The Nautilus Treadclimber (made by the same folks that bring us all those Bowflex commercials) has been out for a couple years, but I just got a chance to use one today, so I thought I’d write a quick review of it. I’d seen it described as a cross between a treadmill and a stair climber, but that’s not exactly right.
It’s like a treadmill that’s split down the middle, so you have to keep your feet exactly on their sides of the machine. Each section goes up and down independently, so it’s kind of like you’re climbing a slope, but you have to be careful where you step. The idea is to keep your steps in sync with the up and down motion (it took me a few minutes to get used to it), so you don’t lose your balance.
The movement of the treads makes for a little more interesting workout than you get on a treadmill or stair climber. There’s definitely more core-muscle stabilization required, especially if you use the machine at a decent speed with a decent incline (I maxed the incline and walked at about 3.5 mph; this allowed me to burn just under 300 calories in 20 minutes). It should be noted that the Treadclimber is only designed to work with walking, not running or jogging. I got a good workout just walking though (and I workout everyday, so I’m in pretty good cardiovascular shape).
Though the calories burned ends up being similar to what you get on an elliptical trainer, I felt the Treadclimber was actually a better workout. The whole balance issue makes you work a little harder to keep your stride even and to keep your heels from brushing against the boundaries in the back. You’re constantly adjusting your stride to stay in control, especially if you walk with your hands swinging at yourself instead of holding onto the rail.
Overall, I found it to be a good workout, and I would definitely choose a Treadclimber again over the other standard gym cardio machines.
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