Quality treadmills abound. According to Exercise Equipment Review, treadmills are still the No. 1 piece of exercise equipment on the market. The Bowflex TreadClimber is a piece of cardiovascular equipment that functions as three fitness machines in one: a treadmill, a stair climber and an elliptical. Both the TreadClimber and the treadmill blast calories, but exercising on the TreadClimber burns, on average, up to three times more calories than exercising on a treadmill.
How the TreadClimber Works
The Bowflex TreadClimber is a cross-trainer that offers three workout modes (treadmill, stair climber and elliptical). The TreadClimber allows you to engage in a low-impact, intense workout. The pedals appear and function much like those of an elliptical trainer, operating independently or together, lifting up and under your foot. You must physically lift up your feet throughout your workout, which forces you to focus on multiple muscle groups.
Altering Intensity
Treadmills allow exercisers to walk or run on a cushioned surface at a maximum speed (for more expensive models) of up to 16 miles per hour (mph) and a maximum incline (on higher-end models) of 15 percent, in 0.5 increments. Speed and incline determine caloric expenditure on a standard treadmill. The Bowflex TreadClimber is not designed for running but low-impact walking, climbing and stepping. Speed and resistance determine workout intensity. For this machine, the speed range is 0.7 to 4.0 mph, and there are 12 resistance levels.
Factors Affecting Caloric Expenditure
Factors that affect how many calories you burn during an aerobic workout include gender, age and fitness level. Workout intensity itself determines caloric expenditure. Speed, resistance and incline level alter intensity and thus the number of calories burned during a workout. According to Jeffrey Janot, Ph.D., of the IDEA Health & Fitness Association, oxygen consumption, measured by VO2 max, is the best indicator of exercise intensity because it is tied closely to energy expenditure. The greater the exercise intensity, the more oxygen you consume and the more calories you burn.
Scientific Evidence
The TreadClimber enables you to enhance your VO2 max quickly and efficiently to burn the maximum number of calories. Clinical tests comparing caloric expenditure were conducted in 2005 at the Human Performance Laboratory of New York's Adelphi University. Researchers found that, at comparable speeds and intensity levels, it takes more than twice as long to burn the same number of calories on a treadmill as on a TreadClimber. Additionally, researchers concluded that, at the same pace, you would have to walk on a treadmill for 1 hour, 17 minutes to burn the same number of calories as you would in 30 minutes on the TreadClimber.
Difference In Numbers
A 130-pound person burns about 150 calories walking for 30 minutes on a treadmill at 3 mph and a 0 percent incline, approximately 191 calories working out on a stair climber (at level 3) and about 240 calories walking on a treadmill at 3 mph and an incline of 9 percent. Working out on the Bowflex TreadClimber for 30 minutes (3 mph, level 12) burns the most calories, approximately 321. These numbers were based on 22 clinical trials led by Dr. Neil Wolkodoff, a trainer of professional athletes, conducted at the Human Performance Laboratory of Adelphi University.
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