit to be among one of its greatest strengths. The result of 30 to 60 minutes of moderately-active cardio exercise each day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, will lower your blood pressure, improve your HDL cholesterol, help you burn calories and lower your risk of heart disease.

The stair-stepping action of the TreadClimber can help to tone the muscles in your legs. The TreadClimber simulates walking uphill or up a set of stairs. Your calves, quadriceps, glutes and hamstrings – all of the major muscle groups in your legs – are exercised with this type of action. An article published in "The Telegraph" also points out that walking up stairs offers several positive health benefits, including reducing your risk of dying prematurely by as much as 15 percent.

Used consistently, the TreadClimber can help you lose weight over time. The manufacturer claims that exercising at a level 12 intensity for 30 minutes at a speed of 3.2 mph, you can burn 321 calories. This is only an estimate due to the fact that heavier people will burn more calories than lighter people exercising at the same intensity and duration. However, using 321 calories-per-workout as a baseline estimate, you can burn the equivalent of 1 lb. of body fat every nine to 10 days exercising for 30 minutes-a-day.