Run For Your Life! By Eggy on Mar 21, 2009 - Updated Oct 15, 2011

This Life Fitness 9500HR Treadmill is heavy duty and has all of the most popular cardio workout features.

There are a variety of workout routines depending on your condition and goals, such as Cardiovascular Training or Fat Burning. Typically, the routines have a warm up, then varying speeds (possibly at different degrees of inclination), followed by a cool down period. If you don't want to deal with the complexity of the routines, you can use the 'Quick Start' button and set the speed and incline (if desired) manually. I am really a fairly casual user and prefer just operating it manually.

The 'HR' means that this treadmill has integrated digital heart rate monitoring capabilities. The handles located towards the front of the treadmill contain the heart rate sensors. You don't need to keep your hands on the sensors during your whole workout, but their location is comfortable enough that you might choose to do so.

If you need to end an exercise session quickly, you can press the STOP button or pull the 'safety stop cord' which should be clipped to your clothing.

At the end of a workout session, the display will show the distance covered, time elapsed, and if you input your weight, the onboard computer will calculate an estimate of the calories burned.

The running surface uses the Flexdeck Shock Absorption System which substantially reduces knee and joint stress.

The whole unit weighs more that 350 pounds. It has a 4 horsepower motor which operates on 110 volts at 20 Amps. The belt is 20 by 62 inches and travels at speeds of 1.5 to 12 MPH. The incline can be adjusted from 0 to 15 percent.

The 9500HR does not have some of the newest fancy features such as IPod interconnectivity or an LCD screen for high quality graphics and videos, but it does meet all of the physical workout needs.

The Life Fitness 9500HR Treadmill is a great choice if you want a broad range of features, durability, ease of use, and are not concerned about price.