Tag: underscored-exercise

Whether you’re looking for a full-time indoor exercise machine or a seasonal addition to your home gym, the compact, easy-to-store Proform Carbon T7 can help cure the winter running blues — and keep you moving any time of the year.

Best of all, in addition to its smaller footprint, you’ll get many of the same upscale features you’d receive with more expensive treadmills like the ProForm 9000 ($2,300) or NordicTrack Commercial 2450 ($3,000) — for a fraction of the price.

At just $1,403, the Carbon T7 may seem like a steal, however it’s still an investment for cost-conscious consumers. Which is why I tested this treadmill for a week to see how it stacks up to its more expensive brethren, and whether it’s worth a spot in your home. Here’s everything you need to know before you, ahem, run out to buy your own.

Compact size and simple storage

Unlike most treadmills, the Carbon T7 is the perfect size for apartment dwellers and first-time homeowners because of its compact design. And indeed, you don’t need a sprawling McMansion to make room for it in your home. Proform’s unique SpaceSaver design easily allows you to fold the deck up and stow it away vertically whenever you want. And, when you’re ready to use it again, simply kick a bar concealed on the bottom of the treadmill to release the deck back down. The whole process takes less than five minutes and is super convenient. In fact, I used the Carbon T7 in my living room and consistently folded it up to make more space whenever my family was around.

The Carbon T7 also gives you access to the iFit library of streaming fitness classes, which adorns pricier models like the NordicTrack Commercial 2450 or NordicTrack Commercial X32i. Right now, ProForm is generously offering a free three-year iFit subscription with the purchase of every Carbon T7 treadmill. So you’ll initially pay nothing to access over 9,500 streaming workouts including yoga, HIIT, bootcamp, strength training and, of course, thousands of scenic hikes, runs and walks through Mexico, Turks & Caicos, Mount Everest, and more. After that, a comparable family plan will cost you $39 monthly or $396 a year, while individual plans run $15 monthly or $180 a year — which all in all is quite a bit of savings.

You can even save your favorite classes in a calendar for future sweat sessions or sign up for weight loss programs and challenges on iFit to help stay motivated, as well as train for 10K, 5K and marathon races. I also loved having the option to create my own Google Maps workout, which allowed me to plug in my own destination anywhere in the world and map my own real-life running route with accurate topographical changes and live views. This feature enabled me to run through my old neighborhood in Santa Monica, CA, visit the Eiffel Tower in Paris and run through the Venice Canals in Italy — all in one day.

The Carbon T7 has two spacious cup holders, a 7” high-definition touchscreen and a built-in fan with four different power levels. It also boasts 2 built-in speakers with Bluetooth audio and a dock to place your device if you prefer to read a book or watch movies on your iPad instead of streaming workouts through the iFit library.

You can also adjust the incline or speed using quick-touch buttons located below the screen, rather than manually adjusting them to go up and down as you run. I found this especially useful while running at faster speeds, considering I tend to get distracted adjusting the incline and speed up and down when I’m pushing myself harder during HIIT or hill runs.

iFit also includes several smart features, like the SmartAdjust and Automatic Training. SmartAdjust follows and scales each adjustment that you make during your workouts, then stores the information internally. Going forward, it will then adjust the speed and incline to suit your personal fitness ability. The more often you run, the more closely the computer customizes your iFit classes in the prerecorded instructor-led hikes and runs.

For example, I was struggling to keep up with one particular instructor during a run through Costa Rica. But by adding SmartAdjust, I could more easily take this class again and still feel challenged. It’s a cool feature that allows the software to get even smarter the more you use it.

The Automatic Trainer feature is a bit of AI magic which enables you to follow along with the instructor whenever they call out a change in speed or incline during your pre-recorded class — without touching a button. So, if your instructor is running a 7-mile run at a 2-incline, you will too (automatically). The treadmill’s computer virtually does the work, freeing up your hands for more important things like guzzling water or waving frantically at your family to leave you alone until you’re done.

Full disclosure: I am not a big person. At 5’2”, I’m always in the front row for pictures, I always need a step stool to reach the high shelf, and I’m frequently asked if my parents are home when I answer my door without makeup. So the fact that I felt cramped the first time I started sprinting on the Carbon T7 speaks volumes.

At 20” X 55,” it was just about OK for someone my size but, as I said, I’m petite. So I can’t imagine it would be extremely comfortable for a taller or larger person to run on this treadmill for an extended period of time. It may be fine for walking or jogging, but if you plan to do intense runs or interval workouts and you’re six feet tall, you might want to see if you can try one before you buy.

