Exercises Treadmill

Vienna Miller asked:


Looking for the best treadmill value? The treadmill market is growing more and more crowded each year, with new models, new brands and new advances in treadmill technology. It’s confusing to sift through all your options.

How do you find the treadmill that offers you the best value? By knowing what to look for.

This article will give you 4 key attributes of high value treadmills so you can make an informed decision and find the best treadmill value for you.

#1 High Powered Well Built Motor – The motor is the heart of your treadmill. You need to have a treadmill with sufficient motor power or else you’ll quickly burn the motor out (and start paying through the nose to fix it).

Motor power is measured by Horsepower (or HP for short). Most treadmills range from 1.5 HP to 3.0 HP. You want at least a 2.0 HP Continuous duty motor – preferably higher. Remember that the more strenuously you plan to use the treadmill, the more power you’re going to need.

#2 Excellent Cushioning – Cushioning is the ability of the treadmill to absorb the force of your step. Cushioning is extremely important because it protects your knees, hips, ankles and back.

Cheap cushioning means possible injury or muscle strains – especially if you’re a runner. Look for a good cushioning system built into your treadmill. It’s also important to make sure you wear proper, high quality running shoes for even more protection.

#3 Lengthy Warranty – An excellent warranty is a great indicator of the best treadmill values. It gives you an indication of the quality of parts used in construction.

So for example the 90 day warranty that covers your cheap department store treadmill does not indicate high value. A treadmill that comes with a lifetime frame, 10+ years on the motor, 2+ years on parts and 1 year on labor does indicate a higher value machine.

#4 High Stability – According to Runner’s World, stability is the most important factor when choosing a treadmill. You don’t want a treadmill that shakes or wobbles when you pick up your pace.

What factors make up a highly stable treadmill? Unit Weight – the higher weight the machine, the more anchoring you’ve got and in general, the more stable a treadmill.

Construction also contributes to stability. A highly regarded treadmill brand will often make more stable treadmills than a brand known for making cheaper units.

User weight capacity is another indicator of stability. For example a treadmill with a 300 lb user weight capacity is usually more stable than a treadmill with a 250 lb user weight capacity.

So those are 4 key factors that make up high value treadmills. Other factors you might want to look at are:

Belt size – make sure it’s long enough to accommodate your stride. Average height users will be fine with a regular size belt (up to 52″ long). However runners or taller users may want to get a longer belt (55-60″).

Workout programs and other extras – if you get bored easily you might want a treadmill with lots of workout programs. Some treadmills even offer built in TV’s, iPod stations and built-in speakers. It really depends on what you want.

And while you generally get what you pay for with treadmills – higher end machines are usually built much better than economy models – you can still get a great deal on a high value treadmill. With more competition and experience, many treadmill manufacturers are building more value into their treadmills. By knowing what to look for – and what you personally need – you’re assured of getting the best treadmill value for you.



Create a video blog

cap7042002 asked:


I am looking for a treadmill that I can use when it’s too cold to walk outside. I do not need a heavy duty one and I would like to only spend around 500.00 or less.

Kansieo.com

Vienna Miller asked:


Buying a treadmill? There are so many brands and features to choose from. How do you know which treadmill is best for you?

This treadmill buyers guide will tell you exactly what to look for when buying your treadmill. Knowing this will help you choose the best treadmill for your fitness needs (and it might even save you some money!)

So here’s what to look at when choosing a treadmill:

Motor:

The motor is the heart of your treadmill. Motor power is measured by horsepower – HP. Unless your treadmill has a strong motor (at least 1.5 horsepower) you can quickly wear it out, even if only moderately walking.

When looking at motors and horsepower, there are two different ratings:

- Continuous Duty (which is the rating for steady, continual 24 hour motor use), and

- Peak Duty (which is the maximum power potential, however it cannot be maintained).

When looking at treadmills you want to know the Continuous Duty motor power. It’s recommended that you go with at least a 1.75 HP continuous duty (CD) motor (preferably higher).

For runners or those planning heavy use of their treadmills, experts recommend at least a 2.5 – 3 HP continuous duty motor so that your motor doesn’t quickly burn out on you and end up costing you in expensive treadmill repairs.

Tip: Many cheaper treadmill brands will often give you the Peak Duty motor power (since it’s always higher than the Continuous Duty rating) just to impress unsuspecting buyers. Make sure you know the continuous duty rating when comparing units.

