One of the most crucial things you want to understand when exercising on a treadmill is the distance covered. Depending on the length of time and how fast you go, you’ll get the distance you’ve covered. This can be in kilometers or miles, depending on your treadmill.
Your treadmill should clearly show when you start exercising. If the speed is in kph, your distance will be in kilometers. They can display either measurement on display; it’s just a matter of preference. However, the distance shown may not accurately represent the distance you’ve walked or run.
Table of Contents
How to tell if your treadmill is in km or miles
From the treadmill display
You can check whether your treadmill is in km or miles on the treadmill display in front of you. A mile is longer than a kilometer and will take more time to reach.
From the treadmill user’s manual
Treadmills come with a user manual that shows how the machine is calibrated. When buying a treadmill, always check the manual to determine if the distance is shown in miles or km.
From where you purchased the treadmill
The default measurement shown on your treadmill depends on the country you bought the machine. Some countries use kilometers (km) metrics, while others use the imperial measurement, which is miles. In the United States, the distance is shown in miles, while in Europe, it’s shown in kilometers. The exception is the UK. Although the UK usually use the metric system, they prefer distance and speed in miles and miles per hour.
How to change treadmill from miles to km
Changing your treadmill from miles to kilometers is usually a simple thing; it’s just finding the right button. Here’s how to change the distance in a treadmill.
Precor and Life Fitness
The sequence of buttons for changing your treadmill’s readout varies with the brand. For instance, on the Precor 9.1 and 9.2s, you turn on the treadmill, then when required to key in your weight, you hold the “Speed Up” and “Scan” keys to show the mph/kph prompt. For the Life Fitness T3 treadmill, go to the user menu by turning on the treadmill while holding the Enter key.
Use the Up or Down buttons to access the “Units” option and press the Time Arrow keys until you find the distance units.
Spirit Fitness and NordicTrack
When using the Spirit Fitness CT800 treadmill, key in the safety key while holding down the Stop, Start and Enter keys. Once the “Engineering Mode Menu” appears on display, release the keys and press Enter. Use the Up arrow to scroll to “Units,” then press Enter to show the mph/kph prompt.
If you have NordicTrack Commercial 1750, insert the key and go to the Start menu on the touch display. Press “i,” then touch the US/Metric button on display to set your favorite unit of measurement.
How to Find the Distance Measurement
Most treadmills come with a monitor that shows information about your workouts. The largest window gives information about the intensity of your workouts, using a bar graph accompanied by numbers that represent the intensity.
Additionally, you can see a clock, which either counts down or counts up your workout. The display also shows the measurement of the distance you’ve covered, which is usually in miles.
Choose Miles or Km and Stick to it
Choose the measurement you like and stick to it. Exercise using the measurement. You don’t want to change your mind after using the treadmill for some months. You may have hit 2 miles in all your exercise routines. Converting it to km will lead to confusion. This change will alter with the speed and distance measurement.
For instance, changing your number from 6 mph to 6 km/h. Mph is faster than km/h. You can walk 5 km/h, but 5 mph is jogging. This can ruin your progress since you cannot keep track of what you’ve done.
FAQs
Is treadmill distance accurate?
Each treadmill comes with its built-in calibration. If the treadmill says you have covered a mile, then you are close to that distance. Slightly more or less. It determines the distance by calculating the number of revolutions the belt has done and its length.
A typical treadmill belt is approximately 50 inches. The console will calculate the number of times it’s been rolling while you’ve been exercising. This is the number it uses to estimate the distance.
Conclusion
The distance and the measurement type are crucial aspects when working out on a treadmill. Therefore, ensure you have the right setting on your machine and if you’re having trouble finding out how to do it, contact the manufacturer for further assistance.