WHAT SEPERATES A TRUE CONNECTED FITNESS SYSTEM FROM A MACHINE WITH A SCREEN?
Many buyers compare price, screen size, and resistance range. Those details matter, but they’re not what determines whether equipment gets used. From NordicTrack’s perspective, these four criteria distinguish a connected fitness system from hardware that could eventually sit idle.
Adaptive Training Intelligence
A connected fitness system learns from your performance and adjusts difficulty automatically, without requiring you to reprogram sessions every few weeks. If the machine doesn’t adapt as you improve, progress may stall. If it doesn’t respond when you’re struggling, burnout risk increases. Adaptation is what keeps the system relevant over months and years
Long-Term Progression Architecture
A connected fitness platform should evolve with you over years, not just weeks. That means content that builds on previous sessions, plans that advance as your fitness improves, and a coaching layer that tracks where you’ve been and adjusts what comes next. A platform that serves a fixed library may require figuring out for yourself how to progress.
Real-Time Biometric Integration
Heart rate data reflects whether you’re training at the right intensity for your goal, not just the speed you set at the start. A connected fitness system reads your live heart rate and adjusts the machine to keep you in the correct zone throughout the workout. Without biometric integration, intensity management requires more guesswork.
Habit-Forming Structure
A common reason home fitness equipment stops getting used is the absence of structure. Scheduled plans, accountability reminders, and progress tracking are designed to give you a reason to show up. Without that layer, the machine waits for you to decide what to do next.
WHICH CONNECTED FITNESS EQUIPMENT SHOULD YOU BUY?
Top NordicTrack connected fitness models are each built on the iFIT platform, suited for different training goals.


OUR NORDICTRACK PICK FOR WALKING & INCLINE TRAINING
X24 TREADMILL
Speeds up to 12 MPH
-6 to 40% incline range
SmartAdjust™⁶ & ActivePulse⁴ for real time personalization
24” HD touchscreen for immersive iFIT content experience
Best in-class cushioning


OUR NORDICTRACK PICK FOR FULL-BODY WORKOUT
RW900 ROWER
26 resistance levels
24” pivoting HD touchscreen for immersive content experience
iFIT trainer-led global rowing workouts filmed on real-world water
Smooth and quiet rowing with Silent Magnetic Resistance (SMR™)
Wide, secure foot pedals that pivot with your rowing motion.


OUR NORDICTRACK PICK FOR LOW-IMPACT VARIETY
X16 ELLIPTICAL
26 resistance levels
3-in-1 elliptical, treadmill and stepper variety
10% incline to -10% decline
16” tilting HD touchscreen
SmartAdjust™⁶ for real time personalization and progression


OUR NORDICTRACK PICK FOR BEST INCLINE-DECLINE CYCLING
X24 BIKE
Burn 2X More Calories at a 20% Incline¹⁵
20% to -10% incline range
24 resistance levels
24” HD touchscreen for immersive iFIT content experience
Adaptive resistance adjusts automatically through SmartAdjust ™⁶
WHAT DOES CONNECTED FITNESS DELIVER IN REAL LIFE?
From NordicTrack’s perspective, features matter most when they change what happens during a workout, and after. Here’s the practical outcome each connected fitness capability is designed to deliver.
- Trainer-Led Global Workouts → Every Session Has a Purpose: iFIT trainers take you through real-world terrain — mountains, coastlines, city routes — filmed on location. Sessions change every time. A large enough library that sessions stay varied over time.
- Cross-Equipment Ecosystem → One Membership, Every Machine: One iFIT membership⁶ covers treadmills, bikes, rowers, ellipticals, and off-equipment workouts for up to five users. Cross-training across multiple NordicTrack machines doesn’t require multiple subscriptions.
- SmartAdjust™ → Workouts Stay Appropriately Challenging: Smart Adjust™⁶ recalibrates difficulty based on your performance history. As you get fitter, sessions are designed to adjust upward automatically. You don’t have to figure out on your own that your current routine isn’t challenging enough.
- ActivePulse™ → Intensity Targeted to Your Zone in Real Time: Your intensity is managed in real time using your live heart rate via ActivePulse™⁴. Whether you’re targeting low-intensity, endurance, or active recovery, the machine adjusts to hold you in the right zone.
- iFIT AI Coach → Structured Scheduling Reduces the Barrier to Showing Up: AI Coach⁶ schedules, tracks, and adjusts your workouts. The system accounts for progress and interruptions and is designed to make deciding to work out a simpler default.
HOW NORDICTRACK + IFIT ADAPTIVE TECHNOLOGY WORK
NordicTrack equipment paired with an iFIT membership, is a connected fitness platform built around one idea: the machine should adapt to you, not the other way around. These technologies do the work.

