GlideTrak Assembly & Set Up
20
Evaluate your position and
Adjust “Unweighting”
The GlideTrak is new to you and your body. Unweighting your body is an amazing way to regain and
maintain cardiovascular and muscular fitness without the damaging effects of impact on your joints or
fear of falling. However, your body must adjust to this technique. Following written instructions to learn
how to swim or to pitch would feel unnatural and would invariably take some practice and adjustments
before you were able to float and do a breast stroke or throw a pitch. Either way, your best bet is to relax
your body, give the GlideTrak a try, and work on adjusting the seat over your first few sessions.
66. Adjust the Seat Assembly so that your gait feels as natural as possible
.
You should be in a standing position.
(See
Photo
32
) Keep your back, hips, and knees straight.
Your feet should be slightly behind you, weight on your full foot, leaning slightly forward. Good
posture and looking straight ahead is helpful. In this position, you should feel supported in the Seat
Assembly, but you should also be able to walk, jog, or run with a natural gait and stride. (If possible,
get a video or evaluate your stride in a mirror.)
67. To adjust the amount of “unweighting” (adjust the impact on your joints):
•
Repeat steps 50 and 51 to
tighten the front Straps
further and lift more of your weight off the
treadmill.
•
Adjust the amount of incline on the treadmill
. More incline = More impact. Increasing the
treadmill incline (bringing the treadmill higher) allows for more contact of your feet on the treadmill
and will increase the impact across the joints of the lower extremities. Less incline = Less
impact. Decreasing the amount incline (bring the treadmill lower) allows for more support and
suspension from the S
traps, and therefore allows more of our body to be “unweighted.”
•
It is ideal to be able to adjust your body “unweighting” during exercise. If the treadmill allows,
PRIOR to starting your session, incline the treadmill several levels. Then follow steps 47 through
61. This will elevate you with the treadmill deck at the start of your workout. This allows you the
ability to adjust the incline up or down (and allows for controlled, variable impact on the joints)
during your workout.
•
Shift your body weight.
When you are exercising, you can make some subtle adjustments in
the amount of impact on your joints during exercise by simply leaning a bit forward or backward.
Try this and see what adjustments optimize your personal training program.
•
Ratchets on the front Straps:
Subtle adjustments can
be made by using the Ratchets on the top and bottom front
Straps.
Tightening the Ratchets will increase the
amount of support
provided by the Seat Assembly
(increase the amount of body “unweighting”).
(See Photo 36)
•
Releasing the Ratchets will remove the Seat Assembly
support. To release the Ratchet, press down on the Center
Lever and open it all the way. Pull the Strap away from the
Ratchet so no slack remains.
(See
Photo 37
]
Photo 37
Tightening a Ratchet
