a deck having a front end and a rear end;

a tread belt extending around the deck;

a motor, in a first configuration configured to rotate the tread belt in a forward direction from the front end to the rear end and in a second configuration configured to rotate the tread belt in a backward direction from the rear end to the front end; and

an exercise manager operable to control activation of the motor to rotate the tread belt in the forward direction or the backward direction, wherein the exercise manager is configured to lock the motor in response to an input to rotate the tread belt in a different direction and to unlock the motor after a completion of a safety action.