Treadmills provide immediate feedback on your workout. Depending on the model, a treadmill displays the distance traveled, calories burned, heart rate, time elapsed, speed and incline. Some of the information provided is accurate, but other data is only an estimate. The distance, speed and incline are the most accurate. Calories burned is the least accurate.
Distance
A treadmill displays a distance in kilometers or miles. This is a fairly accurate measurement since the treadmill counts how many times the belt revolves around the deck. Other cardio machines, such as elliptical trainers, measure distance based on a mathematical equation that the manufacturer formulates. If you use the same treadmill at each workout, you can tell if you walked farther regardless of whether the numbers are exact.
Calories
The calories burned estimation is the least accurate of your workout information. According to an article in the Washington Post, treadmill manufacturers perform extensive tests on subjects to formulate calorie information. A treadmill prompts you to enter your height, weight and age so it can better estimate your calorie expenditure. However, too many factors are involved in calorie expenditure, such as metabolic rate, to accurately calculate calories burned.
Heart Rate
Most treadmills have pulse sensors on the handlebars. You can read your heart rate at any time by holding onto the handlebars for at least 15 to 30 seconds. An article in The Seattle Times notes that pulse monitors on fitness equipment can miscalculate your heart rate by up to 10 beats per minute. Treadmills may be the least accurate compared to stationary bikes and other cardio equipment because force of walking can affect the electrical readings on the monitor.
Other Numbers
Other feedback your treadmill displays, such as incline, time and speed, are accurate. A treadmill measures speed in miles per hour or kilometers per hour. The incline is reported as a percentage. Most treadmills incline between 0 and 10 percent. Most treadmills provide your elapsed time. Some models also count down from a predetermined time goal.
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