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Following on from the success of their Transformer collection, the Yowza Fitness Daytona Treadmill features a professional grade level of build quality, with a range of patented features that you won’t find on any other running machine.
In this review we take a closer look at what this could mean for your own home fitness workouts, including the design features, console functions, workout programs, safety features, and the Intelligent Weight Management software.
Running deck design
Although the patented Swing-Arm technology should also fall under this heading, there’s simply too much to talk about and too many benefits to mention in this one segment. We’ll go into this in greater detail later in the review.
If you’re thinking about buying a new treadmill, there are probably a few basic questions that you’re going to be asking of any machine.
These usually include the price, how much space it’s likely to need, what other customer’s experiences have been like, and how varied and effective are the workout programs.
But it’s also important to give enough thought to the design of the running deck, as you may need to find a model with a softer cushioning system or longer running area to take into account your full running stride.
As with their earlier Smyrna Transformer treadmill, the Daytona features a full 20″ (W) x 60″ (L) running area, and 11mph maximum belt speed.
Whereas Yowza’s folding models – like the Osprey and Lido – tend to be fairly limited to a running area of 52″ in length, the 60 inches available here ensure this treadmill is much better suited to full running workouts, for users up to 6ft+ in height.
3.0 Continuous Horse Power motor
The motor power has also been upgraded compared to the lower priced Osprey model, increasing from 2.5 CHP up to 3.0 CHP. But what does this mean in terms of workout performance?
Essentially this added power ensures that the running belt can maintain its top speeds at the maximum incline, under its full weight limit (350 lbs), without sacrificing the smooth and quiet motion over the internal rollers.
One final subtle feature we wanted to mention is the design of the motor casing. While this may not seem important, the fact that Yowza have reduced the height of the section nearest the running belt gives you an extra few inches of space before you need to worry about your foot fall touching the frame.
This makes it much easier to use the console and measure your heart rate without needing to adjust your pace at higher belt speeds, and is a clear improvement over the casing design for the Lido treadmill.
Yowza Fitness Daytona Treadmill – Features Summary
- Commercial Grade 3.0 HP Continuous Duty motor
- Full 20″ x 60″ multi-ply Running Belt
- One Touch 0-12% Power Incline
- One Touch 0-11 MPH Speed
- 3-Speed Adjustable Fan
- Progressive Shock Absorption Deck rests on multi-udometer elastomer rings providing a soft landing surface in front
- Patented Intelligent Weight Management software and wireless scale
- Ergonomically designed console featuring quick start, single touch resistance, speed/incline control
- Bottle holders
- Hi-fidelity speakers and MP3 jack
- iPod Dock
- Crowned rollers with sealed bearings provide superior belt tracking
Patented Swing-Arm cushioning technology
One of the main reasons to choose running on a treadmill over running outdoors is the reduced impact nature of the exercise.
When you’re running outdoors, there’s really very little impact taken out of your stride, which can lead to a greater risk of injury in the future.
In contrast, treadmills are able to take a lot of this impact out of your foot fall, yet still provide a firm enough surface to push off from when needed.
This is something that Yowza Fitness have worked hard to develop, with the result being not just one, but three innovative impact reduction technologies built into their Daytona model.
Higher peak intensity but shorter muscle contraction duration
Lower peak intensity but longer muscle contraction duration
The most impressive of these is the Swing-Arm shock absorption system, which reduces impact stress on your knee and hip joints, as well as your ankles and lower back.
It works via a mechanical spring-type system, which cushions the original impact of bringing your foot down on the running belt. This distributes the impact across a larger area of the running deck, rather than focussing on a single point.
This also leads to your foot being on the deck slightly longer, which research by the Chaoyang University of Technology has found to increase muscle contraction, which in turn results in a 14-23% increase in calories burned over the same time period.
Transport, storage, and safety
As well as the technology that’s gone into what happens above the running deck, the Daytona also includes a number of interesting features underneath the deck, designed to assist with stability and transport.
We first saw Yowza using three wheels instead of two on their Osprey model, as part of their folding Transformer collection of treadmills.
It looks like the same system is also in place on the Daytona, which helps to distribute the 269 lb machine weight much more evenly, making it easier to roll the machine to a different room if needed.
To ensure the treadmill remains stable once it’s fully assembled, you also have a set of individually height adjustable base levellers under the front of the machine.
