The discontinued NordicTrack Walkfit broke the treadmill mold -- or at least bent it -- by including elliptical-trainer-style poles to push and pull on for an upper-body workout as you walk. If you still have one of these treadmills or stumble across a secondhand model, there are two ways to adjust resistance: a knob on the console to manage lower-body resistance, and a separate knob to adjust the upper-body poles’ resistance.
Lower-Body Resistance
Step 1
Locate the lower-body resistance knob, which is located near the upper left corner of the treadmill console.
Step 2
Stand near the front of the tread belt -- holding onto the console or the locked-in-place upper-body arms for support if necessary -- and start walking. The tread belt will move beneath you with each step you take. The tread belt must be in motion for you to safely adjust the lower-body resistance.
Step 3
Rotate the lower-body resistance knob slowly clockwise to increase the resistance, or rotate it counterclockwise to decrease the resistance. A red bar in the indicator panel, just beneath the knob, gives you a graphic representation of the resistance level. If the red extends all the way across the indicator window, the treadmill is already operating at its maximum resistance level.
Upper-Body Resistance
Step 1
Dismount the treadmill and locate the upper-body resistance knob, located at the bottom of the upright support.
Step 2
Rotate the upper-body resistance knob clockwise to increase resistance, or counterclockwise to decrease resistance.
Step 3
Mount the treadmill, begin walking, and grasp the upper-body workout poles. Alternately push and pull them as you walk, swinging your arms in a natural walking stride.
Tips and Warnings
- Most of the Walkfit models are manual treadmills -- in other words they have no motor, and depend on the force of your steps to move the tread belt beneath you. However, some Walkfit models do have an optional motor. If you have a motorized Walkfit model, you can use it in either manual or motorized mode, but you should only adjust the lower-body resistance when using the treadmill in manual mode.
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