Treadmills are the most popular forms of exercise equipment when measured in sales. And those statistics are justified in that many people know the simplest; most natural way to get a workout is by running. Given that many of us today do not live in environments ideal for running, we will buy treadmills.
If you have ever considered buying a treadmill and actually did the research, you will notice there are a lot of brands and each brand has a huge list of models. For many, a treadmill is a big purchase starting at $700 and upwards beyond $3000 a piece. So, here are a couple keys to look out for when shopping for a treadmill.
The treadmill motor is probably the main focus of your research and if you do nothing else at least buy a motor that fits your demands. If you plan on using the treadmill regularly, like daily, most people agree 2.5 horsepower is a minimum.
The running surface of your treadmill is the deck. It’s just beneath the belt that you will be frantically trying to stay on. Look for rubber or polymer cushions placed under the deck. It needs to have plenty of shock absorption otherwise you might as well go running over the pavement outside, it’s cheaper too.
These days almost every treadmill has an incline feature so you can pretend to be running uphill while actually you’re just running in place, at an incline. It’s great for forcing yourself into a more strenuous workout. The ranges vary more or less steep but if you’re looking for intense workouts make sure you have a treadmill that supports that feature.
People love numbers as much as they love to know that they are making effort and progress. To measure effort most treadmills come with a heart rate monitor built into the machine. It works by reading your pulse off your hands when you grab the rail in front of you. Of course this isn’t a natural way to run so only do this occasionally to check your heart rate and otherwise let your hands swing naturally as they should.
Another cool feature that many people like is the calorie counter. Based on the intensity of the workout and the duration the computer calculates the amount of calories you burn using the weight and age data you input to begin the work out. The only issue is that most models have overly optimistic calculators so use it as a guide, not a rule.
The most important thing when buying a new treadmill is the warranty. Buy an extension if you must because 90-days is not enough for the potential problems to show itself. Expect something along the lines of 10 years for the motor and 3 years parts replacement and 1 year service. This will save the headache of repair cost if you damage your treadmill or something falls apart too early.