Life Fitness F3 Treadmill Review

IMPORTANT UPDATE: This model was discontinued at the end of 2011. LifeFitness now offers an upgraded version of LifeFitness F3 Treadmill, with 2 new consoles available.

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Life Fitness brand is the one we warmly recommend to all runners, including professional athletes.

In their low-end series you can find 2 treadmills: Life Fitness T3 Treadmill and Life Fitness F3.

In this review we will analyze Life Fitness F3 treadmill, which represents an attractive match between power and sturdiness. This treadmill will keep you fit and prepare you for tough competitions.

This special model can be completed with one of the 2 consoles (Basic Workouts – $2,600 or Advanced Workouts – $2,900). We will present you both options.

Even if it seems to be a high price we guarantee the value paid matches the treadmill quality you receive.

Continue reading and find out more about this equipment. We included a completed pro/cons report in our Conclusions.

Life Fitness F3 Treadmill Specifications

Speed: 0. 5- 10 mph (0. 8- 16 kph)

Inclination: 0- 12%

You change incline with 0. 5 increments when using the up/down arrows (but only 0. 1% increments during heart rate controlled workouts)

Motor: 3. 0 CHP

Belt: 20″x55″ multi-ply (51 cm x 140 cm)

The belt is backed by an advanced cushion system to reduce impact over joints and ankles.

Supported User Weight: 350 Ibs/ 159 kg

Technical Dimensions:

- Length: 78.5 inches (198.5 cm)
- Width: 34.5 inches (87 cm)
- Height 58.5 inches (148 cm)
- Assembled weight: 264 Ibs/ 120 kg

Warranty:

This treadmill offers a lifetime warranty on frame and Lifespring shock absorbers, 10 year warranty on motor, 5 years on electrical and mechanical parts and 1 year on labor.

Life Fitness F3 Treadmill Features

A: Basic Workout Console

Workouts:

- Manual profile, which gives you full control over the settings

- Hill profile, designed to challenge your body with intervals of different hills that become more difficult progressively

- Random profile, a motivational profile that challenge you with multiple valleys and hills

- EZ Incline/ Resistance, a program that will increase incline so that it smoothly challenges your body

- Sport Training, a program that provides tough outdoor workout. Choose between time-based goals and distance-based goals.

- Plus you get the Cool Down Mode (for ending exercises properly)

Basic Workout Console Display Info

The display is LCD with blue background and white characters. During workout you can see the following feedback:

- Incline
- Speed ( mph, km/ h)
- Time
- Distance
- Calories
- Heart rate
- Target Heart Rate
- Workout profile

Basic Workout Console Heart Rate Readings: Through HandleBars

This system is recommended to be used only when you’re not using the treadmill so you can keep your hands steady on the handles. Make sure your hands are clean and dry.

B. Advanced Workout Console

Workouts:

- Classic Workouts (see Basic Console description, they are the same exercises)

- Sports Training Workouts (Sports Training, Time-Based, Distance-Based). Both Time-Based Goal and Distance-Based Goal use 1. 5% incline for flat ground training. Workouts below 1.5% incline prepare the user for downhill running.

- HeartSync Workouts (Fat Burn, Cardio, Heart Rate Hill, Heart Rate Interval, Extreme Heart Rate). All need to have the chest strap attached.

Fat burn maintains your heart rate at 65 % of your maximum rate. Calorie workout maximizes calorie burn and keeps your heart rate at 80%. Heart Rate Hil begins with 70% heart rate and gradually reaches 80% on the third hill.

Heart Rate Interval includes a series of hills (maximum heart rate 80%) and valleys (maximum heart rate 65%). Extreme Heart Rate rapidly increases your heart rate to 85% and decreases it to 65%.

- Special Workouts – Goal Workouts and 2 Custom Workouts.

- Plus: Race Mode, Cool Down Mode, Warm Up Mode

Advanced Workout Console Display:

The console is built with same characteristics as the Basic Console (blue LCD), but it has additional features included:

- Watts
- METs
- Animated Symbols

Heart Rate Readings: Handle Bars and Wireless Chest Strap

This console includes a Polar wireless chest strap that leaves your hands free while accurately monitoring your heart rate. This tool is important for the HeartSync Workouts efficiency.

Common Features on Both Consoles:

Sound System: not included

Folding Treadmill:

The treadmill is foldable and can also be moved around. The process is same as on all treadmills. The machine is heavy so pay attention to this aspect.

Conclusions

We will start by mentioning these conclusions refer to both consoles (Basic and Advanced). We preferred to wait and write this review until we could test both options.

If you didn’t read the beginning of this article, we will mention again that Life Fitness F3 has 2 different Consoles options but the Base Unit’s Specifications are the same.

For the Base Unit with Basic Workout Console you pay $2,600.

For the Base Unit with Advanced Workout Console you pay $2,900.

From our point of view this may be the most stable treadmill we have tested so far, no matter what console you choose.

The warranty reflects from the start the quality components Life Fitness uses. Although the machine is heavy, it is very strong and stable at the same time (frame, belt, motor, speed and incline controls – all are part of solid equipment).

These are key elements for professional runners. A treadmill must support intensive workout hours (even 2-3 hours continuously). This treadmill fits in the description. Plus, it’s a quiet machine during use.

Another important detail about Life Fitness F3 is the impact absorption system that reduces impact with approximately 30%, compared to road running. It’s really effective.

The treadmill is foldable, an important feature for those who have little space to use for storage.

The only detail that you may find annoying is the belt length. For tall runners is not enough. In this case you may need to search for another Life Fitness Treadmill.

The 2 consoles differ by the features each has included.

The Basic Workouts Console is enough for those who want to stay fit. The features are limited (simple workouts, and none is dedicated to weight loss).

For $300 more Advanced Workouts Console offers a larger variety of workouts. Along with the classic workouts that you find on the Basic Console, this console adds more challenge to your training. The Heart Rate workouts keep count of your heart rate during workout and are fit to be used by those who want to lose weight.

But there are also some disadvantages that come with this treadmill. Firstly, it is quite expensive. The money you pay is for the increased components quality, not for the features variety (which are basic and easy to find on any other cheaper treadmill).

Even if you consider all its advantages, it still may appear too expensive. The console doesn’t leave too many customizing options.

Plus, it has no entertainment features, not even sound system. This is not a deal breaker, but still for some it matters.

All in all, the Life Fitness f3 is a good choice for all kinds of runners, from those who want to stay fit to those who want to sign into competitions. The purchasing decision resides in your own needs, in what you want this treadmill to do for you. For other specs & details you can go an visit the official page.

You can buy this treadmill:

Comments

One Response to “Life Fitness F3 Treadmill Review”

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    June 28, 2011 at 6:18 am

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