Treadmills

Treadmill Buying Guide

CHOOSING THE RIGHT TREADMILL
Gregory J. Florez

Buying and using a treadmill can be one of the most sensible health decisions you can make. As fitness professionals, we recommend treadmills more than any other piece of home exercise equipment. They are functional, easy to use, and when used correctly, provide an ideal way to burn calories, manage weight and strengthen, and enhance the cardiovascular system. But buyer beware! Since treadmills are the most extensive category in the fitness industry, there are more choices than any other fitness equipment. This is a mixed blessing. The following are important tips to make sure you maximize your investment and reach your goals.

Shopping for your treadmill

1. Consider your goals and the goals of other potential exercisers in your home before you start your search. Most families will have more than one individual that will likely be using the treadmill. It's important to consider their goals and needs as well as the primary users. For example, "Under buying" or buying a low quality, underpowered treadmill that will be used by both a 130lb. and a 200lb. person is a common mistake. Additionally, if you have children or teenagers who will be participating in sports, consider their needs.
2. Start your shopping with an authorized specialty fitness retailer. Make a list of local retailers who specialize in fitness equipment - not hockey, basketball and golf. These dealers will likely have a more educated staff, higher quality equipment, and the ability to assemble and service your treadmill more effectively. Sometimes these dealers will also have relationships with personal trainers to help you start your program.
3. Go to the store prepared to test the equipment in the manner in which you will be using it. Almost any unit will feel and seem adequate if you walk on it for 5 minutes. It's only when you begin to put a treadmill through its paces by adding incline, using different programs, or jogging on it that you will start to notice major differences in quality and comfort even vibration and noise. Plan on wearing comfortable exercise clothes and walking or jogging shoes. Don't hesitate to spend 15-30 minutes testing the equipment. A good treadmill is a major investment. Take your time.

Must Have's

1. Easily navigable console and screen with a large digital readout. Ask yourself, "does the layout make sense?" A sales person should show you some basics like start and stop, but after the first several minutes, the buttons and console should make intuitive sense.
2. Shock absorption system. This is a major "hook" for almost all treadmills now, but make note. When you walk fast or run, does the deck feel firm and stable, yet forgiving? It should not feel "soft" or spongy as this type of cushioning can create knee injuries in the long run and also wear out quickly. On the other side of the spectrum, you don't want a treadmill that feels like you are running on asphalt. Look for a manufacturer that provides compelling, research-based, evidence on why their cushioning system works. Ask the salesperson why a manufacturer chose their cushioning and how it works. There should be some methodology in the system other than simply putting in rubber spacers or dampeners.

   In addition to cushioning, some treadmills even go so far as to make automated adjustments to tread speed in order to compensate for minor variations in foot speed during workouts - a technology that proposes to make your session more comfortable and easier on your body. A test workout at the store will help you determine if these features really improve your workout. Remember, anything that will make your workout more comfortable and easier to stick with is worth considering.

3. Electronic Features. Most treadmills have a spectrum of features to lure buyers ranging from calories expended to amount of energy used. Consider what is important to you and how you will use it. You can find more details on specific electronic features and their advantages in "programming and motivation." The key is to look for electronic features that are both motivating and challenging. Look for an electronic package that will grow with you as you progress and one that will accommodate the needs of other users in your home. As fitness professionals, some of the most effective features we've found include: interval programs, quick start functions, and specific user ID's that are customizable and can store past workouts to be used in the future.
4. Adequate Motor. This has become one of the most confusing data points of all. Don't be fooled by the "bigger is always better" rhetoric. In reality, a 2.0 and above continuous duty HP motor is sufficient for virtually any user if the other components are high quality (continuous duty is a measure of horsepower under regular anticipated use and is far more meaningful than "peak" horsepower). For example, a good cooling mechanism reduces heat on the motor and other key components - extending the life and wear on these parts. A large motor with a poor cooling mechanism makes for a bad combination that will likely result in premature wear and tear on parts as well as poor performance. Look at the treadmill as a system with matched components not just a unit with a "big" or "quiet" motor.

As the most popular piece of aerobic equipment in the fitness industry, you can be overloaded with choices when shopping with the myriad of units available. One of the surest ways to buy quality is to go with a manufacturer that has a history of quality. In the fitness industry this means considering companies that have made treadmills for use in health clubs and other high use facilities like corporate facilities and municipal settings. It is also important to measure the available space you have in your home for a treadmill before you make a purchase.

A company that makes equipment that is used dozens of times a day in a commercial setting is likely to make a unit that will stand up to home use.

The shopping phase is the foundation to make sure that you choose wisely and protect your investment. Take your time. Start with a reputable specialty fitness dealer. Ask the hard questions mentioned above. Test the equipment thoroughly. Think long term for both your goals and other family members. This will keep you from under buying.

Things to remember when shopping for a treadmill

Shopping for a treadmill:

• Consider both your goals and other members of the household's goals before you begin your search
• Start your shopping at an authorized specialty fitness retailer
• Go to the store prepared to test the equipment- wear exercise clothes!

