Treadmills are our favorite piece of exercise equipment. There are several reasons for that. First and foremost, they burn a lot of calories. A study completed by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) showed that a fairly vigorous workout on a treadmill burns around 700 calories, compared to 627 for stair climbers and 498 for stationary bikes. Calorie burning isn’t the only reason for the popularity of the treadmill. They are also the most versatile type of equipment you can own. You can use the treadmill to lose weight, improve your endurance, increase your overall fitness, gain strength, learn to run, train for local road races or even prepare yourself to complete a marathon.
Years ago, before treadmills became so popular, you would have had limited alternatives when shopping for a treadmill. You could have chosen motorized or manual. You would have had some limited choices of motor size and deck size. That was about it. Not a lot of decisions to make. Today, high demand has fueled a dramatic rise in treadmill choices. These days there are many more manufactures that are building treadmills and each manufacturer has several models available. There are a wide variety of features, sizes, designs and functions for you to pick from. Each treadmill out there is designed for a specific type of user. Some are for walkers that use the machine only occasionally while others are built for competitive runners that use them very heavily. With all of those choices out there, how do you pick the right treadmill? It all starts with your goals and how you plan on using your new treadmill. Here are some buying tips that will help you choose the treadmill that is right for you.
The Basics
Every treadmill has basic components, features and functions that vary from machine to machine. Is it is the combination of these elements that give each treadmill its own “personality” and makes it the appropriate piece of equipment to meet specific goals. Here is a breakdown of each component and what they do for you as a treadmill user.
Motor
The motor is one of the most important parts of your treadmill. It is the component that drives the running belt. Treadmill motors are rated by their horsepower. Horsepower ratings can be determined by peak performance, intermediate duty or continuous duty. You should look for the continuous duty rating. This is the rating of the motor, with a significant workload and continuous use. You will find motors with continuous horsepower ratings from 1 to 3 horsepower.
Some manufacturers will list a high peak-performance rating. Beware of that type of rating. It shows the motors maximum power, not its sustained output. A motor with high peak power may not be able to produce the horsepower needed to sustain a consistent output when you are exercising on the treadmill.
Deck/Belt
The deck is the part of the treadmill that you run on. It is directly under the moving belt. The deck surface will have an effect on the feel and cushioning of the treadmill. Some decks are made from layers of laminated wood while others are constructed of synthetic materials. The deck will eventually wear out because of the friction between the moving belt and the deck surface. Many decks are wax impregnated or pre-lubricated to extend their life. A thick deck will generally provide more support and cushioning as well as being more durable. Some decks are reversible, which will double the life of the deck.
Belts are another part of the treadmill that will wear out and eventually need to be replaced. Belts can be single ply or two ply. Generally, two-ply belts are of higher quality. Belt and deck size will vary from machine to machine. Belt width will vary from about 16 inches to over 20 inches. You will find belt and deck lengths from around 45 inches to over 60 inches.
Control console
The console is the control and information center of your treadmill. Your console will control all of the functions of your treadmill as well as provide you with a wealth of information such as: your speed, pace, distance traveled and elapsed time. It may also indicate your average speed, average pace, calories burned, calories burned per hour and heart rate.
Cushioning
There has been a recent trend among treadmill manufacturers to provide a lot of cushioning to reduce the impact of running or walking. Manufacturers use different methods of cushioning, including shock absorbing suspensions and flexible decks or frames. A high degree of cushioning can be helpful in many situations such as injury rehabilitation or if you have joint problems. If your goal is to train for running or walking outside you may want less cushioning so that your treadmill mimics the actual outside road conditions more closely.
Speed/Incline
Most treadmills have a speed range of 1 MPH to 10 MPH. There are some high-end treadmills that will go up to 12 MPH or even higher. For most users 10 MPH will be more than enough speed. If you are a competitive runner you may want a machine that will go 12 MPH or faster. Some lower end treadmills will have a high speed of 8 MPH. If you are only going to walk on the treadmill, 8 MPH is enough. If you think that you may decide to use the treadmill for running, you should purchase one that has a top speed of at least 10 MPH.
The ability of a treadmill to incline is one of their most useful features. It allows you to do hill training no matter where you live. The method of incline varies from treadmill to treadmill. Possible methods include hand crank, powered screws, electric rack and pinion motors and pneumatic shocks. The most common and preferred method is electric rack and pinion motors.
Heart rate monitor and control
At one time a heart rate monitor was considered a luxury on a treadmill. Today it is almost standard equipment. There are a number of methods used for monitoring heart rate, including chest straps, ear clips, finger clips and hand contact monitors. The most accurate are the chest strap monitors. Ear and finger tip monitors tend to shake loose when you are running and can give a faulty reading. There are some units that operate with a hand grip. You simply grab onto the hand grip when you wish to take a reading. This system works well when walking, but is difficult and sometimes inaccurate when running. Some treadmills are offering a control feature which will vary the incline or speed of the treadmill automatically in order to keep your heart rate at a pre-determined level. If your heart rate strays above or below a pre-set range, either the incline or speed will adjust automatically.
Your Perfect Treadmill
As you can see there are a lot of features to choose from and many decisions to make. To make it easier for you to find your perfect treadmill I have outlined my features recommendations for your primary fitness goal.
Weight Loss
Motor – You will be doing a lot of hill training and faster interval work to maximize your calorie burning. That type of exercise will place higher demands on the motor. I would suggest a minimum continuous duty rating of 2.0 hp.
Belt/Deck – Either a composite wood or synthetic deck will work fine for this type of use. Choose a size that you feel comfortable on. Your belt should be no less than 17 to 18 inches wide. Any less than that and you will probably feel cramped when working out. As far as length, try to find one that is at least 54 to 55 inches long. A shorter one is OK for walking, but if you are going to jog or run on your treadmill you will want at least 54 inches. If you are tall you will want a minimum of 58 inches.
