Buying a Treadmill

Buying a treadmill is a big investment, both in terms of money and time. If you are committed to having a treadmill as part of your workout routine, I applaud you. However, if you do not stick to this routine, you have ended up with a very expensive clothes horse

Before outlaying thousands on a treadmill, you should consider spending some time at your local gym or health club. Many of these places will let you pay for individual visits or on a month to month basis. This is the only real way to test whether you will enjoy treadmill exercise. You will quickly learn whether or not you are a ‘treadmill user’ and this is much cheaper then making the expensive mistake of buying a treadmill if you are not in to it.

If you have made the decision to purchase a treadmill you have a wide variety of options. Treadmills range from a simple man powered version where you do all the work, up to more sophisticated models with in built motors that change speeds and inclines automatically. You can get treadmills with inbuilt heart rate models and some have in built programs to vary your workout. Obviously, the more features you want from your treadmill, the more expensive your desired treadmill will be.

Here are some other things to check out when you're shopping for a treadmill:

* If you are getting a motorized treadmill, make sure you consider inbuilt safety features such as handrails and automatic shutdown if you fall. * Make sure you measure out the area of your home where the treadmill will be located. This is vital, as you do not want to buy a treadmill that is too big for your house. * Whilst you may not be in great shape now, in the future your fitness may increase and you may wish to jog faster. So you need to ensure that you have a treadmill with an engine big enough to cater for all the speeds you may need. * Make sure you are comfortable with the walking surface. Shock Absorption is important so you do not suffer any injuries. * Consider what information you would want to know whilst working out. Is a heart rate monitor important? What about the number of calories burned?