How to Choose the Right Treadmill

Treadmills are the workhorses of the running world. A simple belt rotating along an incline provides plenty of muscle sculpting and toning action for fitness thirsty legs. They are an excellent replacement for the rigors of outdoor running, which requires lots of open space and perhaps, a treacherous journey back home. With a treadmill, you can run in the confines of your own bedroom and plop on the bed when exhausted. Today, home treadmills are the most sold fitness exercise machines in the industry. With that said, how can we proceed with choosing a treadmill when countless ones litter the market?

The first criteria when choosing a treadmill is checking for motorized or non motorized. Simply, motorized treadmills use a motor to rotate the belt. The industry standard for a decent motor is any motor with 2 horsepower and up. These are designed to withstand the rigors of foot pounding while gliding smoothly at the same time without interruption. 2 horsepower is roughly equal to that of a lawnmower.

The second criteria used in selecting the right treadmill is the length of the belt. Short belts are known for launching their users right off, which can lead to serious industry. In addition, they limit your stride and make for less space. As a rule of thumb, long legged individuals should opt for 45 inches or more of belt length to ensure a complete full stride as they run on the machine. Keep in mind, although 50 inches of belt length may be enough, you want your treadmill to have a safety button available that will turn the machine off when it is going at high speeds and you need a smooth stop. Most treadmills have either buttons or small ropes to pull.

One neat tool for all treadmill enthusiasts to look for are pulse monitors. They are handy little machines on the machine that tells you your heart rate as you exercise. Fitness experts say that your heart rate should beat up to 75% of its maximum effort. Pulse monitors help runners stay in the best workout zone that will get results for the amount of time you use the treadmill. Just be sure to never over exert yourself!