Control Console – For weight loss purposes you will want to know your total calories burned, calories burned per hour, speed, pace and elapsed time. Make sure your chosen treadmill has those readouts on your console.
Cushioning – As a weight loss user you are not training for outside walking or running. Your primary goal is weight loss and avoiding injuries. Look for a machine with a lot of cushioning. Try a lot of different machines and choose one that you feel comfortable on.
Speed/Incline – A maximum speed of 8 MPH will probably be sufficient for weight loss use, but I would suggest a maximum speed of 10 MPH. That will provide you with some future flexibility if you decide to start using your treadmill for running. Incline is very important for weight loss. Increasing the incline of your workout greatly improves your calorie burning pace and also builds more metabolically active muscle. You will want a machine that inclines to at least 10 percent.
Heart Rate Monitor – Many weight loss programs make heavy use of heart rate training. Look for a machine that has an easy way to monitor your heart rate. You will find several different methods. The three most common are: wireless chest straps, fingertip monitor and hand grips. I would avoid the finger tip method. The clip on your fingertip can be annoying and is also somewhat unreliable. A wireless chest strap is more convenient and accurate. If you are only going to walk, the hand grip method is a good way to go. There is a sensor built into the handles of the treadmill. Your heart rate is measured when you grip the handles. If you are going to run this is not a good method. It is difficult to get a good reading when you are running and holding onto the handles.
Walking
Motor – Walking places much lower demands on the motor than running. If you are only planning on using your treadmill for walking a continuous duty motor of 1.5 to 2.0 hp will be sufficient. If you think you may do some running in the future, plan ahead. Go for a motor with a minimum continuous duty rating of 2.0 hp.
Belt/Deck – Choose either a composite wood or synthetic deck. A pre-treated deck will require less maintenance and will last longer. The minimum width should be 18 inches with minimum length of 54 inches. Try several deck lengths. Choose a length that you feel comfortable with. You do not want to feel uncomfortable or feel like you are going to fall off the back.
Control Console – At a minimum you will want your console to tell you your distance traveled, speed and pace. It will also be useful to know your average speed and average pace. While calorie burning information is not necessary for this use you will probably want to know that information at some point. Make sure all of the controls are located in an easy to reach location.
Cushioning – The amount of cushioning on your treadmill is a personal preference. If you have any joint or back problems choose a machine with a lot of cushioning. That will take some of the stress off your body. If you have no injury problems, consider a firmer deck. It will be more like walking outside.
Speed/Incline – For walking, a maximum speed of 8 MPH is much faster than you will ever use. It becomes very difficult to walk at speed faster than 5 MPH. If you are sure you are only going to walk there is no need to pay extra for more speed. Even if you start to run in the future you will probably not be running faster than 8 MPH. The incline of your treadmill should range from 0 percent to about 10 percent.
Heart Rate Monitor – A heart rate monitor is usually not necessary for walking. You can judge your pace by how hard your exercise feels. That being said, a heart rate monitor will always be helpful and will probably not add much to the cost of your treadmill. Look for either a wireless chest strap monitor or a hand grip style.
Running
Motor – Running places much more stress on the treadmill motor than walking. There is an especially large amount of load placed on the motor when running uphill. If you are going to use your treadmill for running training you will need a minimum continuous duty rating of 2.0 hp with 2.5 to 3.0 hp preferred. The higher continuous horse power rating will allow the machine to run much more smoothly and will extend the life of your motor.
Belt/Deck – A running stride is much longer than a walking stride so you will need a longer belt. Not only is your stride longer, but you will tend to “float” forward and backward on the belt more. Look for a belt and deck that is at least 58 inches in length. Sixty or more inches would even be better because it would give you some “breathing room”. A reversible deck is a very nice feature on a running treadmill. A runner usually puts more mileage on a treadmill than a walker does. More mileage means your deck will wear out faster. A reversible feature will double the life of your treadmill deck. Also make sure that the deck is pre-treated or impregnated with lubricant. Running at fast paces builds up a lot of friction between the deck and belt. The lubrication will decrease the friction and increase belt and deck life. It will also reduce the load on the motor.
Control Console – The most important information for running is distance traveled, elapsed time, speed, pace, average speed and average pace. If you are planning on training using a heart rate method you will also need heart rate readouts. Calorie burning information is nice but not usually necessary for running. You may be doing a weekly long run of 1 hour or more on your treadmill. You will probably want to watch TV when you are running. Some consoles are very large and placed in a position that may block your TV. Be sure to take that into consideration when shopping for your treadmill. Look for a smaller, lower console that won’t block your view.
Cushioning – If you are training as a competitive runner you need to meet the rule of specificity. This rule states that you training should match your goal as closely as possible. When running on the road you are moving over a firm, hard surface. If your treadmill has a lot of cushioning you are not meeting that rule. Look for a treadmill that has a firm ride with less cushioning. That will prepare you for running of the firmer outside surfaces.
Speed/Incline – As a runner you will need a minimum top speed of 10 MPH. If you are a faster runner look for one that goes as fast as 12 MPH or more. You will need that much speed if you are going to do fast interval training that is usually done on an outside 400 meter track. Look for an incline range of between 0 and 12 degrees. A very useful feature for competitive runners is the ability to decline. Some top end treadmills will decline 2 to 3 percent. That will allow you to also train for downhill running which works the muscles of your legs in different ways.
Heart Rate Monitor – Training by heart rate has become very popular in recent years. A built in heart rate monitor will make that type of training a snap when running on the treadmill. I would suggest buying a treadmill that uses the chest strap method. Both the hand grip method and the finger clip method are hard to use and unreliable when you are running.