It wasn’t a total deal breaker but I didn’t love that the HD touchscreen didn’t swivel or move the slightest bit forward or backward. This was extremely frustrating during hybrid classes like the Bahamas bootcamp series, which required me to get on and off the treadmill to complete the class. This also became a problem when I tried to see the instructor’s strength-training moves during the floor portion of the class.

Considering the touchscreen’s larger size, it would have been nice to be able to move it around so I could take advantage of my extra floor space as well as iFit’s pre-recorded strength training classes.

This is a mid-level treadmill with lots of extra features for a modest price point, but you do get what you pay for. The motor on the Carbon T7 doesn’t have enough power to handle all-out sprints for extended periods of time, which doesn’t make it a great choice for serious runners. AT only 2.6 CHP, the motor has significantly less horsepower than more expensive models like the NordicTrack 2450 and Proform 9000.

The Carbon T7 isn’t the only mid-level treadmill on the market focusing on a space-saving design. Competitors like the Sole F65 offer a slightly wider and longer deck with a similar configuration. With a deck measuring at 22” X 60,” the Sole F65 gives you a slightly roomier running space than the Carbon T7. However, there’s no iFit subscription or tech features like SmartAdjust and Automatic Trainer, and it’s a tad bit pricier at $1,400. You will, however, get a slightly bigger 3.25 CHP motor, which makes it better for more advanced runs.

Echelon Stride Auto-Fold Connected Treadmill is also a space saving machine and this treadmill folds into place with next to no effort — plus it’s even cheaper at $1,000. However, unlike the Carbon T7, there’s no touchscreen so you’ll have to provide your own device if you want to stream workouts. There’s also no built-in fan or AI features and very little data is recorded during your workouts, so the initial savings may not be worth it if you like to track your metrics while you run.

And then there’s the Treadly, a no-frills foldable treadmill that retails for just $749. This extra-slim, portable treadmill is smaller and lighter than the Carbon T7, making it easier to store and hide away if you’re even tighter on space. However, there’s no touchscreen, no fan belt and no streaming class subscription, just audio/video games and a live community you can access online. You also can’t run any faster than 5 miles per hour so don’t expect to train for a marathon anytime soon.

If you’re looking for all of the bells and whistles of a top-of-the-line treadmill or you’re training for your next Ironman race, the Carbon T7 may not be for you. But, if you’re a recreational runner or a parent like myself trying to squeeze in a workout in your spare time, this treadmill offers fantastic value with lots of extra features for a modest price tag.

There’s plenty of variety, whether you’re looking for scenic runs, hikes, walks, yoga, HIIT, strength training, bootcamps, Tabata, cooking classes and live races. And your whole family can take advantage of the free iFit subscription for up to three years, giving you plenty of options to keep things fun and fresh so you’ll never get bored with your workout routine.

By now, most people are familiar with the benefits of a rowing machine, which offers a challenging, low-impact yet effective total-body workout. But as high-tech, connected rowers flood the market and make their way into people’s home gyms, it can be easy to forget that these machines were initially invented to help rowers train for rowing boats on the water. The Hydrow Rower ($2,495) takes the rowing workout back to its roots, featuring classes taught by instructors who, instead of broadcasting from a gym or a studio, are paddling a boat in places like the Charles River in Boston, Massachusetts, or the Potomac River in Washington, D.C.

Like most current connected fitness devices and machines, the Hydrow Rower requires an All-Access Membership ($44 per month). And in addition to the rowing classes, this membership also includes an app with other workout formats like strength, Pilates and circuit training, which you can then take anywhere you go.

I had a blast rowing with these instructors and following along in real-world locales, but is this pricey rower right for your home gym? Here’s what we thought after spending a few weeks working out with the Hydrow Rower.

Hydrow calls its outdoor, on-the-water rowing workouts Live Outdoor Reality, and that’s exactly what they feel like. When the class begins, you see the instructor (or two, in some cases) in their boat, oars at the ready. There are cameras on the front and back of their boat as well as on the chase boat for wider-angle shots. The instructor has a timer and a device tracking their stroke rate and that’s it; once class starts, they have to lead the workout and offer tips on technique all while navigating bridges, other boaters, chunks of ice, swans and anything else in their path. And as if this weren’t enough, the changes in intensity during the workouts were often synched to the excellent playlists, which make the classes really fly (or float) by.