Must haves:

• Easy to read and easy to use console
• Shock absorption system
• Electronic features that are meaningful to you
• Look for an adequate motor- 2.0+ continuous duty HP motor or above is sufficient

Safety and Maintenance

Running and walking on an electronic piece of equipment is very effective and simple. It can also be unsafe and fraught with quality issues if you don't choose wisely. Here's what to look for

1. Safety features. Look for basics like a safety key and belt speed that starts and stops in small, gradual increments. Also important are features like built in warm-up and cool-down periods, heart rate feedback and interactivity. Make sure the treadmill has handrails or console grips that are comfortable without being obtrusive. Can you run or walk comfortably without hitting them? Are they ergonomically located so that you can use them when you start or stop? Testing in the store for several minutes will help you choose wisely.
2. Maintenance. Look for a treadmill that is maintenance-free. Although some basic care is advisable, you should not have to spend time lubricating and servicing your treadmill after every workout. A well-designed unit takes normal wear and tear into account so you don't have to and helps save you time and hassle. Ask a salesperson about a deck that is reversible - meaning you can have the deck flipped when normal wear takes its course on the running surface. A reversible deck essentially doubles the life of your treadmill surface.
3. Warranty. A treadmill is an electronic piece of equipment. A quality unit is a long-term investment that, with regular use, will require service at some point. Most quality treadmills will offer a lifetime warranty on the frame. When it comes to other components, look for a warranty that provides for at least 1 year of labor and a minimum of 1-3 years coverage on parts. Ask your salesperson what components are covered. Be sure your warranty includes:
   • motor
   • deck and belt
   • electronics

   Equally as important, does the dealer from whom you are purchasing have their own service staff who are trained and authorized by the manufacturer to service your equipment?

Programming and Motivation

The basics from a fitness point of view are: elapsed time, distance, speed, and incline. Having a measure of calories burned can also be motivating for the right individuals. Consider what additional information or features will help keep you motivated day after day. No one can answer this for you. Think about what has worked for you in the past and what has not. Remember all that matters in the long term is whether or not you use the equipment day in and day out. Some of the most useful added features include:

1. Heart Rate (HR) interactivity. Measuring your heart rate is the surest indicator of progress and proper intensity. Everyone has a target heart rate range for which they should work within. Too high and you risk injury. Too low and you won't reach your goals. The best treadmills will actually adjust speed while measuring your heart rate to make sure that you stay within this range. There are two categories here: HR interactive vs. HR display. The ideal is HR interactive because the machine will make automatic adjustments for you to keep you at your desired HR. You simply punch in the desired HR and the machine will respond accordingly throughout the workout. Look for a HR control that adjusts incline at a minimum. Adjusting both speed and incline may pose some concerns for users. Often on products that adjust both speed and incline, you cannot make manual adjustments. If you are feeling uncomfortable with the settings, you have to stop and get back in to the program. Incline-only HR programs allow for manual speed adjustments to keep you feeling safe and in control.
2. Pre-set and custom programs. One of the leading reasons people quit a program is boredom. Having a treadmill that provides a myriad of programs will help keep a program fresh and full of variety. The ability to customize a program for your specific needs is also a great feature. Look for some research behind the programs.
3. User Profile/ID. Separate user ID's that store data for individual users are ideal for families, husband and wife, or workout partners and are great for competing against others and yourself. The user ID's allow you to keep your own odometer, store a database of your workout information, and create custom courses based on your own personal preferences and goals. This is a great way to measure progress. The best treadmills will "remember" your workouts and even those of other users in your house. Look for the ability to store workouts for two or more users in order to duplicate them again.
4. Ease of Use. In the world of personal training we have found over the years that many clients are intimidated or simply frustrated with the amount of features and buttons on a treadmill. It becomes another obstacle to regular exercise. The best treadmills keep it simple. Big green buttons mean go. Big red buttons mean stop. Emergency stops should be well labeled and it should take no more than 2 to 3 "button pushes" to launch a program. Look for a treadmill that has a manual or "quick start" mode as well as the programs described above. These modes require only 1-2 pushes of a button and you go. Basically, look for a treadmill that will do the thinking for you.
5. Interval training. Interval training means periods of high intensity combined with periods of lower intensity. A very effective means of increasing fitness levels quickly. Look for programming that offers numerous options for interval training. A typical program operates on a one min rest, one min work interval set-up. The programming should be set up so that all you have to do is set the rest period one time and the work period one time and the machine takes over from there.
6. Fitness test. This is a great tool for motivation and measuring progression. Essentially this is a pre-set program based on a scientific set of principles that "test" your fitness level at any given time. Essentially you launch the program and the program will take you through a program that gauges fitness level based on variables such as heart rate, distance and speed, etc. Research shows us that the second biggest reason people quit an exercise program is lack of results. Accomplishing a fitness test on a periodic basis will help you see your progress.

About Author

Gregory Florez oversees the nation's premier personal fitness and educating company. First Fitness is considered the leading experts on the fitness and sports and fitness industry. Gregory and his staff provide information, education, coaching, and tools to consumers, sports and fitness professionals, equipment manufacturers and retailers, and health care payers and providers worldwide.

Gregory is featured in publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, MSNBC.com, Men's Journal, and Ladies Home Journal magazine. Gregory and his staff work with major equipment manufacturers and specialty fitness retailers to train their staffs to become "Fitness Equipment Experts." The FEX certificate program is a joint endeavor with the American Council on Exercise to provide professional support for customers who buy exercise equipment.

Some of Gregory's accomplishments include:

• Spokesperson for ACE (the American Council on Exercise)
• Appointment to board of advisors for IDEA (the International Association for Fitness Professionals), the largest educator of fitness professionals in the world
• Board of Advisors for Newlife Technologies
• Contract athlete for Nike
• Lecturer for The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)