Treadmill and GPS

brentbarrie
brentbarrie Posts: 532 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I recently started running on the treadmill (Matrix MX-T3x) at my apartment complex gym while using Run Keeper along with the GPS on my phone. On RunKeeperI cant tell if the mileage is accurate or not. Sometimes it will change every few seconds and sometimes every couple of minutes.

Should I trust the mileage on the treadmill?
Is it pointless to try and use the GPS to calculate my distance when using the treadmill?

Replies

  • scottb81
    scottb81 Posts: 2,538 Member
    GPS measures horizontal movement across space. Since you are not actually moving anywhere on a treadmill the GPS is essentially useless.

    Mileage on the treadmill may not be 100% accurate but its close enough for training.

    The only other option is to get a GPS watch like a garmin and pair it with a calibrated footpod. That can be very accurate. The downside is that between the watch, footpod, and probably heartrate monitor, you are looking at around $300 minimum.
  • yarneycat
    yarneycat Posts: 11 Member
    Is there a way to calculate it the other way? The treadmill should be set at a speed or an average speed. So if you're going at 6mph for 20 minutes, use that information to calculate distance covered.
  • brentbarrie
    brentbarrie Posts: 532 Member
    I do have a HRM.

    I had the treadmill on 4.1 for speed. I'm guessing that's MPH?

    I guess I'll just go by time rather than distance because I'm not sure how accurate the distance and speed is on the treadmill.

    I've had bad knees and I'm just starting running so I want to make sure I stay on flat surfaces for now. I do have a track that I can go to but I like to just be able to walk to the gym.
  • RunnerInVT
    RunnerInVT Posts: 226 Member
    Caloriesperhour.com has all kinds of ways you can figure it out. Also try runnersworld.com for other calculators. Also prohealth.com/weightloss/tools/exercise /calculator2_2cfm. The last one has you put in more details of gender and age weight and will give you a pretty good calories burned. I burn less than 100 cals a mile but it is an average used in a lot of equipment.
  • brentbarrie
    brentbarrie Posts: 532 Member
    Caloriesperhour.com has all kinds of ways you can figure it out. Also try runnersworld.com for other calculators. Also prohealth.com/weightloss/tools/exercise /calculator2_2cfm. The last one has you put in more details of gender and age weight and will give you a pretty good calories burned. I burn less than 100 cals a mile but it is an average used in a lot of equipment.

    Thank you!

    I have a heart rate monitor for calories burned, I'm just trying to measure my mileage while on the treadmill.
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
    Treadmill distance is quite accurate. However, if you want to check, there are apps that measure distance using the accelerometer on your phone (assuming you wear it on your arm while running). I don't use mine for that, so have never compared it to my treadmill distance.
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
    GPS = Global positioning system. If you aren't moving on the globe, it will assume that you aren't moving.

    Trust the treadmill distance. Don't trust its calories burned. Use an HRM if you want to know how many calories you burned.
  • whierd
    whierd Posts: 14,025 Member
    I recently started running on the treadmill (Matrix MX-T3x) at my apartment complex gym while using Run Keeper along with the GPS on my phone. On RunKeeperI cant tell if the mileage is accurate or not. Sometimes it will change every few seconds and sometimes every couple of minutes.

    Should I trust the mileage on the treadmill?
    Is it pointless to try and use the GPS to calculate my distance when using the treadmill?

    ...

    Are you trolling? :huh:

    If you're not, why on earth would you expect your GPS to function while you're on a treadmill?
  • MinimalistShoeAddict
    MinimalistShoeAddict Posts: 1,946 Member
    I recently started running on the treadmill (Matrix MX-T3x) at my apartment complex gym while using Run Keeper along with the GPS on my phone. On RunKeeperI cant tell if the mileage is accurate or not. Sometimes it will change every few seconds and sometimes every couple of minutes.

    Should I trust the mileage on the treadmill?
    Is it pointless to try and use the GPS to calculate my distance when using the treadmill?

    ...

    Are you trolling? :huh:

    If you're not, why on earth would you expect your GPS to function while you're on a treadmill?


    My thoughts exactly.

    Assuming OP is serious, Scottb81 gave the perfect answer above.
  • SrJoben
    SrJoben Posts: 484 Member
    I can't imagine the mileage from the GPS is accurate...well because you're not actually moving.

    Perhaps I should say I'm a little surprised it shows you moving at all. If it does it's because the GPS is having trouble getting a satellite fix indoors without good line or sight to space, so your calculated position jumps around a little, resulting in the illusion of motion since the device thinks you're bouncing around within a ~15 foot radius.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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  • brentbarrie
    brentbarrie Posts: 532 Member
    I was asking because I was following the treadmill and RunKeeper on my phone. They were both exact until about .89 mile then it took like 7 minutes to go from .89 to .95, which it did all in one jump.

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