I was super impressed by all the instructors I rowed with, who are referred to as Hydrow Athletes (and include former Olympians, World Champions and collegiate rowers). They were charismatic, engaging and on the ball. But in some cases, the instructor took a back seat to the setting. The nearly 4,000 rowing workouts currently available on the Hydrow feature cities from Boston, Tampa and Chattanooga to more exotic locales like Seward, Alaska; Prague, Czech Republic; and Bergen, Norway. And in my opinion, a sweat with a breathtaking view is much more enjoyable than one spent staring at my basement wall.

The workouts, which are broken up into three categories based on intensity (Breathe, Sweat and Drive) were challenging as well. Since the instructor is rowing on the water, there is no adjusting resistance and no cues regarding speed (aka split, or how long it would take you to row 500 meters), though that number is featured on the screen. Instead, classes are built around changes in stroke rate, or rhythm, as the Hydrow Athletes call it. This rhythm number is measured in strokes per minute and you control it by moving faster or slower up and down the slide. Again, this emphasis on rhythm as opposed to split or resistance aligns with the experience of rowing on the water, when rhythm is the only thing you can control.

Typically, rowing at a higher stroke rate is also going to mean you’re rowing faster, lowering your split (since it will take you a shorter amount of time to row 500 meters). But it is possible to row at a speedy rhythm with less than maximum power. The Ergatta calibrates your fitness level and then gives you split ranges to hit in every workout to help ensure you’re trying your hardest. After a few workouts, I was able to quickly establish a baseline to more easily determine what my split should be — and this helped me challenge myself going forward. So, like most app-based home workouts, whether it’s Peloton or the Lululemon Mirror, you’ll have to be more accountable to hold yourself to a higher standard.

Delivery, setup and design

After ordering a Hydrow Rower, your machine is delivered, unboxed and assembled by a team of professionals, which is incredibly convenient. All you have to do is plug it in and connect it to Wi-Fi and you’re ready to row.

In terms of design, the Hydrow’s silver body and streamlined front end give it a striking appearance. While it doesn’t feel as close to rowing on the water as the Ergatta Rower, the electromagnetic drag is smooth and responsive. The cushioned seat and handle are comfortable and I liked the thick, webbed strap that connects the handle to the rower. As mentioned, since the instructors are rowing outdoors, there’s no adjusting resistance, so as your rowing gets more powerful and consistent, it feels easier. Hydrow refers to the rower as “virtually silent,” though if you don’t use headphones you’ll likely notice a faint whirring with each stroke.

The screen rotates 25 degrees to either side so you can see it better when you hop off the rower to work out, but it doesn’t rotate as far to the side as the screen on the Echelon Row-S ($1,599). At a little over 7 feet long by 2 feet wide, the physical footprint of the Hydrow is almost identical to the Echelon Row-S and it can also be stored upright, though Hydrow requires the purchase of an Upright Storage Kit that is mounted on the wall for safe standing storage.

Clean and intuitive interface

I liked everything about the Hydrow’s interface. All the design decisions the brand made felt both thoughtful and user-driven. For beginners, the first thing you see on the home screen is a 15-minute welcome class, followed by two others that make up the Learn to Row section. These helpful introductory classes, coupled with the fact that the Hydrow Athletes are world-class, competitive rowers who have spent years perfecting the stroke and how to teach it, make this an excellent machine for a beginner.

The search functions are easy to use and you can either mark your favorite classes or go into your workout history and replay classes directly from that list. There’s a countdown after you press play before the actual class begins, giving you time to get comfortable and strapped in. Most of the rowing workouts (with the exception of the All in One Rows, which have a warmup, workout and cool down) don’t include a cool down, but I like that that when you’re done rowing, the app automatically feeds you a five-minute Cool Down Row so you don’t need to seek one out. In addition to that cool down row, the Hydrow will also begin recommending classes based on your previous choices and fitness level.

Perhaps my favorite of these many thoughtful features was that the Circuit classes, which include rowing and floor exercises, show you the entire class plan before you hit play, including each exercise and the lengths of different segments. This helped me avoid a class with a lot of push-ups on a day when I simply wasn’t in the mood. At 20 minutes long, the Circuit classes are also great to stack with a 10-minute row or Core Pilates workout.

In addition to rowing workouts and the aforementioned Circuit classes, which were just added to the Hydrow in January, the membership includes strength, Pilates, yoga and mobility classes. As a fan of Pilates, I appreciated that they differentiate between Classical Pilates and classes they call Whole Body Pilates, which feature more Pilates-inspired bodyweight moves — all of which are a great addition to my rowing workouts.

