Treadmills: What To Look For When Making Your Purchase

As more and more people are turning into health-conscious savants, buying gym equipment is becoming a necessity. Leading an active lifestyle now entails a membership to a gym, fitness center or health club. But having your own gym style at home is more attractive than having to mingle with an oblivious group of strangers. Among the many types of exercise equipment flooding the market, the best choice might be to invest in one of many quality treadmills.

For the uninitiated, outdoor walking is their only form of exercise. But because of different factors, treadmills present more advantages over its counterpart. Treadmills offer more privacy as you get to run inside your home. Time, personal safety, weather conditions and allergies are other factors that benefit the owner.

Treadmills offer cardiovascular workouts needed to keep the heart rate up. They also provide great physical conditioning benefits, burn fat and expend calories faster that any other exercise machine. Using them makes for a great psychological release since it is a known fact that exercise can elevate your endorphin level. And because walking or running is a natural movement, treadmills are easier to master than many other machines.

When in the market to buy treadmills, it's important to do your homework before taking out your wallet.

• SPACE: Do you have a small apartment? Then you should consider buying a smaller, more compact machine, like a folding treadmill. Measure the space where you plan to place your machine and take note of it when you go shopping.
   
• PRICE: It's a big investment to purchase any home exercise equipment, so be sure that you stay well within your budget. There are several options to help you find a treadmill. You can visit the nearest fitness shop for the new treadmill models or even go online to search for both new and second-hand, working treadmills.
   
• COMFORT: The most important element in choosing treadmills is how it feels to you. If you don’t break a sweat, you’ll never know if the machine is right for you.
   
• EXPECT TO PAY FOR QUALITY: When it comes to treadmills, you really do get what you pay for. Most inexpensive treadmills tend to be flimsy and not very durable, so spend a little more and get a better machine.
   
• AFTER-SALES SERVICE: Treadmills that are used regularly will require some minor repair and eventually some service. Look for the conditions of warranty on the machine and its parts.
   
• LOOK AT THE RATINGS: Browse through consumer magazines that give ratings for treadmills. Not only will they help you identify the different brands of treadmills in the market but they will also guide you in your purchase.

Once you’ve gotten your facts straight, it is time to go into the shop and survey your equipment options. Consider these treadmill qualities when choosing your machine:

• MOTOR: Bigger treadmills aren’t always better. Motors can be rated several ways – continuous duty (sustained power), peak (maximum power) or treadmill duty, which falls somewhere in between. Check for the continuous duty rating for the motor’s true horsepower, at least 1.5 h.p., not only because walkers over 200 lbs. create heavier impacts that cause the motor to work harder to maintain a steady speed, but also because you don’t want a motor that is working at its full power on a regular basis. It’ll easily tire out the belt and cause the treadmill to breakdown faster.
   
• BELT: Make sure when walking on the machine that there is more than enough room on the belt for your longest stride. Depending on your height and stride, it is best to have a belt that is no less than 16 inches wide.
   
• SPEED: Most treadmills run from 0 to 10 m.p.h. The right machine for you will match your own pace, whether fast or slow.
   
• INCLINE: To vary your exercise workout, pick a unit that adjusts the incline automatically, raising the deck to at least a 10-percent grade. A quality incline should be quiet and shouldn’t cause the equipment to wobble at the higher elevations.
   
• CONTROLS: Look for push buttons and a large, digital display of speed, distance, incline and time on the treadmill. A great tool for improving your cardio-fitness level is a heart-rate monitor on a chest strap.
   
• SAFETY: Because motorized treadmills are moving machines, certain safety precautions must be included as standard features, including an emergency shut-off that is easily accessible, the ability to limit incline and speed, a gradual start and stop, and accessible hand rails for both runners and walkers.

The ultimate decision is yours. Treadmills are there to help you lose weight and keep fit. Just remember that using it routinely is the key.