exercise equipment

Oh treadmill
how I love thee. I can always depend on my treadmill to achieve weight loss and muscle tone. I have had a couple of different treadmills through the years and I have always been able to attain my goals with this outstanding piece of equipment. I have gone from a dedicated runner
to couch potato
to overweight and back and the only variable that did not work all the time was me!

There is a reason the first piece of equipment you see on “Biggest Loser” is a treadmill
or why there is a line at the gym waiting for this coveted piece of equipment. They work! The act of running itself is fantastic
but with running you have many variables
(i.e. rain
potholes
stranger danger
and the occasional scary animal). Many people associate running with injuries and joint issues
and unfortunately this can be true of running outside due to the high impact on your joints and muscles. With a treadmill
you are able to take all of those variables away
and still have the purest form of cardiovascular exercise in your own home. Running on a treadmill allows you to control your environment with cushioned and flat running surface. Treadmills also are able to accommodate any fitness level from the first day you begin
to training for a 5k. There is no learning curve involved at any time with exercising on a treadmill. That fact alone makes this a perfect machine. Many people will get frustrated quickly with a piece of equipment they are uncomfortable or unable to use. On a treadmill
all you must do is walk and you are “working out”. No need for a trainer
instructions
or nerves.

In my personal experience
I have become to depend on my treadmill almost as much as my Doctor. I am able to lower my blood pressure
heighten my lung capacity
tone and build muscles
lose weight
and motivate myself to move.

Make an investment in yourself

When you are ready to make this wise investment
there are a few pointers to consider when purchasing a treadmill. It is always a good idea to talk to a friend or relative about their treadmill
and what they like and don’t about the features they have on their home or commercial equipment. Also
go to several gyms and fitness stores and actually walk or run on several of the treadmills available to get a true feel for the structure and performance of each piece of equipment. Listed below are the top 10 questions you need to ask yourself and a sales person prior to choosing the perfect treadmill for you.


1
What Kind of Weight capacity does the treadmill offer?
2
What type of features are you interested in for your workouts? Are you interested in a heart rate monitor? Do you need different workout programs to vary your workouts?
3
What kind of space are you willing to allot for storage? Do you need to be able to fold the equipment
or can you have a traditional style.
4
What is the speed on the treadmill? How fast and slow does the machine move
and what is the speed that you require?
5
What type of warranty does the treadmill offer
and what type of ongoing maintenance does it need?
6
What is the “continuous duty” of the treadmill? You really need to look for a 1.5 to 2.5 HP to insure you are getting a solid motor.
7
What price are you willing to pay for a treadmill?
8
Noise
do you need a quite model due to children in home
or a sleeping spouse? Do you want to hear a TV over the sound of the treadmill? DC motors are usually the more quite option.
9
Are you comfortable with the length and width of the treadmill? Can you move your arms freely
and is the deck long enough to accommodate your stride?
10
Is there a safety key
or an emergency shut off? If you have children this is an important option to have available.

All of these questions
if answered correctly by you and your salesperson
will begin a beautiful relationship with the right treadmill.

1
Stay away from orthopedic belts. We don't recommend them because 1) a good pair of running shoes provide more cushioning 2) they hold in heat which shortens belt life
motor life
and electronics life 3) the increased weight of the belt shortens bearing life in the rollers.

2
Do your research and get several price quotes from several different stores. Typically
the more you deal with the various companies
the better deals they will come up with such as discounts
free product
financing specials
etc.

3
Tread carefully when buying over the Internet. Some companies
like Landice and True
will void your warranty if bought over the Internet and some have restrictions on delivery distances from an authorized dealer. If in doubt
call or email the factory. Another issue related to Internet buying is delivery. Many of us in the business know how difficult it is to ship a single treadmill or elliptical without having it damaged so deal with a company that has been doing it a long time and has already learned how to do it. Another issue to keep in mind is what you are going to do if you don’t like the machine. Most companies accept returns but the cost to ship the treadmill back to the factory can easily cost hundreds of dollars so it is quite an expensive trial test if the machine is returned. Also curbside delivery literally means what it says…the trucking company will sit it on the curb and it’s your problem to get it into the house
so either pay for inside delivery or have help ready. Another issue is service…some internet companies have good service networks and others don’t but remember that you probably won’t get the type of personalized service you should expect from a local dealer.

4
Do take care of your treadmills. Whether they require quite a bit or little maintenance
keeping the treadmill or elliptical clean and the walking belt lubricated on the treadmill can be the difference between having a great treadmill or a money pit. Refer to our Treadmill or Elliptical Care Pamphlet for maintenance instructions.

5
If you are considering used machines
really do you homework
and then do it again. We do rebuilding jobs for local health clubs all the time and do this work occasionally for people who are buying health club models for the home but to do it right costs quite a bit and if someone is telling you they have a used or rebuilt at an amazing price
you typically aren't getting the entire story.

6
Since buying a treadmill is a huge investment for most people
choose your dealer and factory carefully. As with any product
a brand new company may not be around in a few years
parts can be very specific to machines and spares may not be available if the factory isn’t around. A dealer for a reputation for high quality and personalized service is necessary for some people. Other people feel confident in servicing their own equipment
so figure out which one you are and buy accordingly. If you know one end of a wrench from the other
you might want to save a few dollars with an Internet purchase. Others may need to pay for the full-service price you should get from a local dealer but if you pay the higher price
demand the higher service level.

7
Treadmills and ellipticals are different than many other home appliances. Remember
we rate a treadmill average if it has a breakdown only once every 5 years…that’s average! Extended warranties can make sense if the manufacturer has a short warranty and if you get it from a reputable extended warranty company. Remember the dealer is typically not the warranty provider and many have gone out of business over the years and others are hard to deal with. For instance
UTS (Icon’s warranty company) is the best we have ever dealt with. If you get an Icon machine
buy the UTS warranty…it will be well worth it. UTS’s number is 800-677-3838. Also
Sears has a good extended warranty program and it typically pays for itself if you use the machine. On the other hand
we have had problems with the company called N.E.W. and many others have gone out of business so do your research on your warranty company if you have never heard of them.

8
A great final tip is if you want to save a bit of money. Due to the influence of Asian parts
the lower end treadmills and ellipticals are getting better and better while the price is holding the line and the ones being made today in the $800 range are much better than the $800 machines made 10 years ago. If you need to save a few bucks and your doctor says it is OK
use a few degrees of incline always when you use your machine. If the machine is well maintained and if you use a bit of incline (on the treadmill)
you can get by with a bit less of a machine than you might otherwise need. The incline allows gravity to take over quite a bit of the workload from the drive system. A treadmill used with just a slight incline will last much longer than a comparably cared for treadmill that is used at a flat level.