Base levellers can be quickly adjusted to ensure complete stability throughout your workout
These have proven incredibly effective in compensating for any slight unevenness in the floor that it rests upon, and are a popular feature that we’ve seen on many of the more expensive commercial quality treadmills.
Once you have everything setup and stable, safety is something worth bearing in mind before starting your next workout.
As we’ve seen before on their Lido, Smyrna, and Osprey models, the console features a slot that can securely hold a safety key.
With one end of the key inserted into the console, the other is attached to your clothing via a short lanyard and clip. In the event of a fall, or if you were to move too far from the console, the clip would then detach and the belt would quickly slow to a stop to prevent injury.
Display console design
An important part of monitoring how your workouts are affecting your fitness level, including which changes make the most difference, is being able to track your feedback.
Although the Yowza Fitness Daytona treadmill doesn’t include the ability to sync your fitness data to an online profile or app like you can with their Miami elliptical, the console still features a number of useful upgrades over their earlier designs.
The iPod docking station that we first saw on the high-end CardioCore ellipticals makes another appearance, combining with the Hi-Fidelity speakers to let you listen to your favourite music while you workout.
To help maximise your performance, there’s also a cooling fan positioned at the top of the console, with 3 speed settings that can be controlled via a button next to the speed adjustment.
Fortunately you still have the same quick-select incline and speed buttons as we saw on the Osprey model, together with some new additions for IWM, iPod volume, and starting the fitness test.
In terms of the console feedback, everything you really need is displayed in clearly defined segments around the backlit screen.
This includes your current workout program, heart rate, calories burned, incline level, heart rate, distance, and speed.
Static information relating to your current user profile, such as age and height, is also displayed, together with a display matrix for a visual indication of your chosen workout profile.
Preset workout programs and fitness test
If you’ve already read our reviews of Yowza’s Lido and Osprey treadmills, you might remember we mentioned a few differences between their styles of workout programs.
While the Lido featured two distinct categories (target setting and preset speed), the Osprey instead opted for a more conventional collection of programs, including heart rate controlled and interval profiles.
Another benefit to buying the Daytona model is that it actually provides you with a combination of both sets of workout programs, together with some entirely new options that aren’t featured on either of these folding models.
With workout variation playing such an important role in preventing muscle adaptation, and therefore increasing the rate at which your fitness level improves, we’ve put together a quick reference guide of what you can expect.
How the 11 Workout programs can benefit your training
- P1 – Target Time:Simply allows you to set a target duration for your workout. The incline and speed settings follow no fixed profile, and rely entirely on your own choice of settings.
- P2 – Target Distance:Similar to the Target Time program, except this time using distance as a target instead of duration.
- P3 – Target Calories:Similar to both of the programs listed above, except this time allowing you to set a target amount of calories you want to burn during the current workout.As you work towards any of the 3 targets in the programs we just mentioned, the feedback for that metric will count down instead of up, to clearly show how close you are to achieving your goal.
- P4 – Incline Interval:Taking inspiration from the interval programs available with the Osprey model, in this case you actually have 12 intensity levels to choose from instead of 9.The profile follows a conventional interval cycle of ‘work’ and ‘rest’ segments, with the incline being used to control the level of intensity.Maximum incline level ranges from 4% at level 1, up to 12% by the time you reach level 12.
- P5 – Speed Interval:Similar to the Incline Interval, but in this case using speed to control the intensity of the rest and work segments. This is another of the programs to feature an upgrade in the number of intensity levels, with 12 now available.The maximum speed ranges from 4.8 kph at level 1, up to 11.5 kph at level 12.
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P6 – Weight Loss:With a similar profile to the interval programs, Weight Loss maintains a steadier rate of intensity, while also offering 12 levels of difficulty.This is really a combination of the Speed and Incline intervals, as both are now used in the creation of the different levels.The maximum speed doesn’t quite go as high in this case though, with 8 kph being the limit at level 12. This is because a more constant, lower level of exertion has been identified as a much more effective way to burn fat than spending your entire workout running all out.
Your ideal heart rate range tends to be around 65% to 75%, which is the range this program should be able to keep you in.
- P7 – 5K Self Learning Program:Essentially lets you measure your performance against a 5km distance. Time and calories burned are useful ways you can record and compare your performance between workouts across the same distance.