The strength classes are interesting as well as challenging and the stretch/mobility classes, which focus on the muscles and body parts that require the most love after rowing, feel great. And, of course, all these different formats makes the $44 monthly membership easier to swallow.

Unlike the leaderboards on many connected fitness machines that place you based on Output, the Hydrow leaderboard is based on meters rowed. Given that the workouts are meant to simulate rowing on the water, in which your progress would be determined based on distance, this makes sense. If you were in a boat racing alongside others, your opponent might pull ahead by a few meters, only to get tired and allow you to catch up and maybe pull ahead. But translate this to a leaderboard on a rowing machine and it can get frustrating.

Likewise, if you take a few strokes off to rest on the instructor’s recommendation and the rowers around you on the board do not, be prepared to fall. During one 30-minute row, I followed the instructor and took a full minute of rest in the middle of the class — thus losing 25 spots on the leaderboard (most of which I had proudly gained during the previous set of intervals).

If you’re the type of person who hides the leaderboard or doesn’t pay much attention to it, this won’t bother you at all. But for people who do take motivation from the competition, these features may be irritating.

At over $40 per month, the membership fee for the Hydrow is not cheap. Adding insult to injury, there are only around 10 new live rowing classes per week, and many of them first air in the middle of the workday (for comparison, the Echelon Row-S has around 30 live rowing classes per week and the monthly subscription fee is $35, or less if you pay annually). Considering that they are being broadcast live from the water, this does make sense logistically. And, it must be said, none of the other class formats are broadcast live either.

There are thousands of classes in the on-demand library to choose from, so you’ll never run out of workouts, but with the Hydrow you likely won’t be able to rely on the live class experience for motivation every time you get on the rower.

In addition to the original Hydrow Rower ($2,495), Hydrow also sells the more compact Hydrow Wave Rower ($1,895). While you get access to all the same classes, the screen is smaller (16 inches versus 22 inches) and doesn’t rotate, the rower itself is 30% smaller and lighter, and the slide and track are made of less premium materials.

In price, design and class offerings, the Hydrow most closely compares to the Peloton Row ($3,195, then $44 per month). Both machines are an attractive combination of silver and black, both have a screen that swivels and both offer access to classes in other exercise formats as part of the monthly membership (which costs the same). The biggest difference lies in the rowing classes themselves; on the Peloton Row, the instructors teach from a studio and the Hydrow Athletes teach from the water. In fact, the only other rowing machine that does water-based classes is the NordicTrack RW900 Rower ($1,999). The Peloton Row does give you more personalized workout guidance in the form of personal pace targets and form assistance, which could make up for the discrepancy in price.

As an avid rower, I felt that the rowing classes lived up to the hype and were worth the higher cost. The Hydrow Athletes are engaging, motivating and fun to be with, and the workouts themselves are challenging. I enjoyed the other class formats as well, particularly the Pilates classes, and the interface was intuitive and easy to navigate. Physically, the machine is attractive and feels good to row — plus, you don’t need to assemble it yourself.

All that said, the price is high (only the Peloton Row, at $3,195, is more expensive), as is the monthly membership fee. If you have a limited budget, you can get a well-built rower like the Echelon Row-S that offers engaging and challenging workouts for less. But if you want workout videos that put you in a rowing boat on the water, plus let you travel around the world while you’re doing it, you can’t do better than the Hydrow Rower.

Ever used a hot compress to ease a headache or soaked in a hot bath to soothe sore muscles? Heat is an easy, accessible way to self-treat a variety of issues. This is why companies are now directly building these benefits into recovery products like the Gravity Relax handheld deep tissue massager.

Because heated massage guns are so new to the market, it’s almost impossible to find trusted research on them. But according to a 2021 study published in the journal Life, we do know that continuous, low-level heat therapy provides pain relief, improves muscular strength and increases flexibility. And localized heat therapy has also been shown to increase blood flow — supplying tissues with fresh blood and oxygen while flushing out waste to aid recovery.

Combine the benefits of heat with percussion therapy — which can be as effective as massage therapy and foam rolling in reducing muscle soreness, according to a 2021 study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health — and you’ve got a one-two punch of feel-good recovery.

I tested the Gravity Relax during the week after I ran the New York City marathon and took it with me on my first ski trip of the season the following week. Here’s what I thought.

