Not everyone has time to go to the gym multiple times a week, which means that busy people often have to invest in home workout equipment to meet their fitness goals.
The treadmill is one of the most popular workout machines, meaning that there’s an abundance of this type of equipment on the market.
One of the biggest names in workout machines is Proform, and the Proform 505 CST Treadmill has been highly reviewed thanks to its budget-friendly price tag and useful range of features. But is this the perfect treadmill for you? Read on to find out.
An Overview Of The Proform 505 CST
Overall, it’s clear from the outset that the Proform 505 CST is a very good treadmill, especially when you consider how affordable it is.
Although the price tag of the Proform 505 CST might seem high initially (it is a fairly large workout machine, after all), it’s important to remember that you’re paying for features and quality, and this treadmill delivers on both counts.
This treadmill is perfect for small spaces because of its folding design, but despite being compact, it doesn’t skimp on the advanced features.
With 15 workouts pre-programmed into the system (even more if you pay extra for the iFit program) and safety features to protect your body from strain and injury, there are so many reasons to invest in the Proform 505 CST.
Keep reading for a breakdown of all the main features included with the purchase of this Proform treadmill and why they make this workout machine a worthwhile investment.
Proform 505 CST Features
ProShox Lite 3 Cushioning
When you take a look at the most affordable treadmills on the market, you’ll notice that most of them don’t come with suitable cushioning.
While cushioning might sound like a luxury feature on a treadmill (and is often treated as such), it’s actually essential for preventing injuries during your workout.
Because running and walking are high-impact activities (meaning that they put stress on your joints and bones), it’s important to have high-quality cushioning to prevent injuries to your feet, ankles, knees, and hips.
The ProShox Lite 3 cushioning built into the Proform 505 CST treadmill uses some of the most advanced cushioning technology on the market to minimize stress on your bones and joints no matter how hard you work out.
Foldable Design
We’ll discuss the dimensions of this treadmill in our ‘specifications’ section (see below), but one of the major advantages of the Proform 505 CST is that it can fold away for easy storage.
Most people don’t have unlimited floor space in their home, which makes non-folding treadmill designs inconvenient.
But with the Proform 505 CST, you don’t have to worry about finding a permanent space for your treadmill.
Whether you have a large living space or only have a small apartment to work with, you can make this treadmill work for you.
Backlit LED Screen (6 Inches)
Another thing we have noticed about many of the budget-friendly treadmills on the market today is that the display screen (if they have one) is often low-quality and difficult to read.
With the Proform 505 CST, you never have to worry about lighting conditions affecting your ability to read the information on the screen because the 6-inch backlit LED is large and displays your data clearly.
15 Programmed Workouts
As we mentioned earlier, the Proform 505 CST comes with 15 workouts already programmed into the system.
This is great if you’re relatively new to working out or using a treadmill because you don’t have to worry about setting the pace and time for yourself – it’s all there and ready to go, so you can just select the workout that sounds right for you, press start, and start working out!
iFit (Extra)
Because the 15 workouts are quite varied and suited to all different fitness levels, this selection should be more than enough to satisfy the average person on their fitness journey.
However, if you get to a point where you’d like to push yourself further or enjoy a greater variety of workouts, you can purchase the iFit program.
The iFit program is powered by Google Maps and provides access to hundreds of workouts for you to choose from.
If that weren’t enough, your iFit membership also entitles you to customized workouts by Jillian Michaels herself, ensuring that you can always work out to the perfect level and use the right techniques for your fitness goals.
Adjustable Speed And Incline
Although some budget-friendly folding treadmills sacrifice adjustability in order to accommodate the folding mechanism and price range more easily, the Proform 505 CST allows you to adjust the speed of the treadmill up to 10 miles per hour using the powerful motor (2.5 CHP Mach Z).
Meanwhile, you can also adjust the incline of the running surface between 0% and 10% simply by pushing a button.
Being able to adjust the speed and incline of your treadmill will benefit you because it means you’ll always be able to tailor the intensity of your workouts to what you need, which is likely to vary from day to day as well as during the progression of your fitness journey.
Pulse Grips
Another feature included with the purchase of the Proform 505 CST which isn’t always built into affordable treadmills is heart rate monitoring thanks to the pulse grips.
Pulse grips are useful for several reasons when it comes to working out on a treadmill.
Firstly, your heart rate is key for allowing the machine to calculate how many calories you’re burning during your workout, which is important information to know if your goal is to lose weight.
You can get calorie calculations without a heart rate monitor, but they are likely to be less accurate.
Additionally, monitoring your heart rate whilst working out is important for health reasons.
If your heart rate goes above a certain level (determined by your age) it could actually be dangerous, so the ability to keep an eye on your pulse whilst running is a valuable safety feature.
Workout Data Tracking
In addition to monitoring your heart rate, the Proform 505 CST can tell you a lot more important information about your workout, allowing you to track your progress in the moment and over time.
The LCD screen can display information such as the incline and speed settings you’ve selected as well as the distance you ran, the time you took to run it, and how many calories you burned in the process.
You even get to see a ¼ mile track graphic while you complete your workout to help you visualize yourself in a real-life track running situation.
This will be really useful if you’re using a treadmill to train for track racing.
Music Port
Many of us rely on music to motivate us and push us through our workouts, but having to keep earphones securely in your ears whilst running can be an issue.
Luckily, this treadmill comes with a port that you can plug your phone, iPod, or MP3 player into in order to play music through the treadmill itself.
This is much more convenient and will elevate your workout experience to the next level.
Lifetime Warranty
The frame of this treadmill comes with a lifetime warranty, which is an excellent deal that few other treadmill manufacturers on the market provide. Additionally, the motor comes with a 25-year warranty.
This means that any worries you might have about the longevity of this treadmill can be put to rest because even if the durable frame or motor do happen to fail without cause, you won’t find yourself out of pocket and without a treadmill.
Proform 505 CST Specifications
Height: 59.5 inches
Weight: 186 lbs
Length: 70 inches
Width: 34 inches
Surface Dimensions: 20 x 55 inches
Maximum Weight Limit: 300 lbs
Pros And Cons
Pros
- Foldable design – Practical for storage
- Backlit LED – Easy data monitoring
- ProShox Lite 3 Cushioning – Safe for bones and joints
- 15 programmed workouts – Versatile
- iFit technology – Extensive workout library
- Pulse grips – Monitors heart rate
- Adjustable speed and incline – Flexible workouts
- Built-in music port – Good for motivation
- Workout tracking – Allows for progress monitoring
- Lifetime frame warranty – Safe purchase
Cons
- Maximum 300 lbs weight limit – Not for all weights
- iFit not included – Requires additional purchase
Final Thoughts
There are many benefits to purchasing the Proform 505 CST treadmill.
From the space-saving folding frame to the extensive range of workouts available both with the initial purchase and even more so with the additional iFit membership, the Proform 505 CST is the perfect way to reach your fitness goals from the comfort of your home.
The Proform 505 CST is not only efficient and inclusive of many useful features, but it’s also designed to be safe, with cushioning and heart rate monitoring to prevent injuries and health complications.
However, bear in mind that you will need to purchase the iFit membership separately if you want more than 15 programmed workouts or customized workouts, and the frame is only suitable for weights under 300 lbs.
