Buying the right treadmill

By: Jason Petrina



Choosing any piece of exercise equipment is a very time consuming and difficult task. Treadmills are no exception, and require a lot of time and thought in order to purchase the right treadmill for you. Certain factors to consider are the number of people using it, buying used or buying new, is there a good space to put a large treadmill, and also more technical features such as horse power, inclines, belts, cushioning, and warranty.

Before buying, you must ask yourself are you buying it for yourself or other people. If there will be multiple users on the treadmill their preferences should also be considered. If there will be children using it, you may consider buying a treadmill with a height adjustable control panel. If there will be elderly people or active runners using the treadmill, a heart rate meter should be a nice feature to accommodate these two groups of users. If the users had past injuries you may also consider purchasing a treadmill with a more elaborate cushioning system to reduce the impact on feet, knees, and back.

Once assembled, treadmills are too heavy to move up and down stairs. Before purchasing, be sure to decide on an area that has enough space for users and the treadmill itself. If there isn’t sufficient space for the treadmill, consider buying a lighter one that can be easily folded and put into a closet for storage. Unlike exercises like weightlifting, treadmills can be quite loud. If you are a night runner, consider buying treadmills with higher quality motors to quiet down the noise. Instead to buying a more expensive motor you may also put the treadmill on the bottom floor where the noise will not resonate as much, or put it on a carpet. There are also specially made mats available to reduce noise and protect hardwood flooring. If you choose to put the treadmill outdoors, remember to cover it at night and buy a secure lock.

Buying a new treadmill is not the only way to go about getting one. If you are on a budget, consider looking for used ones instead. Used treadmills can be found in your local newspaper classified or local internet forums. When purchasing used, it is important to give it a good testing. Research the price of parts for that model and determine is the treadmill meets your needs. You can also try buying a warranty from the previous owner. Maintenance is required whether you are purchasing new or used treadmills. Read the manual carefully or ask the sales rep what constitutes a good maintenance check up. Certain treadmills require just cleaning, while others require the belt to be regularly lubricated.

When making your purchase, research certain criteria of the components. Motors should be 1.0 to 1.5 horsepower if the treadmills are only being used for walking and 1.5 to 2.0 if the treadmill will be used for running. A cushioning system is very important as if reduces harsh impacts on your ankles, knees, and back. It reduces the changes of injuries caused by hard impacts from running; however, make sure the track is not too soft. Having a incline feature can increase the intensity of workouts. It can simulate hills or slow rising peaks automatically without any adjustments. Manual inclines have more chance of breaking down; I would suggest an automatic incline as it can be raised during a workout by the push of a button.

A more important aspect would be about the warranty. Buying an exercise machine which is priced at approximately 1000 dollars is a major purchase. Having warranty can ease the purchase as the machine would be covered for damages for a certain number of years. I would suggest spending a little more and finding a treadmill which offers a life time warranty on parts and labor. Parts which should be covered include the motor, control panel, frame, belt, and labor.



Jason Petrina is the Editor and Publisher of Article Click. For more FREE articles for your ezine and websites visit - www.articleclick.com