One of the standard measures of a massage gun is revolutions per minute, or how many times the head can hit your muscle in one minute. The higher the speed, the higher the intensity of the percussion. The Gravity relax has a range of 1400 to 3200 RPM, and 30 individual levels of intensity (you can increase or decrease the intensity via the touchscreen on the device).

Honestly, I did not see a need for this many levels — but I liked how easy it was to change the intensity (with a single hand!) when moving from the large muscles of my quads, which I really enjoy pummeling at the highest intensities, to my more sensitive calves. In the end, I didn’t find much of a difference between, say, levels 15 and 16 or 29 and 30; I would increase/decrease by about 5 at a time for a noticeable effect.

The Gravity Relax comes with six attachments: a ball head, flat head, D-shaped head, U-shaped head, air-cushion head and hot massage head. Most of those are standard for modern massage guns, but the one that isn’t standard — the heated head — was the one I was most interested in (and used the most). It’s made from metal and comes with three temperature levels: 96.8 degrees Fahrenheit to 105.8 degrees Fahrenheit, 109.4 degrees Fahrenheit to 114 degrees Fahrenheit, and 116 degrees Fahrenheit to 125 degrees Fahrenheit. Without the percussion engaged, I could feel the heat almost immediately, but it took a few minutes to reach the highest temperatures; the more intense the percussion, the less intense the heat felt. Though it would be hard to know if the heat had anything more than a placebo effect while working out the kinks during post-marathon recovery, boy, did it feel good on my tired, cold muscles after a full day of skiing.

With so many powerful “mini” massagers on the market — see: the Roll Recovery R1, Hyperice Hypervolt Go 2 and Theragun Mini — I found the Gravity Relax to be a little bulky. It’s about the size of a hair dryer, which isn’t a big deal for at-home use, but I did have to rearrange things in my carry-on to fit it. it also comes in an attractive storage case that houses all the attachments and chargers, but that was way too much to travel with, so I opted to bring only the gun and heated attachment.

Related: I’ll never travel without the Roll Recovery R1 massage gun again

I have an entire drawer full of chargers for all kinds of tech, from massage guns to fitness trackers to vibrating foam rollers, and I wish companies would agree on one universal charger. It doesn’t help that the Gravity Relax requires two chargers: a 17V power adapter for the gun itself, and a Type-C charger for the heated attachment. Fortunately, I almost always travel with a Type-C charger and the gun has enough juice for five hours of use, but it’s still frustrating to have to keep multiple chargers on hand for a single device.

The most well-known percussion gun brands, Theragun and Hyperice, don’t offer heated attachments. Plus, the Gravity Relax offers a wider range of RPM than both (the Theragun Pro, $599, has a range of 1750 to 2400 RPM, while the Hyperice Hypervolt 2 Pro, $399, has a range of 1700 to 2700 RPM), and does so at a more affordable price. However, with an amplitude — aka how deep a gun can penetrate into your muscles — of 8mm, the Gravity Relax is significantly less powerful than those other guns, which have amplitudes of 16mm and around 14mm, respectively.

There are a few other heated massage guns available: The $169.99 Urikar Pro 2 heats up to 113 degrees Fahrenheit and has a range of 1200 to 3600 RPM and a 15mm amplitude, while the $229.99 Lifepro Fusion FX heats up to 131 degrees Fahrenheit and has a range of 1600 to 3200 RPM and a 10mm amplitude. Both are more powerful (and more expensive) but don’t get as hot as the Gravity Relax.

What I liked most about the Gravity Relax was the soothing effect of the heat. And overall, it is more of a relaxing experience than the standard jackhammering you might expect from a massage gun. You’re not going to get the same level of penetration as with stronger devices, but if you’re not totally beating up your body in the gym (or on the slopes) and looking for a tiny performance edge, this device is similar enough to others on the market — with a more accessible price along with the added benefit of heat therapy.

It’s no secret that the online exercise boom, paired with the pandemic, has transformed how people work out. While gyms don’t seem to be going away anytime soon, there are those who appreciate having access to virtual personal trainers and classes at their fingertips — in the comfort of their own home. And though there are plenty to choose from, Peloton has remained a widely known option, due as much to its popular instructors as well as its well-reviewed equipment.

Though the company’s bike may be the most infamous (thanks, Mr. Big), the Peloton Tread (starting at $3,495, not including a separate $44 per month membership) has fast become a recognizable and high-tech option in the online fitness space — bringing together one of the sleekest treadmill designs with a robust online fitness platform.

