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Walk, Run, Sprint, or Sled Push–this treadmill has it all! Continue reading this review of the Bells of Steel Blitz Manual Treadmill to learn more.
Updated: April 2, 2024
With six levels of magnetic resistance, the Bells of Steel Blitz is less concerned with how far you can go and more concerned with how hard you are willing to work. The Bells of Steel Blitz Manual Treadmill is not trying to replicate your walk in the park. The 17 degrees of curvature and the heavy belt are primed to take your athletic performance up a notch. Find out if this treadmill is a match for you in this review of the Bells of Steel Blitz Manual Treadmill.
The Bells of Steel Blitz Manual Treadmill has a 9-gauge steel frame, powder-coated black. The surface has some texture to improve grip, but I wish the handrails had more texture for sweaty exercise. The Blitz has more handle options than other manual treadmills. It has a set of sled push handles and large looped handles for increased stability during more dynamic activities, like walking backward. The sled handles are cushioned for a softer grip. Overall, the frame comes with a 5-year warranty and feels extremely sturdy.
The Blitz is a non-motorized treadmill that comes with a host of benefits! The speed range is unlimited, and you never have to worry about the power going out. You are the motor, keeping the treadmill belt turning. This ensures less required maintenance with few electrical parts to break down.
The Blitz has a slat belt with 4mm of space between while flat and a maximum of 12mm of space when rotating around the curved ends of the treadmill. The slats are aluminum with a rubber coating. The deck feels cushioned but a tad firmer than manual treadmills with non-metal slats. The belt feels heavy, but its steep curvature makes it easier to keep moving than manual treadmills from TrueForm with much shallower curves.
The Blitz non-motorized treadmill does not fold. This is not a feature found in curved manual treadmills. The Blitz will require a dedicated space in your home. At 325 pounds, this treadmill hardly moves under load. It can be lifted using the grab bar. When lifted, the front wheels will engage for easier movement. I don’t recommend relocating the Blitz often. If you need to move the treadmill, a hard surface makes treadmill transportation much easier.
There is no option to incline or decline the Blitz. The curve angle is 17°, which creates an incline depending on where you position yourself on the deck. I felt like I was running uphill due to the intensity of moving the belt and the steep curve.
Without a motor or need for electricity, the Blitz does not have many high-tech features. The treadmill has a simple console with only the necessities built in. The Bells of Steel Blitz Manual Treadmill keeps your head in the game or in the moment for a focused and serious workout. Yet, the Blitz does have a few features its competitors in the manual treadmill space do not.
The console displays time, pace, distance, speed, calories, watts, resistance, and heart rate (if you use a compatible monitor). The buttons to the right of the screen are for creating intervals or a target program. You can aim for a time, distance, calorie, or heart rate goal with the target programs. The buttons at the bottom of the console stop, select, or start a program. You can also use the arrow buttons to increase or decrease the target.
Pull the lever! To the console's right is a lever for controlling the magnetic resistance. There are six settings. Levels 1 and 2 work well for walking or steady-state running, 3 and 4 make for a powerful running and sprinting workout, and 5 and 6 are suited to the sled push function.
Most manual treadmills do not have the safety features found on motorized treadmills. The Blitz has found a convenient way to make running at higher speeds safer than on other manual treadmills. The lever doubles as a quick braking system if your speed gets out of control. I really like this feature, as other manual treadmills can be difficult to slow down when running at maximum speed.
Like Bluetooth, ANT+ allows health and fitness devices to transmit and receive data. On the Blitz, you can use your ANT+ compatible heart rate monitor to display your heart rate on the console.
Running on the Bells of Steel Blitz treadmill is difficult due to the resistance of the belt and the steep curve. My calves burned within minutes of being on the Blitz. The 17 degrees of curvature are steep; you feel them almost immediately. This adds another level of intensity to your workout. Though the belt is harder to move than the AssaultRunner Elite’s belt, the Blitz picks up speed well. Running on manual treadmills is estimated to be between 20% to 37% harder than training on a flat course or motorized treadmill (Edwards et al., 2017; Wee et al., 2016), depending on how that increased effort is quantified. I can certainly feel that increase in intensity on the Blitz!
Because manual treadmills use curvature to help you move the treadmill belt, your weight will be a factor in how difficult these treadmills are to use. I am a relatively small runner, so the experience of larger users or users capable of generating more downward force will have a different experience from mine. The Blitz treadmill is not one I could perform long runs on, but others may not have as much trouble reaching a steady state. Regardless, it is wise to remember that a manual treadmill will slow you down from your normal outdoor paces. This is fine, as you are still training at a high intensity.
The Blitz treadmill is great for athletes looking to incorporate sled pushing, sprint intervals, and shorter bouts of running into their routine. There is a noticeable difference between when I run on the Blitz and when I am running on a motorized treadmill; the Blitz drenches me in sweat much faster! I love how versatile the training options are. You can do so much on this treadmill that you cannot on a motorized or a different manual treadmill.
The additional handles and textured foot rails helped me feel assured that I could bail out at any point during my workout and be safe. The lever works well as a brake, because you have to push hard to get the belt moving at level six. This makes the Bells of Steel one of the safest manual treadmills
The training options on the Blitz are low-tech. Target program options include time, distance, calories, and heart rate. These simple settings let you set a goal for one of the four categories. The console gives you control over when you start and stop with the buttons at the bottom of the screen.
The Bells of Steel Blitz lets you customize your intervals for up to 99 sets. I’m not sure I have ever done anywhere near that number of intervals. If you want an interval-crazy workout, I have just the workout for you. Try 6 x 30s, 4 x 60s, and then 12 x 15s at 80-90% effort. Recover for double the amount of time, either resting, walking, or jogging. This workout is brutal. I think 22 intervals are more than enough (44 if you count the rest intervals).
The Bells of Steel Blitz Manual Treadmill is not for the faint of heart. This treadmill adds all new levels of intensity to your cardio workout. You don’t need a sled and a treadmill, because the Blitz has it all in one. This piece of equipment is sturdy and as tough as you will need to be for your workout on it. I recommend this treadmill for weight lifters, team sport athletes, and any who thinks motorized treadmills just aren’t hard enough!
