Why Wouldn't You Consider Buying A Treadmill?

Treadmills have become extremely popular over the years. They are specifically designed to enhance the most popular form of exercising - running and walking. Treadmills are built on the idea that the more effort you put in, the more you get out. As other fitness equipment fads come and go, treadmills with stand the test of time and are a much better investment option in the long run. If you think about how much money you have spent on fad exercise machine and diets I am sure you could have owned a treadmill 3 times over!

 

The two most popular forms of exercising are running and walking. Whether you are a casual walker or a serious runner, a treadmill can accommodate your exercise needs. Set the speed and incline to suite your desired cardio goals. You can do a power walk up an incline or a heart-pumping run at high speed.

 

The treadmill is unsurpassed for a cardiovascular workout. It works the large muscles in your body. According to a recent study calories burned on the treadmill for 60 minutes averaged 865 - 705. Compared with; the stair machine (746-637), rowing machine (739-606), elliptical (678-595) and the stationary bike (604-498). As you can see from the figures the treadmill is unmatched for burning calories.

 

Exercising on a treadmill will give a good workout whatever the weather. When it is warm or wet, you don't need to be concerned about heat exhaustion in hot and humid weather.

 

Injuries that plague runners and walkers due to the constant pounding of joints on asphalt and concrete are eliminated or drastically reduced by users of treadmills. Injuries are less common and stress is reduced on those critical joints. Achilles tendons, knee joints, back muscles, ankles, thighs take less of a beating, which guarantee that you'll continue to walk or run into your old age.

 

As treadmills become more sophisticated so does the versatility of the workout. Speed and incline has always been a feature on motorised treadmills, but now your workout is enhanced by a variety of preprogrammed computerised exercises and virtual interactive experiences such as Passport Media Player. Programs on your treadmill simulate running up and down hills, focus on cardio exercise, concentrate on burning calories, or work on speed training. Often treadmills have preset programs with various levels of intensity great for HIIT Training. In addition you can program your own workout, combining speed with incline.

 

A good treadmill is a balance of power, stability and fun. Your ability to find the right machine will depend upon why you want one and how much you can afford. Ensure that you cinsider your long term goals not short term and you want to have your treadmill for at least the next 5 years and their is nothing worse then having a machine that does not match your requirements.

Invest in the best treadmill you can afford paying attention to the following features:

 

Frame: High alloy steel is usually more durable than aluminum, however they are heavier and must be coated to protect the treadmill from rust. Get on the treadmill, if it feels wobbly and flimsy, then it is.

 

Hand Rails: The location of the handrails is a matter of preference. Whether you desire a handlebar in front or two side rails, be sure they are sturdy and don't get in the way of your arm swings.

 

AC or DC Motor: Most home units are DC, but commercial treadmills may have either AC or DC. AC motors tend to be noisier and generally require a dedicated power line.

 

Horsepower: Check for the continuous-duty rating for the motor's true horsepower. Anything less than 1.5 continuous-duty horsepower can quickly be worn out. Also ensure that the motor has a fan cool system, which allows for continual operation and doesn’t need to be turned off due to over heating. Treadmill motors are a lot like car motors there is a big difference between a Hyundai motor to a Mercedes motor.

 

Speed: Most treadmills run from 0.8kph to 22 kph. A good machine will match the pace you feel comfortable walking or running. A safe starting speed of 1.0 kph or less is also very important for safety reasons. It is also important to note that just because a treadmill says that it goes to 22 kph does not mean it can handle running at that speed, this is where the quality of motor comes in to play. A lot of machines on the market today advertise a 22kph speed however they are best used at 10 - 13kph speed range otherwise they over heat and as result the strain placed on the motor generally causes the lower circuit board blow.

 

Belt: Be sure the length of the walking/running surface is long enough for your longest stride. The width of the belt should be no less than 41cm, helps prevent wear and tear as well as comfortable striding. Be sure you can comfortably reach the treadmill controls without stepping on the motor cover as well.

 

Deck: This is one of the critical quality elements of the treadmill. Quality decks shouldn't need much maintenance and they operate at a low temperature. What a lot people don’t release the a poor quality deck will actually cause friction when in in use and as a result will either crack or melt under use. This is generally not covered under a warranty claim and the last thing you want to do is fork out another $500 to get a new running deck!

 

Impact Resilience: This is the treadmill's ability to absorb the force from the impact of your feet. The lower the impact on your body, the better.

 

Incline Adjustment: There's a variety of ways to adjust the incline of a treadmill, from the automatic incline which changes depending upon your heart rate, to pushing a button on the console, to manually setting the incline by manually pulling out the pins. Quality electronic incline adjustment shouldn't be noisy or cause the machine to shake at any grade. The better the quality of treadmill the higher the grade of incline. Even though a two treadmills may be advertised with 10 levels of incline this does not mean they are the same height.

An entry level treadmill will have lover grade incline motors which as a result can not left the machine as high as say a TRUE fitness treadmill which has high quality incline motor. If you had thesw two treadmills side by side you would see that there is a difference in the height go the inline levels. Remember when you are running on the treadmill is 2 - 3 times your body weight impacting against the treadmill and if the incline motor is not designed to handle such impact it will break the incline motor.

 

Control Panel: Generally computerised panels are standard these days. They range from basic and simple to the complex and fully programmable. It all depends on what features you require.

 

Heart Rate Monitors: This is generally an optional feature. Accuracy varies widely with the hand pulse setting being less accurate than the chest strap monitors.

 

Price: As with most things in life, you get what you pay for. You're going to invest $1,200 and up in a good quality motorised machine. Spending this kind of money ought to motivate you to do your homework and purchase wisely.

 

Warranty: Ensure that your warranty has a unconditional motor warranty and labour component. Also find out what the reliability is like on the machine you are looking at, it is no good having a 10-year warranty if most of the time it is in being repaired.

 

Where To Buy: Only buy your treadmill from a reputable fitness equipment store specialist. To often when have seen people buy machines from online stores with no shop front and then are not able to repair the product or they charge $250 for you to ship the machine back to their warehouse for them to repair. A specialist gym equipment store will have a ability to send a technician out to your home to repair your machine if anything should go wrong with the machine. At the end of the peace of mind and your family safety should come first, so ensure you buy a treadmill that meets all Australian service standards.

 

It is important to get yourself on a regular routine. The more time you spend on it, the more calories you burn and the more weight you release. Find a fitness program that works for you. Depending on your preference, you could combine your workout with music, television or videos.

 

If you would like to learn more about exercise treadmills, visit The Treadmill Doctor or Speak to our Treadmill Experts in store at Elite Fitness Equipment where you can obtain more detailed information.