Frame:

There are two types of frames: aluminum or steel (NEVER plastic!). Steel is heavier than aluminum which potentially increases stability. However steel may also rust or corrode from sweat (unlike aluminum).

So there are advantages and disadvantages to both and it really boils down to a matter of personal choice. One thing to keep in mind however is that aluminum is more expensive than steel so it may be built into the price of the treadmill.

Belt:

Average treadbelt widths range from 17″ to 22″ and lengths from 51″ to 61″. Never go below a belt width of 16 ” and make sure that the belt is long enough to accomodate your stride.

If you are tall and/or have long legs, it’s better to go with a longer belt (54″ or more). Make sure you also consider anyone else who will be using the treadmill and their height as well.

Cushioning:

Treadmill cushioning is the ability of the treadmill to absorb the force of your step. Better cushioning means lower impact on your joints and ligaments. Cushioning is extremely important as poor cushioning can cause injury and muscle strain.

Many quality treadmills have their own form of cushioning system to protect you. Make sure your treadmill has a quality cushioning system to protect your joints over the long run.

Stability:

According to Runner’s World, stability is the most important quality in a treadmill. Stability is how smooth a ride the treadmill provides you. There should be no shaking or wobbling when you start to run.

Generally with treadmills you get what you pay for. For a high stability, high quality treadmill you should be willing to spend at least $1000, and definitely more if you plan on using it heavily. There’s no use spending $500-600 on something you’re scared to use.

Console/Display:

Consider both the layout and user-friendliness of the information displays and controls. This is largely a matter of personal preference since some people want to see a constant display of calories burned or miles covered,etc.

For safety concerns, make sure the speed and incline controls are prominently displayed and easy to reach.

Heart Rate Monitor/Control:

Again, this is largely a personal preference whether or not you want to monitor your heart rate. A heart rate monitor simply shows you at what rate your heart is beating while you work out.

Some people like to take a step up and get a heart rate control which can actually adjust the treadmill pace to keep you in your target fat-burning zone.

Warranty:

Treadmill warranties vary across the board and again, you usually get what you pay for. Don’t waste your money buying an added warranty when most quality treadmills include a good warranty in the price already.

Tip: The warranty gives you a good idea of the quality of parts used in building the treadmill (ever wondered why those cheap department store brands only offer you 90 day warranties?).

A quality warranty will include at least 10 years on the frame, 3 years on the motor, 2 years on parts and 1 year on labor. (Keep in mind that the motor is usually the most expensive to fix).

Price:

A quality motorized treadmill is going to cost you at least $1000. The quality of treadmills (cushioning, construction, parts, quality) drops substantially once you go below $800.

According to expert Gregory Florez, spokesperson for the American Council on Exercise, “Just about anything under $900 is not made to be used over the long haul.”

There are ways to save on your treadmill of course (buy direct, online wholesalers, etc.) but the bottom line is that a treadmill is an investment in your health. It will last you 10 years or more so you really want to invest in a quality unit built to last.

Where to Buy A Treadmill:

There are a number of options here but they mainly fall into 2 categories:

1) Store

2) Online

- Store Advantages: You can actually try out the treadmill.

- Store Disadvantages: You’ll probably pay more for the same treadmill you can get online simply because the store has overhead costs and salespeople to pay. Stores will also charge you for shipping and delivery and you’ll also pay sales tax.

- Internet Disadvantages: You can’t try out the treadmill

- Internet Advantages: You can save a lot of money buying direct from the manufacturer, sometimes $600 or more. You can usually get free shipping and save on sales tax too. Plus you have a larger selection of treadmill to choose from so you may be able to find a treadmill that is more suited to your needs.

It really comes down to what you’re comfortable with.

So that’s it! You now know what to look for when buying a treadmill. Just remember to take your time and select a treadmill that fits your fitness goals. And you’re guaranteed to find the best treadmill for you.



Caffeinated Content – Members-Only Content for WordPress

Vienna Miller asked:


Buying a treadmill? You’ll probably want to research before you buy – including reading treadmill consumer reviews.

Consumer reviews are very popular on the Internet at places like epinions and Amazon. And they can give you an overall idea of the strengths and weaknesses of certain treadmills.

But there are some major pitfalls to them that most people don’t realize.