Intensity That Adapts as You Train

Stay in the Right Zone

Your Trainer Controls the Machine

No Guesswork, Just Press Start
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Connected fitness combines smart equipment, adaptive software, and real-time data to create workouts that evolve with your fitness — not a one-size-fits-all program you manage manually. NordicTrack equipment runs on iFIT, which powers SmartAdjust™ (automatic speed, incline, and resistance calibration based on your history) and ActivePulse™ (real-time heart rate zone targeting). Both require an active iFIT membership. iFIT AI Coach is designed to help convert equipment ownership into a consistent training habit by scheduling workouts, tracking progress, and adjusting your plan when life gets in the way. Requires an iFIT membership. One iFIT membership covers up to five users and works across all compatible NordicTrack equipment — treadmills, bikes, rowers, ellipticals, and off-equipment workouts. Qualifying direct purchases from NordicTrack.com include a 30-day in-home trial and iFIT integration from day one. A return fee applies. NordicTrack machines work in manual mode without a paid iFIT subscription, but SmartAdjust™⁶, ActivePulse™⁴, and AI Coach⁶ are what turn the hardware into a connected training system.
CONNECTED VS. TRADITIONAL FITNESS
The specs below can affect whether the machine gets used, not just how it looks on paper.
Connected Fitness Treadmill (iFIT Enabled)

Auto workouts
Speed, incline, and decline adjust automatically to follow your trainer — so you focus on training, not the controls.
Auto speed & incline
If you modify a setting mid-session, SmartAdjust™ recalibrates the rest of the workout to keep overall effort right — and adjusts future workouts so you're always progressing.
Auto heart rate training
ActivePulse™ reads your heart rate and automatically adjusts intensity to keep you in the right training zone throughout every session — no manual checks required.⁴
Coaching
Progressive multi-week plans build and evolve as you improve — AI Coach schedules every session, adjusts recommendations as you progress, and ensures you never have to plan what comes next.
Workout library
10,000+ guided workouts filmed worldwide — new destinations and trainers added continuously so training stays fresh and consistent long term.
Subscription required
iFIT Pro membership powers all smart features. Plans start at $39/mo. 1-year, 2-year, 3-year plans available for as low as $25/mo⁸
Connected fitness equipment is best for
Consistency and variety seekers would benefit most from a smart treadmill
Traditional Treadmill