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P8 – Heart Rate Control Program:With a default time of 60 minutes, this program also features a range of safety checks, which are used to gauge whether you can achieve the required heart rate level to perform this workout.Upon starting the program, you will begin the first of a potential series of warm up rounds, which check to see if you can reach a particular heart rate threshold (75% of maximum pulse rate).These warm ups will first attempt to help you reach your target heart rate by adjusting the speed, then the incline, and finally an extended monitoring period.
If you can achieve the target heart rate level during these warm up rounds, you progress to the actual workout. As a safety measure, if you don’t achieve the target level, the program will fail.
- P9 to P11 – Custom Course:Something that you certainly want to be looking for when buying a treadmill in this price range is the ability to create custom workouts.The Yowza Fitness Daytona lets you create 3 of these by saving the configuration of a workout you just performed.This means that if you start a workout and use a particularly effective combination of incline and speed settings, you can request the console stores this as one of your custom programs, so that it can be repeated in future training sessions.
Intelligent Weight Management software
A popular feature that’s been brought across from Yowza’s CardioCore collection of ellipticals, the IWM program uses a Bluetooth connection to sync weight registered on a set of scales (included) with your user profile on the treadmill console.
Whereas on most treadmills this measurement would only be used to improve the accuracy of the number of calories burned, Yowza have actually taken this a step further.
IWM combines your bodyweight reading with your height (from your user profile), then calculates a healthy weight range based on your BMI.
A customised program will then automatically be created based on your recommended weight measurement, complete with time, speed, and incline settings. This program is optimised to help you burn the amount of calories that will help you attain your recommended weight, when performed on a regular basis.
Ease of assembly
If you’ve owned one of Yowza’s earlier treadmills in the past, such as the Osprey or Lido, you were pretty much able to slide the machine out of the box, lift up the console supports, and start your workout.
Unfortunately, in the case of their Daytona model, the entire assembly hasn’t already been done for you by the time it gets delivered. This is mainly due to its non-folding design.
That being said, there’s still not a huge amount that needs doing, with the incline system, running deck, uprights, and base levellers arriving pre-assembled.
All that remains is to connect up the console, attach a few upright covers to improve the aesthetics, and slot in the safety key, then you’re ready to go.
Pro Tip: While the user manual includes very clear instructions and exploded drawings, Yowza Fitness also offer a professional home assembly service if you don’t have time or aren’t able to get the machine setup on your own.
Most delivery drivers in the customer reviews we’ve found tend to only deliver to your door, which when you have a 250 lb+ box to move, isn’t always the most practical solution.
Unless you’re able to find a family member or friend to assist you with the install, the home assembly service may be your best option, although these usually cost between $200 and $300.
Maintenance and customer service
In order to ensure you’re getting the best value for money, you’ll also want to create a basic maintenance routine. This shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes each week, and helps to prolong the life of components such as the belt, rollers, and display console.
This includes checking the alignment of the running belt, that all bolts are securely tightened, lubricating the belt, and cleaning the frame and console.
These are tasks that you will usually have to perform with every treadmill, although there are a few exceptions that don’t actually require any treadmill lubrication.
As a general guide to the Daytona, you shouldn’t actually have to lubricate the tread belt at all for the first 400 hours of use. So even if you’re running for an hour every day, you shouldn’t have to worry about this until after the first year if you buy a new machine.
Even once this 400 hour period expires, you should only need to check for signs of silicone on the underside of the belt every 6 to 8 weeks.
What’s covered by the warranty?
- Frame and motor: Lifetime
- Parts and electronics: 5 years
- Labor: 2 years
Review Overview
Overall Review Rating
4.5 / 5
It's often the case that we review a treadmill as part of a series, and struggle to really validate the price difference compared to earlier models in terms of new features and benefits.
However, this isn't the case with the Daytona from Yowza Fitness, as there is such a clear improvement in almost every aspect compared to the folding designs (apart from the amount of space required).
For what usually amounts to a $1000 price difference over the Osprey model, you're getting a significantly larger running area, much greater workout variety, advanced features like IWM and the Swing-Arm cushioning system, and even a whole new collection of entertainment features.
When you compare the Daytona with other treadmills at the same price point, we tend to find that there are few areas where this particular model doesn't come out on top.
For example, although the LifeSpan TR5000i has the online health-management program we hoped to find on the Daytona, it doesn't offer anywhere near the same level of workout variation.
Overall we've found this treadmill to represent excellent value for money, and is recommended for runners of all experience levels.
Product dimensions: 83" (L) x 35" (W) x 58" (H) Product weight: 287 lbs Weight limit: 350 lbs
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