Posted On: Monday - August 17th 2020 5:29PM MST
In Topics: Artificial Stupidity
Just skip this post, everyone. Peak Stupidity has this sub-fixation with the bio-physics calculations incorporated into the electronics in exercise machine consoles, and, by God, we're gonna finish this. In this case it's just praise for the Precor P62/80/82 series of treadmill machine console, the first of which is the console describe in our previous post on this matter.
After doing a workout on this nice machine (both mechanically and electronically), I checked it out just a bit more than last time. For one thing, I got the model #, which I didn't know last post - it's the Precor P-80, and I looked into the one I'd discussed before and determined that it was a P-62.
Then, I played with this one some. At two speed/slope combinations, the elevation gain is right on the money, per calculation. That should not be very difficult as it's simply speed x slope, but this just tells me the programmers at least weren't making it up as they went along. This treadmill** goes to NEGATIVE 3% slope. That was interesting. The only problem is, the elevation gained was not decreasing. I went up to 10 mph, but nope. That's just a little bit of stupidity there, as why shouldn't it go back down? It makes me think some "compassionate" women were involved in the marketing or programming - mustn't discourage the poor exerciser. "3 more calories too. You're a winner!".
See, with the slope at -3% at 1 mph, the display still shows ~3 kCal burned per minute. There may be something to that. As we tried to explain in some of the other similar posts, biological work done is not an easy thing to calculate. However, simple mechanical-work-wise, the exerciser is getting work done ON HIM. At -3%, 10 mph, more "calories are burned", but the damn thing is dangerous! If you stumble or can't keep up, I believe this thing could throw you into the bars and that nicely-engineered console.
Here's something I forgot to mention before, for some of the new treadmills: If you jump off onto the sides, as I do, to check my heart rate, the smart(ass) machine detects no user (no spikes in motor torque?) and will display a "no user detected message" with the heart rate I'm trying to watch off the display! #Annonying! Then again, the doctors or exercise pros would have you just bring the slope down and turn the speed way down for measurement of heart rate recovery. I suppose the idea is to keep one from leaving the machine running all night, and to keep some dumbass from getting back on it in the morning while it's running 10 mph 3% downhill.
One more thing regarding the exercise machines in general is my continual annoyance with the Precor 842i bike machine. That's the one that just screws me out of my efforts. My goal is to go 5 miles in 20 minutes, which, though really shouldn't have to be the case, seems to be a good standard workout for me on most of the recumbent bike machines. You've got to start a little easy, so I get behind that pace, then start ramping up the resistance. I keep the same 80 -85 rpm pace, and the speed averages well over 15 mph (5 miles in 20 min pace), yet the thing shows me further and further behind! It'd be one thing if the increased resistance on the machine were to represent hill-climbing, hence a higher calorie-burn rate but no speed increase. That's how it is on a real bike. But, NO, the speed shows an increase, but the pace is slower. WTH, Precor?
What? You're still here?? [/Bueller] If you've gone this far, I want to say that I appreciate our loyalty. A sneak peak into the near future is that we'll have more "scenes from the Kung Flu re-Panic", more on the religious questions in relationship to little Landen, and movie reviews.
* That may not be the case with all treadmills that have this console though.
Comments:
MBlanc46
Tuesday - August 18th 2020 11:09AM MST
PS I’ve used exercise bicycles with these sorts of read-outs, but my wonky left knee really doesn’t like all that up-and-down, round-and-round motion. The clubhouse of the place where Mme B and I plan to spend winters has a couple of treadmills, so I anticipate using one in the near future. (I’ll be jolly POed if they’re not available due to the Xi Flu, I can tell you.) I trust they’re no harder on the knees than a good brisk walk.
Moderator
Monday - August 17th 2020 7:18PM MST
PS: I'm not in it for the calorie burn, Petrus, but for the cardio workout.
I just checked out that site's first page, though. It looks like they cover a lot, but the numbers are only as good as the physics (biophysics) behind them. They are on the right track, it seems, with their various ways of computing calories burned, such as that heart rate method. You'll get different numbers from the various methods, and it's up to user to decide which is more accurate - probably the one that gives the highest numbers ;-}
The exercise science types could test or calibrate these methods vs. the CO2 exhalation measurements that may be the best way to measure work done by the body.
Anyway, thanks. I'll look into this site more.
I just checked out that site's first page, though. It looks like they cover a lot, but the numbers are only as good as the physics (biophysics) behind them. They are on the right track, it seems, with their various ways of computing calories burned, such as that heart rate method. You'll get different numbers from the various methods, and it's up to user to decide which is more accurate - probably the one that gives the highest numbers ;-}
The exercise science types could test or calibrate these methods vs. the CO2 exhalation measurements that may be the best way to measure work done by the body.
Anyway, thanks. I'll look into this site more.
PetrusSenex
Monday - August 17th 2020 6:56PM MST
PS Everything you need to know to calculate calories burned is at this site:
http://www.shapesense.com/fitness-exercise/calculators/
Whover owns the site really knows his stuff.
http://www.shapesense.com/fitness-exercise/calculators/
Whover owns the site really knows his stuff.
I hope that clubhouse gym is open for you. It'd be hard to sneak into that kind of gym. I've seen places say only 3 or whatever number are allowed in at a time. That usually works out fine.
Precor P-80! Demand only the best in exercise calculations.