Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Before you buy a treatmill

If you are trying to buy a treadmill, you may have found that you can get lost in the details and find it difficult to decide which type is best for you and your budget. Whether from a retail shop or you want to buy a treadmill online, you should know a little about the basic parts and function of treadmills and how each feature can affect the price and efficacy of your treadmill.

You need to understand at least the basic components in order to compare the different types and read the technical details about each treadmill. Here are the basic points to consider:

1-Motor power:

The motor is responsible for moving the belt horsepower (HP) and ranges from 1 to 3 HP in most types. If you want a good treadmill try not to go for less than 2 horsepower. Also, try to get it from a trusted brand to ensure good manufacturing quality because not all 2 horsepower motors are the same. Another thing is the size of the motor, while some consider a smaller motor better, it can suffer from heating problems more than a larger one costing you more repairs.
Sometimes rated as continuous or peak duty, there is almost no difference for you to worry.

http://www.sxc.hu/photo/942138
2-The frame:
Made from steel or aluminum, you can choose. A frame that is made from aluminum is more durable, rust resistant and can carry more weights.

3-The belt:
One of the essential features you should carefully look for is the size of the belt. Smaller and lighter treadmills can have smaller belts which may not suit everybody. Choose a belt that suits your height and purpose (if you are gonna use the treadmill for longer periods you are going to need a large belt). The surface are of the belt needs to be AT LEAST 18" X 45".

4-The roller:
The fraction and heat can cause wearing of the belt. That's why you need a good and big roller to reduce the wear and tear. Invest in a good quality treadmill to ensure your safety and to avoid alot of repairing.

http://www.sxc.hu/photo/921894
5-Safety:
There are many things in a treadmill that can provide you with a safe exercise and keeps you confident that nothing will go wrong. There should be a rubber pad on the handle for an easy grip and it is better to have the main controls on the handle (in addition to the console) so you can reach them easily and terminate whenever you need to.

After considering all these features, a good and easy to use console , with some cool features such as heart rate monitoring and mp3 player would be nice to make your treadmill perfect.
I hope this post gave you some information on how to buy a treadmill and what are the basic features to look for before buying one.