Ten Things to Consider When Choosing a Treadmill to Buy

Treamills are very popular excercise devices for people to buy these days - make sure you know what you are doing before spending so much of your money! Here are ten things to consider before purchasing one:

1. Do you have room for a treadmill?
- Treadmills are very big so make sure you have plenty of room before you buy one. Check the footprint measurements on any you are considering and measure the room you want to put it in first to make sure it will fit. Many are really heavy too and can't be moved easily once you have it set up - so make up your mind first about where you can put one. Even ones that fold take up a lot of space when folded. Make sure your floor is strong enough also and buy a mat for it if your floors are nice.


2. The Motor
- Motors on treadmills are very important! The motor's power is measured in continuous horsepower. If you will only be walking on it 1-1.5 continuous horsepower is plenty. For running you should consider one that has 1.5-2 continuous horsepower. Treadmills with a powered incline may have another motor to power it too.


3. Warranty
- The warranty on a treadmill is very important to think about since it is a big purchase. Some of the better treadmill companies will have a warranty on the motor that will last for 10-30 years! Other parts that may be covered by a warranty are the frame, belts, rollers, deck, electronics and labor. Many treadmills even have lifetime warranties on the frame and deck. Many of the other parts if covered are for 3 to 5 years. Make sure you get one with labor for at least a year, but longer if possible.


4. Cushioning systems
- Higher quality treadmills have a good cushioning system. This is important especially if you have bad knees, ankles or back.


5. Speed
- Speed of the belt. Typically walking and running speeds for most people (respectively) are 3 to 6 mph and 6-10 mph. (Personally I have yet to get past 4!) Most treadmills go up to 10 mph.


6. Maintenance
- Some treadmills need some maintenance. For many it is just keeping it clean and lubricating the belt periodically. Make sure you ask about this before you buy!


7. Incline
- Many treadmills can have the amount that it inclines adjusted. This can either by manually or electrically powered. Inclining it increases the amount of resistance, just as if you were walking uphill. Power incline is very nice! Some incline up to as much as 15%, some only to 10%.


8. Who will be using it?
- The weight and height of the people using a treadmill can be important. Treadmills have a maximum weight that they can hold, so make sure all users weight less then this. Also, for short people the height of the display may be too high to see. Taller people need a longer belt length too.


9. Belts
- The belt on a treadmill should be longer if it will be ran on or used by taller people. Longer belts are around 50 to 60 in. and the shorter ones are around 45 to 50 in. Width of most treadmill belts is around 16 to 22 inches.


10. Display Panel
- Most display panels are either LCD or LED. Some provide more information than others. Commonly displayed are speed, distance, time, incline, calories used and sometimes your heart rate. Ones with fancier display tend to cost more. How important this is is up to you. I personally like the heart rate information, although if you already have a heart rate monitor it may not be necessary. I also use the programable workouts too.

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(Today is: 8 February 2010, 5:14 pm)