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More and more people are now conscious about their health and well-being, so there has been a rise in the number of people who go to the gym to achieve and maintain physical fitness. However, going to the gym every day is not only time consuming but can also be costly. Others simply opt to exercise at home.
One way of cutting cost for gym expenses is to have one’s own exercise equipment at home. Although the initial purchase could be a little costly for some, the long-term result will be more beneficial for the owner when it comes to finances and time consumption.
One of the common types of exercise or fitness equipment that can be bought for home use is a treadmill. But first, if one is interested in buying such a piece of equipment, one should know first how to choose a treadmill for home use.
The first thing in knowing how to choose a treadmill for home use is to identify the purpose of the treadmill. The treadmill can be used for walking, running, and for weight loss. There are those who prefer using a treadmill instead of walking around the neighborhood.
There are also those who prefer using the treadmill for their requisite daily run. A treadmill can also be good exercise equipment for those who are planning to lose weight.
Being able to determine the purpose or the use of the treadmill is important because there are certain features to look for in a particular treadmill in order to accommodate correctly the purpose of which it was bought for.
If the main purpose for the treadmill is simply for daily walking, it is recommended that one should buy a treadmill that features a 12.87 km or 8 mile per hour maximum high speed. Also, as much as possible, one would want to walk as if one walks outside, so a treadmill with a firm deck is a good to simulate walking outdoors.
However, a cushioned deck is more advisable for those who are suffering from achy joints and back problems so that the stress caused to the body by a firm deck can be minimized. For comfortable striding, find a deck with at least a 45.75 cm. width and 1.37 m. length for dimensions.
Because walking only entails small stress on the treadmill, finding a treadmill with a motor having 1.5 to 2 horsepower is enough.
One would need a treadmill that features high speed starting from 16.09 km per hour – such speed is good for training at a fast interval. When it comes to uphill running or strength training, one should look for a treadmill that has at least 12 degrees incline or more.
It is a bonus if the treadmill also has a decline feature of at least 2 to 3 degrees so one can likewise train for strength and downhill running. Because running places more stress on the equipment than walking, a treadmill with high horsepower – somewhere between 2.5 and 3.0 – is needed so that continuous and smooth belt motion can be expected.
A longer deck and conveyor belt – at least 1.47 m. for length – is also preferable in order for the treadmill to support longer strides for running.
A treadmill with a built-in monitor for heart rate is important in this endeavor. The monitors can either be a handle bar sensor, a wireless chest strap, or even a fingertip monitor.
Other features to look for in a treadmill for this purpose is a 10 16.09 km per hour maximum speed and a 10 percent maximum incline feature. The more flexible the treadmill is, the better it is so that training can be customized according to the user’s physical condition and capacity.
A console that will show weight loss and exercise statistics is also important so one can keep track of his work. Finally, a treadmill with a motor output of 2.0 horsepower is the preferred choice for this purpose.
Knowing how to choose a treadmill for home use is important because there are different treadmills for different purposes. Basically, the things to look out for are the features of the treadmill such as the motor and the deck.
Check the features of a certain treadmill brand first to make sure that it can serve its primary purpose well.