Ryan Mitchell

I write the guides on Exercise How To.

I’m Ryan Mitchell, and I write and edit the guides on Exercise How To. The site covers equipment that a lot of people own or use every week: treadmills, ellipticals and Pilates gear, from a simple mat to a reformer.

My aim is simple: answer the question you came with, near the top of the page, then give you the steps and the context to act on it. I’d rather be clear about what’s known, what varies between machines and what needs a professional than pretend every answer is universal.

What I write about

Treadmill guides: walking and running form, first runs, incline, intervals and safety.
Elliptical guides: using the machine well, what the numbers mean, stride length, resistance and drive types.
Pilates and reformer and equipment guides: getting started, classes, home practice and gear.
Fixes and buying and setup: error codes, belts, lubrication, space, ceilings and floors.
Tools: a calorie estimator, a pace converter and a space checker, built on the same formulas the guides use.

How I put a guide together

I start from a real question, like a console error code or a confusing setting, and answer it near the top.
Where a number matters (calorie formulas, space around a treadmill, a training plan), I check it against a published source such as the ACSM metabolic equations, the Compendium of Physical Activities, the NHS, the ASTM clearance figures or the machine’s manual, and I link to it.
I don’t claim to have tested products I haven’t used, and I don’t publish made-up statistics.
When I point to other people’s work, I credit them and link to the original.
The guides are general fitness information, not medical advice. If something hurts, or you have a health condition, talk to a professional first.

Corrections

If you spot a mistake or something that’s out of date, please tell me through the contact page or at [email protected]. I’d much rather fix it than leave it.