Should A Treadmill Belt Speed Slow Down With Resistance?

Most treadmills offer two options for adjusting the intensity of your workout: speed and incline. The incline is similar to pedal resistance on an exercise bike or elliptical machine; the higher you set the incline, the more challenging the workout is. The speed of a motorized treadmill should not be affected by other factors, including the incline or the user. However, this is not true of a manual treadmill.

Treadmill Types

Treadmills are available as motorized or manual machines. Manual treadmills do not have a motor. Your foot movement powers the tread belt. If you stop walking, the belt stops moving. Motorized treadmills have a motor that power the tread belt; if you stop walking, the belt continues moving. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends a motorized treadmill because it may be too difficult to maintain a consistent pace on a manual treadmill. Your weight and the incline ramp will create resistance that slows the belt down.

Weight Capacity

Any resistance created by the weight of the user should not affect the speed on a motorized treadmill. However, a treadmill motor can only supply so much power. This is why every treadmill has a user weight capacity. If you exceed this capacity, you will overtax the motor, which can cause the belt to slow down, especially if you have the incline set at a steep angle.

Motor

Treadmill companies rate motors by horsepower. In general, the higher the horsepower, the more powerful the motor. Treadmill motors can range from as low as 1.0 to 5.0 HP. A more powerful motor sustains speeds, even at an incline, without the belt slowing down. To test the power of the motor, walk on the belt at its lowest speed. Plant each foot firmly, pressing down on the belt. If the belt hesitates or grinds, the motor is not powerful enough.

Maintenance

Other factors can cause the belt to slow down when you walk or run on a treadmill. As part of the routine maintenance of your treadmill, you should check the belt tension. If the belt is too tight, this can cause it to slow or hesitate. You should be able to lift the walking belt 2 to 4 inches off the deck. If not, the belt is too tight. Use an Allen wrench or hex key to adjust the rear roller bolts on the back-end of the deck.