Which folding treadmill can help you to get fit when you’re short on space?

Bowflex Series 7 Treadmill Review

Getting fit and losing weight is high on my to do list but I really don’t have the time or the inclination to go to the gym. I have some space available in the guest room so I decided that I’d invest in some home gym equipment.

One of my friends swears by running on a treadmill to keep fit and to pump out the stress of the day so I thought that I’d start there. Of course I still need to be able to welcome guests into the guest room so I decided to investigate folding treadmills, that way I can just tuck it out of the way when the room is needed for sleeping.

I looked at quite a few folding treadmills and the number one, most popular treadmill, as voted for by the people was the Bowflex Series 7 Treadmill.

Here’s why it’s so popular…

Intense cardio-workout

If you want to get fit and lose weight then you need a cardio workout to get your heart pumping and the powerful 3.0 horsepower motor in this folding treadmill is just what you need to achieve that.

Plenty of programmes to avoid boredom

I have to admit that the thought of running on the spot for hours on end didn’t really appeal to me at first, until I discovered that the Bowflex 7 has no less than 15 workout programmes! This means I can vary my workout every single day; the options include: manual, cardio, fat burn, speed interval jogger, hill intervals, heart strength/recovery test, calorie goal, distance goal, cardio heart rate calculation, body mass index (BMI) test, and two custom programs to truly personalize your workouts. You certainly don’t get this much choice with many of the other folding treadmills!

The treadmill has a speed range up to 11 miles per hour and an incline grade up to 12%, so you can customize your workout pace and program every time.

There’s also a grip and telemetric heart rate monitoring so you can track your heart rate and metrics as you exercise (always good to know how hard you’re pushing your heart so you don’t push it too far!) A few people have said that the grip monitor takes a long time to measure your heat rate, but that the remote telemetric unit works a treat.

A comfortable running experience

There are cheaper folding treadmills out there but they didn’t look too sturdy and the last thing I want is for my treadmill to collapse while I’m running on it! The Bowflex 7 has a generous running surface that measures 20 by 60 inches so there’s plenty of space to walk or run on. It also features Bowflex’s unique Strike Zone deck cushioning system for ultimate support, stability, and comfort during lift-off and landing motions.

Keep cool and hydrated while running

The Bowflex 7 has a built-in three-speed fan and two bottle holders so you can keep cool and hydrated while working out. Two bottle holders might sound excessive but I think I could get through that much water

Easy to put together

Self-assembly home fitness equipment can be a nightmare to put together and I worried the same would be true of folding treadmills, so I was relieved to read several reviews from people stating that the Bowflex 7 was easy to put together and could be built in under an hour. The only thing you’ll need to keep in mind is that the unit is heavy so you might need to enlist some help to get it into the right room in your house.

Easy storage is crucial for folding treadmills

And of course one of the critical requirements for folding treadmills is that you need to be able to fold them up and stow them away, and the Bowflex 7 allows you to do just that!

Is there anything wrong with this folding treadmill?

I found a lot of great information and positive reviews on this treadmill but I thought that it couldn’t all be good so I looked for negative reviews and bad points. Here’s what I found…

Only 18 people rated this one star on Amazon and the common complaint seems to be that if you don’t use the treadmill for many months when you blow the dust off the electronic panel stops working. I suppose there is a simple way to avoid that problem, only invest in this treadmill if you plan to use it regularly!

The other complaint seemed to be that the fan only blows a gentle breeze across your face while you’re jogging, so it looks like you’ll need to invest in a proper fan if you can’t open a window

What do other people say about these folding treadmills?

Click here to read more reviews of the Bowflex 7 folding treadmills

Here’s the techie bit

Feature Detail:

 
3.0 continuous-duty horsepower motor
Speed range is 0.5-11 miles per hour/0.8-17.7 kilometers per hour
0-12% incline range
Quick incline and quick-speed keys offer easy access to desired settings
Fifteen workout programs: Manual, cardio, running, fat burn, speed interval jogger, hill intervals, 5K run with 12 intervals, heart strength/recovery test, calorie goal, distance goal, fat burn heart rate calculation, cardio heart rate calculation, body mass index (BMI) test, two custom programs
Grip and telemetric heart rate monitors help measure your fitness level
Skylight backlit LCD computer display
Product Dimensions: 83 by 35 by 55.25 inches/211 by 89 by 140 centimeters
Folded Product Dimensions: 40.87 by 35 by 65.5 inches/104 by 89 by 166 centimeters
Machine Weight: 298 pounds/135 kilograms
Maximum User Weight: 300 pounds/136 kilograms
Power Requirements: 120VAC 15A non-GFI grounded outlet
Strike Zone deck cushioning provides soft landing and firm lift-off
Two-ply belt
Rollers measure 2.5 inches/6.4 centimeters
Walking/running surface area measures 20 inches wide by 60 inches long/51 by 152 centimeters
Built-in three-speed fan
Two bottle/cup holders

Click here to read more treadmill reviews…