I’ve owned the Peloton Tread for over a year, and here’s everything you need to know before you decide to invest in one for your own home gym.

Many treadmills are bulky, taking up large sections of a room. A large gray rectangle is not what most people appreciate when it comes to decor. The Peloton Tread handily bucks those trends with a sleek, compact design that fits snugly into small rooms.

The 68” L x 33” W x 62” H footprint keeps the tread from filling a room without sacrificing running space, boasting a generous 59” of belt length. Taller runners with longer strides will have no issues on the Tread. Plus, its formidable design includes a large touchscreen, bright red and black color scheme, textured running belt, and slim form factor.

My Tread sits in a fairly small 13’ x 11’ room that doubles as my home office, and it doesn’t feel cramped. I still have plenty of room next to the tread for other activities as well, like weightlifting and yoga.

Ergonomic control knobs and buttons

One of the most thoughtful features of the Peloton Tread are the intuitive control knobs on each side of the machine. Other treadmills have the standard speed and incline buttons at the front, but reaching forward can interrupt your running stride — and having to keep doing this throughout a run can get annoying.

By putting a control knob to your right and left, the Tread allows you to increase or decrease the incline and speed with just one quick swipe. Additionally, each knob has a button in the middle that allows you to jump to the next highest level. For example, pressing the button at 3.2 speed will jump the speed to 4.0.

One disappointment is there are no jump buttons for decreasing speed and incline. However, the knobs are almost always responsive and rarely do I find myself having to swipe the knob more than once.

Peloton is known for their personal training ecosystem. There are just over 50 instructors across many disciplines — biking, bootcamps, meditation, stretching, running, and even boxing, to name a few — all of whom are professionals in their craft (as well as being excellent and personable entertainers). And this ecosystem is translated almost flawlessly to the Tread.

Here are a few of my favorite features which help take my home workouts to the next level:

●  Stackable Classes: To mix things up, you can create a playlist of sorts, or “Stack,”of different classes that will flow one after another. Before your workout, you manually select which classes you want and they get put in your “Stack.” For example, you can stack a running warm-up class, HIIT class, then post-run stretch. After one class ends, you click a button on screen to start the next class, avoiding any wasted time thinking about what you want to do next.

●  Social and Competition Features: The Peloton software includes many ways to keep your motivation high for exercising. Achievements and monthly challenges offer fun incentives while in-class leaderboards unlock your competitive side. And thought it’s not an exclusive feature to the Tread, it even comes with a webcam so you can do classes together with your friends.

●  Body Metrics: The Tread helps you work on every muscle with Body Activity. Nothing needs to be set up to access body metrics. The software will show you which muscles you have worked on in the last 7 to 30 days. Want to grow your glutes, but only 10% of your classes have targeted them? You will get personalized class recommendations that hit glutes. Muscle weaknesses quickly become your strengths. You can Body Activity under your profile overview on the Tread.

While the Peloton Tread is a great-looking treadmill with one of the most popular and powerful online fitness platforms, the price puts it in competition with some of the highest-end treadmills on the market. Yet, for its $3,495 pricetag, it may lag behind the rest of the comparably priced field when it comes to performance, depending on the treadmill.

For example, when I compare the Peloton Tread to the NordicTrack Commercial X22i treadmill priced at $3,499, the NordicTrack boasts many of the same features as the Tread. Yet the Commercial X22i spanks the Tread with -6 to 40% incline control compared to the Peloton’s 0 to 12.5%. The NordicTrack treadmill also comes with integrated push-bars and sled grips for even more exercise options, as well as two built-in fans to keep you cool during your workout — neither of which are included in the Peloton Tread. Plus, an iFit subscription is cheaper than the All-Access Peloton Membership (though that is also due to the lack of celebrity instructors).

If you’re only planning on doing runs on the Peloton Tread, a rotating screen may not be a big deal. However, it becomes a hindrance when trying out other classes, like strength, stretching, yoga, and bootcamps.

For the most part, the big 23.8” screen is perfectly viewable if you’re on the tread or standing next to it. However, there have been times when the arms of the treadmill block the screen when I’m on the floor. I sometimes have to get up multiple times to check what the instructor is doing because I didn’t understand their instructions.

If you have a TV near your tread, you can cast the workout to the TV to get a bigger screen (one of the Tread’s best features). But if you don’t, you’re stuck either having the Tread’s screen sometimes obscured or transitioning the workout to the Peloton app on your phone or tablet which can take up time.

