Treadmill Buyers Checklist to Help Buy the Right One for You!

O.K. you’ve got this far and you want to buy a treadmill exercise machine, here is a checklist to help you remember and act on what you’ve learned so far! You’ve an idea of what your budget is……

Treadmill Buyers Checklist

1  Motorized Treadmill or Manual Treadmill?

2  What Maximum Speed do I require if it’s Motorized?

Remember – For a walking or a gentle running regime a speed of up to 7.5 m.p.h. 12k.p.h) might be fine, but for harder training at higher running speeds this would be too slow and a faster machine should be chosen.

 

3  What about the Treadmill Motor?

Typical Treadmill Motor from Proform

An electric treadmill can have two motors; one to drive the belt and the other to raise and lower

the bed for changing the incline. When considering your treadmill motor that drives the belt the specification figure that is important it is the “Continuous Duty”, more than “Treadmill Duty” or

“Maximum Power”. A continuous duty motor with at least 1.5 horsepower motor is recommended, some higher horsepower figures quoted are peak power, rather than continuous, don’t be fooled by the sales pitch!

4  How many incline settings?

(Min 3 recommended)…Y/N

5  What size is the treadmill?

Do you have room when you get it home and use it, plus the access to get it where you want it? If you don’t have room to leave one in its own space all the time a folding treadmill could be the answer, however you may need to make some extra checks, see earlier under build quality

6  What about the treadmill running deck and its size?

If you plan on running get one at least 48″ long and 16″ wide, the deck should feel cushioned to absorb shock and the belt should not move around with each stride

7  What thickness is running deck?

Schwinn 840 Treadmill

Most treadmills depending on price range have ¾” – 1″ decks, the ¾” decks can break over time with a runner, since they put a considerable pounding force on a deck. That’s why there are some postproduction deck reinforcement kits available, so if you are a runner it might be better to buy a machine with a 1″ deck.

8  What information can I get from the display?

Examples below:- Heart rate monitor  Y/N Calorie counter, for those weight loss diets? Y/N Average Speed Y/N Average Distance Y/N Time Y/N Programme progress/tracking Y/N Any must haves for me

9  Overall Build Quality

If you have the opportunity to use the machine you have selected do it! The machine should run quietly and smoothly and should feel solid and stable when in use, the frame should not be shaking violently and the belt should not be sliding about with each stride taken.

10 Warranty

These vary between manufacturers, some are more comprehensive than others.

Alternatively you can buy an extended warranty from an independent specialist company that will cover other fitness equipment too.

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Making That Final Decision to Buy from all the Treadmills on Sale

Obviously it is not feasible to test out a large number of machines, but if you make a shortlist of say 3 or 4 machines try and find out if there are suppliers near you that have these models available to try out or at least see.

Price and convenience are probably going to be factors in where you eventually buy from, remember though you don’t want a cheap treadmill ,you want a well made value for money one!

Cheap treadmills can be more expensive in the long term!

With it being easy to shop around online and maybe get a real good deal not available locally, but as with local retailers ask about after-sales service unless you happy to do any maintenance yourself?

Good luck and enjoy your treadmill.

Check out Manual Treadmills < Click Here

Check out Motorized Electric Treadmills <Click Here

Treadmills Work – Don’t You Hate the Name Treadmill Though?

Treadmills – Don’t let that name put you off !

Treadmills can be a great investment for fitness, and combined with a good diet a great way to help lose weight too! Studies have shown that people get more out of a treadmill than any other type fitness equipment; this is because it is natural to walk or run and you are more apt to stick with it for longer each session and to continue to keep using the equipment itself.

A treadmill is sometimes also referred to as a running machine; this is a misnomer and shouldn’t put off people who feel daunted at the thought of having to run!

Manual Treadmills or Motorized Treadmills

With manual or motorized treadmills you set the pace. Whether it’s to simulate a gentle walk on the level, perhaps for someone just starting to exercise or recovering after an operation, or to running at speed on the flat or even up an incline, the choice is yours!

LifeSpan Fitness Folding Treadmill

Motorized Electric Treadmills

When considering these types of treamills speed is a consideration, depending primarily on the motor each machine will have a maximum speed. For a walking or a gentle running regime a speed of up to 7.5 m.p.h. (12k.p.h) might be fine, but for harder training at higher running speeds this would be too slow and a faster machine should be chosen.

As well as speed considerations whether the running surface is flat or inclined changes the amount of effort the exercise requires and how various muscle groups are used. Having a machine on which you can vary the incline by at least 3 levels should be considered a minimum requirement, and with the more sophisticated machines the incline can be varied considerably whilst in motion even, either manually or automatically by a computer controlled programme without any input from the user after selecting a programme and pressing the start button.

Getting to know if a machine suits your needs would ideally be done by trying one out for at least 10 minutes and perhaps this may be possible for some people in certain areas, but with so many machines on the market trying out a large number is not usually a practical proposition.

It is possible to try treadmills out in some shops and of course there are many readily available to use in clubs and gyms, although these commercial treadmills may not be readily available, or too expensive for some home users, getting to know about treadmills in general is not a bad thing. Also people who work in fitness centres usually have a broad experience of machines and are usually happy to give you their opinion.

Not only will you find out what to look for but read on, we  can also tell you some things to avoid before making your purchase!

See also our Buyers Guide Checklist for Treadmills

Fitness Treadmill – Crazy To Buy One

Fitness Treadmill – The Facts

Well you may be, but before you buy go out and part with your hard earned cash there are some questions you should ask yourself, I’m sure you don’t want another piece of fitness equipment gathering dust in the garage or spare room!

There are many fitness treadmills for the buyer to choose from and quite a lot of information available too, but not that easy to find in one place!

You may say, “ Which is the best fitness treadmill”, “What information do I need” and “What type and what features do I look for, there are so many to choose from!”

The bad news is this is true, but here at treadmills4exercise.com we can help you make sure you ask the right questions to get the information you need to make the right fitness treadmill for you, and not just for the salesperson!

We provide independent advice on this site and are not tied to any individual manufacturer!

LifeSpan Fitness TR3000i Folding Treadmill

Why do want to buy a fitness treadmill?

If included in your goals are to increase general fitness or maintain it, weight loss, or building up stamina, then a fitness treadmill makes a good choice – and the great thing is that they’re really easy to use for people of all ages, but remember, always consult your doctor before beginning an exercise programme.

Fitness treadmills are great exercise machines to buy, they get used!

It is estimated that that more than 37 million people use a fitness treadmill worldwide, the majority in the U.S.A.  Fitness treadmills are great because they mimic an exercise that is both familiar and comfortable, after all, most of us know how to walk or run and for these reasons alone people who buy treadmills tend to continue using them long after other “gimmicky” equipment has been left to gather dust.

Using a fitness treadmill may be seasonal for some people, for those of us who prefer to stay dry, well at least out of the rain, but the seasons tend to run into years not just weeks or months! That’s why it’s important to get one that will allow you to get the most from your money, suit your needs and adapt to your future requirements too.

Using a fitness treadmill in a gym is the way most people get their first experience, but not everyone likes the gym experience and would like to exercise in the privacy of their own home at the most convenient time.

Buying one for your home is a serious matter, a fitness treadmill , sometimes called a treadmill running machine, cost a good deal of money, so consider your budget and, if you can, buy the highest quality machine you can, then look after them and you will be using them for years to come!

To see types of Fitness Treadmill < Click Here