Your thoughts on the Bowflex Tread Climber?

CurvaciousBeautyToBe
CurvaciousBeautyToBe Posts: 100 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey fellow MFPers,

Was curious about your thoughts on the Bowflex Tread Climber. Has anyone ever used this machine and is it worth the price tag or just a bunch of hype? Please let me know your thoughts. :)


Crystal

Replies

  • larsensue
    larsensue Posts: 461 Member
    watching for responses. curious as well.
  • tonynguyen75
    tonynguyen75 Posts: 418 Member
    I haven't bought it or used it, but IMO, your money is better used on a gym membership.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    It's a cardio machine that let's you walk indoors. I wouldn't expect or pay for miraculous results.
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
    I'd much rather climb stairs
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
    They had one at the gym I belonged to a few years ago. I hated it.

    I was constantly tripping, because the treads are spaced farther apart than my natural gate. Yeah, not fun. And I didn't feel like it was as good as stairs for hitting the legs, but more annoying than a treadmill because I couldn't run. I love hiking in the mountains, but not on a machine.
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    Save your money. walk outdoors or join a gym with a treadmill and walk there while doing other workouts, like strength training, classes, etc.
  • chelovik
    chelovik Posts: 200 Member
    I own one and for indoor cardio it does the job it is like anything else you have to get your heart rate in the zone
  • Shawshankcan
    Shawshankcan Posts: 900 Member
    Would it not just be comparable to putting a normal treadmill on an incline, but where you can't actually run on it? I would just get a treadmill.
  • JDMarlowe
    JDMarlowe Posts: 327 Member
    I bought one a few months ago because it has become increasingly harder to actually go TO the gym. With my work schedule as a 911 dispatcher and my wife working 24 hour shifts as a paramedic, there is not a lot of time that we are all at home so she can watch our 6 month old daughter...and my gym does not offer any child care.

    I personally like the tread climber. I was very skeptical at first, thinking it would be just like my treadmill, but I was surprised at the difference I felt. The only down side about it, the 2 separate moving treads, it gets kind of tricky.... I would not recommend this machine to a person that is clumsy.... it has me pouring sweat in very little time. But it does give a good work out and is very comparable to using a treadmill, elliptical, and stepper at the same time. Very unique movement. VERY easy on the joints which is very important to me because I have numerous artificial elements in my leg, hip, knee from a auto accident and it does not tolerate a lot of high impact exercise.
  • JDMarlowe
    JDMarlowe Posts: 327 Member
    Would it not just be comparable to putting a normal treadmill on an incline, but where you can't actually run on it? I would just get a treadmill.

    To an extent, it is similar. But it has hydraulics in the two separate treads, making you engage your legs to manually push them down as you walk. You definitely feel it in your legs, butt and core. I definitely feel a difference in how my body feels after using it VS using just a treadmill on incline.
  • Skinnymunkii
    Skinnymunkii Posts: 191 Member
    I bought one a few months ago because it has become increasingly harder to actually go TO the gym. With my work schedule as a 911 dispatcher and my wife working 24 hour shifts as a paramedic, there is not a lot of time that we are all at home so she can watch our 6 month old daughter...and my gym does not offer any child care.

    I personally like the tread climber. I was very skeptical at first, thinking it would be just like my treadmill, but I was surprised at the difference I felt. The only down side about it, the 2 separate moving treads, it gets kind of tricky.... I would not recommend this machine to a person that is clumsy.... it has me pouring sweat in very little time. But it does give a good work out and is very comparable to using a treadmill, elliptical, and stepper at the same time. Very unique movement. VERY easy on the joints which is very important to me because I have numerous artificial elements in my leg, hip, knee from a auto accident and it does not tolerate a lot of high impact exercise.
    I've used it, and I agree with the above. When it was available to me I loved it.
  • CurvaciousBeautyToBe
    CurvaciousBeautyToBe Posts: 100 Member
    Thank you everyone for your feedback. It sounds like I might have to go to a fitness equipment store that sells them to try it out first. :)

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