Treadmill For Sale

How To Find the Right Treadmills for You

February 9th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed

Let’s admit it. It has certainly happened to all of us. You bought a nice looking piece of exercise equipment on a whim. You may even have used it for a couple of days. After that, the poor thing sat abandoned while you tried as hard as you could not to look at it.

Buying on impulse rarely ends well. However, if you really take some time to think about your needs in terms of exercise and find the treadmill that’s exactly right for you, you might be well on your way to achieving fitness in the privacy of your own home.

Take some time to think about what you want before buying a treadmill. The first question you should ask yourself is: do you plan to use it for walking or jogging? The second most important question is: how much are you willing to spend? Do you have any space constraints? (A friend of mine bought a lovely treadmill that didn’t fit anywhere in his apartment. It’s now collecting dust in a storage shed even as I write this.)

The next thing to do is to hit the town. If at all possible, I highly recommend that you do your shopping at a fitness store rather than a general “sports” store. The fitness store employees will be much better versed in their products than employees who have to deal with fitness equipment, sports equipment, camping equipment, etc.

The Most Important Criteria: Motors

There’s no doubt that the most important thing to look for in a treadmill is the motor. My top recommendation would be to get the most motor you can for your money. Why? First of all because larger and heavier motors will last longer. Also, they will not get as hot while you’re exercising. Walking or Running? You can get away with a 1 to 1.5 continuous horse power if you plan to use your treadmill for walking only. However, if you plan to use it for running or jogging, make sure to get a motor with 2 to 3 continuous horse power.

Walking Track and Deck Thickness

The last thing you want is to buy a new piece of equipment only to discover that your joints don’t take properly to it. Consequently, you must make sure that the deck is thick enough to adequately cushion your hips, knees and ankles. Again, depending if you plan on using your treadmill for walking or running, here’s what I recommend: three-fourths of an inch thickness for walking; and at least an inch thickness for running. If you have bad joints or are heavy, I would get all the cushioning you can afford.As for the walking track, it should be wide enough for you to walk comfortably and long enough for you to stride/jog without having to shorten your gait.

Since it’s imperative for you to find what works best for you, don’t be shy about trying out different treadmills in the store.

Saving Money on Electronic Board

Here is certainly an aspect where you can save some money. Many manufacturers of treadmills add extra features to the board so they can raise the price of their equipment. Please, don’t fall for it. The only information that you really need is: distance walked, speed/incline, time elapsed, and maybe calories burned. Unless you’re a cardiac patient, a heart monitor is nice but probably not necessary. Finally, whether you have a few hundred dollars to spend or a few thousand, if you know what you want and shop patiently, you’ll be able to find the treadmill that’s perfect for you knowing you have done your homework!