The Humble Treadmill

Uncomplicated Fitness...

Is a treadmill right for you?

Are you new to exercising? Or are you just looking for a simple, effective way to get or stay fit?

This piece of equipment provides you with a convenient path to consistent, results oriented workouts. The exercise itself is not at all complicated... hence the potential for results. And you can (and should) increase the intensity as you become more fit.

More expensive machines use a motor to power a belt which moves in the opposite direction to allow a user to walk or run whilst staying in the one place. Simpler and cheaper models are passive and move only in response to the user's movement.

The Benefits

As with all aerobic exercise, you'll benefit from using your treadmill by burning fat and building endurance. It's great for all fitness levels and helps to strengthen the all-important heart muscle.

Some models offer adjustments of gradient (like walking up a hill) and speed. Some also offer shock absorption and therefore lower the impact of exercising, reducing the stress on your ankles, knees and lower back.

Other benefits from using a treadmill include:

• The ability to monitor your speed
• The ability to measure energy expended (in calories, kilojoules, or other measurement)
• Some models include step counts, heart rate monitors, and time elapsed
• You can watch a DVD or read at the same time
• Increased personal safety by exercising indoors, plus, you're not going to get rained on!
• High calorie burning potential

Specific Exercises

There's a limited variety of exercises you can do on a treadmill. However, you can adjust the speed (and therefore move from walking, to jogging, to sprinting). You can also adjust the incline on some models, and therefore gain similar benefits to walking uphill. Some models also allow you to select different programs, so the machine itself will vary the intensity and level of your workout.

Brands & Pricing

When choosing a model, it's important to take your safety into consideration. Ensure that your machine is made from quality materials with solid workmanship.



Compare a few different models and get as much advice as necessary – but not from the salesperson! Find an independent advisor, search the Internet for reviews, and ask your friends.

Here are a few models that we recommend at different price points...

The Landice L7 Series Pro Sports Trainer is not cheap at $2900, but it lives up to its price with an excellent reputation and high quality materials.

The Vision Fitness T9200 is more affordable at $1300, and is a very good compromise on value.

At the lower end, the ProForm CS11e is available at around $800, and is suitable for walkers.

The Warnings

Take the following into consideration when deciding on a model...

1. Cheap models are prone to belt slippage – which means your machine could not only be unsafe, but might develop an awful grinding noise.
   
   
2. Being indoors, you miss out on wind resistance and therefore it is slightly easier than on a comparable level outside. This means a treadmill is not necessarily the best way to train for outdoor races.
   
   
3. You will be running the unit on your home electricity, and therefore it is more costly than running outside.
   
   
4. If you want to seriously run on your machine, then you're going to have to cough up the cash. Lower priced models cannot handle the stress that running places on them.

All in all, for a simple, no fuss way to exercise, you can not overlook this humble piece of equipment. If you can walk, you can use a treadmill!