This article will outline some of the major problems with treadmill consumer reviews – and some other features you can look at to find the best treadmill for you.

So what’s the problem with Treadmill Consumer Reviews?

First of all, the numbers can give you the wrong idea.

Most people read reviews of several different treadmills before buying. They may notice that one treadmill has more negative feedback than another.

Logically they assume that the treadmill with less negative feedback is better than the treadmill with more negative feedback. That’s where the mistake is made.

Here’s the thing. In the treadmill business, certain brands or manufacturers are larger than others. They make and distribute more machines than the smaller brands. This will skew the results that you see with consumer reviews.

For example, let’s say you’re trying to decide between Treadmill A and Treadmill B.

Treadmill A is made by a large company which sells 10,000 units of Treadmill A per month.

No treadmill is perfect and all treadmills will have some level of customer dissatisfaction. A high quality treadmill will have lower level of customer dissatisfaction than a poor quality treadmill.

Let’s assume that Treadmill A is a high quality treadmill with a very low rate of dissatisfaction of 1%. That means that out of 10,000 machines, only 100 customers will be unhappy and will leave negative reviews of that treadmill.

Now take Treadmill B. Treadmill B is made by a smaller company and only sells 1,000 units of Treadmill B per month.

But Treadmill B is not as high quality and has a much higher customer dissatisfaction rate of 5%. 1000 treadmills x 5% = 50. So 50 people are not going to be happy with their treadmill purchase. So you’ll see 50 negative reviews of Treadmill B.

Result?

Treadmill A – 100 Negative Consumer Reviews

Treadmill B – 50 Negative Consumer Reviews

So you, as a discerning buyer, logically assume that Treadmill B is the better treadmill since it has less negative feedback.

However in actuality, Treadmill B has a 500 times higher customer dissatisfaction rate than Treadmill A. So it’s actually the worse treadmill.

That’s an example of how the numbers of negative versus positive reviews can be skewed – and how many buyers can easily choose the worse treadmill.

There are a couple of other things to know when reading consumer treadmill reviews:

#1 – Reviews can be written by people working for that treadmill company – or even the competition. Trust me – it happens – more often than you think.

#2 – People are much more likely to complain than praise. It’s a shame but it’s human nature.

This again skews the results. So you may have a treadmill that gets 10 negative reviews. But there are 10,000 people who are perfectly happy with their machine and they never leave a review.

So while there’s nothing wrong with reading consumer treadmill reviews as part of the overall picture before you buy, you really can’t judge the quality of a treadmill solely based on consumer reviews.

So how can you find a high quality treadmill? There are several other ways to decide if a treadmill is a high quality machine. Here are 3 key factors to look at:

1) Price – The market is so competitive that treadmill manufacturers don’t have a lot of margin to play around with their prices.

Because of this high competition, the treadmill market is really very efficient. This is actually a good thing because it means prices are coming down to the lowest levels in years. Manufacturers are squeezing their margins in order to compete.

However it also means that in general, you get what you pay for. A $600 treadmill is just not going to have the same quality of construction as a $1600 treadmill.

If you want a higher quality treadmill, built to withstand heavier use, be prepared to spend a bit more. It may actually be worth it in the long run, when you consider the cost of repairing the cheaper unit.

2) Warranty Coverage – The warranty coverage is a huge indicator of the quality of construction. Servicing warranties cost money. Manufacturers know this.

So when they give a long warranty, it’s because they don’t think they’ll have to repair those treadmills during that time frame. When they know that a certain treadmill is not built well – they don’t want to pay for servicing them. So they slap a short warranty on them.

If you want a well built treadmill, examining the warranty length is a great indicator of quality.

3) Details of construction – If you want a great treadmill, examine the details of construction.

For example, Treadmill A may have a 1 ply treadbelt whereas Treadmill B may have a 2 ply treadbelt. It isn’t hard to figure up which one will last longer.

Treadmill C may have a 2.5 HP motor and Treadmill D may have a 1.25 HP motor. Again – not hard to decide which is the better treadmill. By looking at certain details of construction, you can often see which treadmill is the stronger machine.

So those are 3 effective ways to find your best treadmill. Again, treadmill consumer reviews are not bad – they can actually be very informative.

Just don’t make your final decision based solely on these reviews. Remember that the numbers can be skewed – and may lead you to the wrong conclusion.



Caffeinated Content – Members-Only Content for WordPress