Manual workouts
You plan, set, and manage every session yourself — no guidance, no automatic adjustments, no progression built in.
Manual speed & incline controls
You control every speed and incline change manually throughout the session — which makes it easy to default to whatever feels comfortable rather than what's actually challenging you.
User monitored heart rate
You monitor your own heart rate and adjust intensity yourself — without automatic corrections if you drift out of your target training zone.
No built in coaching
No structured plans, no session scheduling, no progression tracking — you decide what to do every time you get on the machine.
No workout library
No guided content, no variety, no new destinations or trainers — the same experience every session.
Subscription not required
No membership needed. You control speed and incline manually and train on your own program.
Traditional fitness equipment is best for
Experienced or self-directed athletes would benefit most from a traditional treadmill
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
BENEFITS OF BUYING FROM NORDICTRACK.COM
Best Price Guarantee
If you find a lower price, we’ll match it, including the retailer’s shipping cost¹²
30-Day In-Home Trial
Test every feature with 30 days of in-home use¹¹
Flexible Financing
0% APR for up to 24 months with equal payments. Restrictions apply†
HSA/FSA Eligible
EXPLORE MORE
1.Warranty terms and conditions apply. For details, see https://www.nordictrack.com/terms.
2. Source: Circana, US Sports Equipment, Treadmills, Dollar Share, 2021-2024
4. iFIT subscription and compatible heart rate monitor required (sold separately). Available with treadmills only.
5. Continuous Horsepower (“CHP”) is a term used in the treadmill industry for consumer comparison purposes. The CHP rating is measured in laboratory testing using a dynamometer, which measures the mechanical power of the motor. The CHP rating does not denote the operational horsepower of the treadmill in ordinary household use. In ordinary household use, the motor does not operate at the horsepower shown.
6. iFIT Pro Membership required to access full content and features on equipment.
7. The third-party product and company names referenced on this page are trademarks or registered trademarks and remain the property of their respective owners. Individual streaming services may require subscriptions to their services to view content on iFIT.
8. A Randomized Trial Testing Alterations in Biomechanics Due to Treadmill Design Final Report from the University of Kentucky BioMotion Laboratory with Noehren showed an average of 52% greater reduction in tibial shock with the same materials and design used for Ultra 1 compared to a flat surface.
9. NordicTrack is the Official Treadmill of the Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America
10. Based on maintaining a fixed speed of 1.5 mph at each grade. Yeo D, Carlson AR, Johnston J, Ziegler BL, Wentz RJ, Downs JH, Kim CH, Johnson BD. The Metabolic Cost of Steep Incline Treadmill Walking, Sports Medicine and Health Science, 2026.
11.30-Day Home Trial Promotion ("Offer") for residents in Canada and the United States who are at least the age of majority in their jurisdiction. To initiate a return, contact Customer Service within 30 days of delivery to schedule your pickup. Eligible returns will be refunded at the purchase price less a $249.99 return shipping charge. Allow 30 days for verification for eligibility before you receive your refund. iFIT’s Return Policy applies, with restocking fees waived under this offer. Offer is not transferable or substitutable, not redeemable for cash or account credit, may not be combined with other offers, has no cash value, and will not be applied retroactively. Void where prohibited by law. iFIT reserves the right to end, revise, modify, or extend the Offer or its terms at any time without notice. iFIT shall not be responsible for any Offer errors, including tech errors. iFIT memberships will continue until cancelled. Cancel at any time at ifit.com/cancel. For more details, see iFIT’s Terms. Offer only on select products.
12.NordicTrack Price Match Guarantee (“Offer”) for residents in the United States, 18+. Offer applies for qualifying purchases made directly on www.nordictrack.com. Offer applies to new, standalone equipment purchases only and excludes backorders, pre-sale or out-of-stock items, pricing or typographical errors, financing-only offers, coupon stacks, limited-quantity doorbuster or lightning deals, bundle offers, free items, and open-box or refurbished products. To qualify, the NordicTrack equipment must be an identical model and immediately available from a qualifying authorized retailer at a publicly listed price (including shipping costs) that is accessible and verifiable online at the time of request. Price match requests must be submitted before purchase via live chat on www.nordictrack.com or by calling 1-888-308-9616. A direct link to the authorized retailer’s product website must be provided; screenshots do not qualify. NordicTrack reserves the right to verify the advertised price and product availability and may decline requests that cannot be verified. Limit one (1) Offer discount per person. Offer does not apply to taxes or other charges, excluding qualifying shipping costs. Offer is not transferable or substitutable, not redeemable for cash or account credit, may not be combined with other offers, has no cash value, and will not be applied retroactively. Void where prohibited by law. NordicTrack reserves the right to end, revise, modify, or extend the Offer or its terms at any time without notice. NordicTrack shall not be responsible for any Offer errors, including tech errors.
13. Based on ACSM guidelines estimating the metabolic cost of running at 6 mph. . The Metabolic Cost of Steep Incline Treadmill Walking, Sports Medicine and Health Science, 2026.Yeo D, Carlson AR, Johnston J, Ziegler BL, Wentz RJ, Downs JH, Kim CH, Johnson BD.
14. Based on maintaining a fixed speed of 1.5mph at each grade. The Metabolic Cost of Steep Incline Treadmill Walking, Sports Medicine and Health Science, 2026.Yeo D, Carlson AR, Johnston J, Ziegler BL, Wentz RJ, Downs JH, Kim CH, Johnson BD.
15. Assumes rider maintains same RPM and resistance setting at 20% incline.
† Subject to credit approval. Suggested payoff periods of 12 or 24 months are based on the transaction amount at the disclosed APR assuming all timely payments are made. Visit the Cardholder Agreement for details. Fortiva Retail Credit accounts are issued by The Bank of Missouri, Perryville, MO. Customers not qualified for a 0% APR offer may qualify for a deferred interest offer with Fortiva Retail Credit or a different offer with another creditor.