The Peloton Bike+ has a rotating touchscreen that makes getting off the bike seamless for other classes. Hopefully this feature makes it into future editions of the Tread.

As much as I love the Peloton software on the Tread, there are some connectivity quirks that need to be ironed out.

First, some Bluetooth headphones have trouble connecting. While the most popular brands, AirPods and Galaxy Buds, connect almost flawlessly, lesser known brands can be finicky. My JBL Endurance Peak 2 earbuds, for example, sometimes connect without issue and other times it takes multiple minutes before the Tread recognizes them.

Second, the Tread can only directly connect to one smartwatch and one fitness app: the Apple Watch and Strava. You can sync workout statistics to other smartwatches and apps, like the Galaxy Watch and Samsung Health, but only if your watch and preferred fitness app can sync with Strava. For such a popular and high-priced machine, the lack of direct connectivity to the Tread is disappointing.

The Peloton Tread is a great treadmill in its own right. However, there may be better options for you if the Tread’s price tag isn’t appealing.

If you still want to be part of the Peloton ecosystem without paying the luxury price, the Horizon 7.8 was made for you. At $2,000, the Horizon has powerful speakers, QuickDial controls that are similar to the Peloton Tread, same running belt length, and Bluetooth options for heart rate tracking. This tread was engineered specifically to be used with Peloton or similar streaming apps at a much lower price point.

And if you don’t care about the Peloton ecosystem, but still want interactive fitness, the Bowflex T22 starts at $2300. The tread includes a 1 -year JRNY fitness membership and has the same-sized screen and running belt length as the Peloton Tread. You can even watch Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime while working out on the Bowflex.

There are also foldable treadmills, like the Horizon T101, that are about as space-saving as you can imagine. They are also significantly cheaper, with some going as low as $350. Just don’t expect quality or a rich feature list with foldables. In that way, the Peloton Tread is a good compromise between cutting-edge interactive fitness and a sleek, space-saving design.

But what about other at-home online fitness platforms? Peloton’s software is most often compared to Tonal ($3,495) and the Lululemon Studio Mirror ($1,495). While neither of them provide running workouts, obviously, they both offer a range of classes, from strength training to HIIT workouts. Also, both hang on the wall, saving much more space than the Peloton Tread. Both platforms also cost roughly the same per month as Peloton’s All-Access Membership ($44): Tonal at $49 and Mirror at $39.

When Peloton broke onto the scene in 2012, it began to redefine how people would exercise. And when we were relegated to our homes during lockdown, it became a lifeline for many exercise enthusiasts and beginners alike.

The Peloton Tread continues that legacy with a compact, sleek design and industry-leading software that truly pushes people to be their best. Yet, this comes at a cost. If all you need is a basic treadmill and don’t care about the Peloton ecosystem, you may want to look elsewhere. The high price may not be affordable for those who just need to run indoors and the Tread’s feature list is smaller than other treadmills at this price point.

However, my wife is an avid runner and she has used the Tread to train for half-marathons multiple times. And not wanting to break my daily streak, I find myself doing at least one class a day. Since getting the Tread, it has truly put exercise at the front of our minds as well as in our daily lives.

If pummelling your muscles with a percussive device doesn’t sound relaxing, you haven’t tried the Roll Recovery R1 massage gun yet. A smaller version of these popular handheld tools, which are now ubiquitous in gyms, boutique studios, physical therapy offices, and (of course) social media, it puts the ability for an on-the-go massage right in your own hands.

“Massage guns relax your muscles and fascia—connective tissue that covers every structure in our body, including your muscles,” says Heather Jeffcoat, a doctor of physical therapy and the owner of Fusion Wellness & Physical Therapy in Los Angeles, CA. “They differ from massage tools that strictly offer vibration, as the direct application of percussion over an area will reach much deeper levels, while still having effects on superficial layers as well.” By penetrating deeper, you get more widespread effects, including increased blood flow and increased joint range of motion, Jeffcoat adds.

This type of direct massage can provide pre- and post-workout benefits. And for those who aren’t exercise fiends, it can also offer relief from things like working or parenting all day. Handheld percussive massage treatment was shown to increase range of motion in a 2020 study published in the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, and was determined to be just as effective as manual massage and “possibly more effective” than foam rolling in a 2021 study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

The Roll Recovery R1 massage gun is just $129, which is signficantly cheaper than the two most popular guns, the Hyperice Hypervolt Go 2 and the Theragun Mini. Here’s what I thought of it after two weeks of testing.

A big part of a massage gun’s appeal is its portability—it’s a lot easier to pack a handheld device in your gym bag compared to a bulky foam roller or compression boots. Which is why I started using the Roll Recovery R1 massage gun: It’s small and light enough to fit in the tote or carry-on, but still powerful enough to deliver noticeable effects before and after workouts. I like to use the R1 before a run to wake up my quads and glutes (especially if I’ve been sitting at my computer all morning). And using it after a hilly trail workout helped ease some of the stiffness that had built up in my calves.

Of the mini massage guns I’ve tried—including the Hyperice Hypervolt Go 2 and the Theragun Mini—the R1 was the smallest (measuring 5.6 x 3.6 x 1.85 inches compared to 6.7 x 7.3 x 2 inches and 6 in x 5.3 in x 2.25 inches respectively). That’s not a huge difference, but when you’re traveling, every inch counts, right? I had no problem fitting the R1 into my purse on a recent flight to Boston for the Falmouth Road Race—and at just 1.4 pounds (compared to 1.5 and 1.43 pounds for the other two devices), I also appreciated shaving off an ounce or two of extra weight.

A perfect exercise companion and oh, the power!

When it comes to exercise, “massage guns are a perfect tool for your warm-up routine,” says Jeffcoat, “An improved tolerance to stretch, improved dynamic balance, and increased joint range of motion translates to less resistance through movement, which is vital for reducing injury.”

Before workouts (or if you’re just looking to loosen up stiff muscles after sitting), she says, you should spend two to three minutes on small muscle groups, and four to five minutes on larger muscle groups—just slowly move the massage gun tip back and forth along the muscle, keeping it off of bony areas. On the flip side, Jeffcoat says, using massage guns post-exercise can help flush out lactic acid, a byproduct of exercise that contributes to soreness. Afterwards, you only need to spend about a minute on each muscle group.

The R1 comes with four speed settings: 1800 rpm, 2200 rpm, 2600 rpm, and 3200 rpm. (Those numbers indicate how many times the massager’s head hits your skin—so that’s a range of 1,800 to 3,200 per minute.) The Hypervolt and the Theragun only offer three settings, and I liked having an extra option on the higher end for really digging into my muscles post-race. (The Hypervolt also goes up to 3200 rpm, but its lowest setting is 2200, while the Theragun ranges  from 1750 to 2400.)

Inside the machine is a high-torque motor that generates up to 50 watts of power, more than either of the other popular brands offers—and despite that extra force, it lasts over seven hours on one charge (more than double the juice in the other two devices, and ideal for using during a long day of post-race travel).

One of the more important specs for a massage gun is the amplitude, a measure of how deep a gun can penetrate into your muscles. The R1 only has an amplitude of 7 millimeters, compared to 10 for the Hypervolt and 12 for the Theragun. I still felt like it addressed all my problem areas, even after a particularly grueling trail run that did in my calves, but for those who prefer to really dig deep into their muscles, this gun might not be up to the task.

My main complaint about the R1 was the difficulty I had in reaching my shoulders and back. The shrunken proportions compared to a standard size massage gun made it tough to contort myself into a position where I could reach the muscles that hold most of my stress after a day sitting hunched over my computer. But it does come with four attachment heads you can swap out to focus on specific areas (i.e. a universal round head versus a flat head for denser muscle groups).

The Hyperice Hypervolt Go 2 and the Theragun Mini are the two main competitors of the Roll Recovery R1 massage gun but the RI is the smallest and lightest of the three, weighing just 1.4 pounds and measuring 5.6 x 3.6 x 1.85 inches compared to 6.7 x 7.3 x 2 inches and 6 in x 5.3 in x 2.25 inches respectively. In addition to nearly doubling the battery power, the R1 also offers four speed settings compared to the competitor’s three and is significantly less expensive at $129.

However, the R1 only has an amplitude of 7 millimeters, compared to 10 for the Hypervolt and 12 for the Theragun, which means it won’t penetrate muscles at the same rate as the other two.

While any massage gun, especially a mini one, has limitations (you’re not going to get the same benefits as you would from a professionally trained masseuse), the R1 is a great, everyday tool that offers more settings and more attachment options than its competitors while ringing up at a much lower price.

With its tiny size and long-lasting battery life, this compact, easy-to-use massage gun is also ideal for travel—whether you’re looking to prime your body for fitness or just want to work out the kinks after being stuck in a plane seat for hours.