To answer that question lets compare the different types of exercise machines you can buy for cardio exercising at home. There are elliptical trainers, bikes and treadmills, but this article will concentrate on ellipticals and treadmills. Both are decently equipped to get a user to their weight or fitness goals. A treadmill offers a person an alternative to jogging outside, it is safer, weather does not influence whether you do your workout and the surface is smoother than concrete meaning you can go for longer.

Most treadmills nowadays let users change the speed and incline so that you can vary your pace and imitate up hill for a more challenging workout. Unlike ellipticals when using a treadmill the user has to lift their feet so more of the body is toned. But the impact is higher on a treadmill and so is more suited for the younger consumer whereas the elliptical boasts of its low impact workout and so is more suited to the older consumers.

It is important to warm up properly at the start of a workout to get the most out of it. If you have a more demanding exercise plan and want more challenging workouts then the treadmill is more suited to you. Plus you can use the speed and incline settings to create a warm up routine before you get started on the main routine. If working out at a gym this then has your body ready for any further exercises including those with weights.

If you talk to the experts either at a gym or a health clinic you can get a specialized fitness program designed for your specific needs. Most will recommend a cardio workout within that using either a treadmill or an elliptical. Just choose the one that most suits your level of fitness and is most comfortable for you to use.

Whether you work out at home or a gym does not matter. What matters is that you develop a regular workout routine and that each session is 25 – 45 minutes long at least 3 times a week and then build up to more often. As you get more fit you can increase the challenge of your workout.

When looking for a good home treadmill many consumers want one that comes with an incline. Not all treadmills have this feature but most nowadays in the newer models do. Different people will want the elevation set at different figures for example if you are pretty healthy and want a challenging workout, then something like 15% would suit you. But if you are using the treadmill for walking at a slow pace then a 10% incline would be more of a match.

There is a treadmill called the Bowflex Treadclimber which in fact combines the exercise of a treadmill and a stepper machine all in one model. As you walk each step you take will move each belt.

There is also the Nordic Track X5 which has an incline tutor on it. Like a treadmill it has only one treadbelt and allows the user to elevate to up to thirty percent. Incline trainers are a great choice to get an excellent workout and burn off those extra calories you are carrying, but you do have to pay for them. Standard treadmills start at around one thousand six hundred dollars. Because of these prices these machines are usually bought for office fitness facilities or gyms or other commercial settings.

When you walk on an incline you will burn more calories, in fact you can burn up to two or three times more calories by walking on an incline than not. You can also then build intervals into your workout so that you are doing thirty seconds to two minutes on an incline. This is a great way to burn more calories post workout. This means having elevation on your treadmill is really a must have particularly for those wanting to loose weight or set themselves challenges.

You will get into shape and burn away fat a lot quicker than if you just do some walking on a flat surface. It is important to remember to wear good quality walking or running shoes when you workout and try to enjoy the fact you are getting fit. It is the best home treadmills that will enable you to do this.

For people who use a treadmill as part of their regular exercise routine here is a great 30 minute workout that really pushes you! It is good for people who like to walk or run. Varying your treadmill workout is important for the effectiveness of the exercise and to keep you interested and therefore motivated to keep doing it. Usually people that feel treadmills are boring are ones that just do the same workout all the time. The problem is the body will adjust to your routine so you need to change it up every couple of weeks or so. Keep a note of what treadmill workouts work for you and rotate them. If you happen to use a treadmill at a gym, it would be a great idea to join a treadmill class if there is one. That way the workouts vary and you get a group setting that will help keep you motivated.

This 30 minute routine can be walked or run and includes incline, just adjust your pace according to how fit you are.

0-5 minutes – Start at a 1% incline and warm up and your normal pace.
5-10 minutes – Increase the speed by 1 mile an hour and increase the incline to 2% (if you are a runner you may want to raise the pace further but the challenge here is the incline.)
10-12 minutes – Maintain the same speed but raise incline to 4%.
12-14 minutes – Incline increase to 6%.
14-16 minutes – Incline increase to 8%.
16-18 minutes – Take incline back down to 2% for 2 minutes to get your breath back. If you do not need to then increase the speed for the next section.
18-20 minutes – Time to repeat so incline increase to 4%.
20-22 minutes – Incline increase to 6%.
22-24 minutes – Incline increase to 8% (its pretty hard here so stay with it).
24-26 minutes – Keep he same speed but back down to 2% incline (starting the cool down.)
26-30 minutes – Incline down to 1% and take speed back down to what you warm up with for 4 minutes of cooling down.

This is not a routine to do every day, it is challenging and something you can rotate into your routine to keep you motivated.

There are a lot of brands of treadmills to consider when shopping for treadmills, just do a quick search online and you will see over 30 come up. Looking through them all can be time consuming so here is a short guide to help you find the a portable treadmill that is right for you, so that you can get working on fitness a lot quicker.

When making your choice there are a lot of things to consider such as quality, price and of course portability to name just three. Where you live is going to influence your choice, if you live in an apartment and do not have a lot of space you are going to want a machine you can move around easily and one that does not take up a lot of room.

There are several other reasons to choose to get a portable treadmill apart from to save space. It also saves money, there are less parts if it breaks, you can hide it if you do not want anyone visiting to know you are working out or if you are having a party, easy to move if you move house, easy to use, saves going outside into nasty weather and it is safer than running outside.

Though there are other choices a person could make for exercise equipment, treadmills remain the most popular because they are simple to use and they give users great fitness results. Each portable treadmill model will have slightly different features and the one you get simply depends on your own preference. The best portable treadmill simply gives the user what they want. So for each person that may be a different model. But there are some machines that are better made than others, that will have better warranties and last longer.

You can shop for them at a variety of places including online, at sports stores or at larger retail departments.

Keys Treadmill Fitness have treadmills that are of good quality at a price range of one thousand to two thousand three hundred dollars. They have excellent motor warranties which is ten years and come with some useful features. Since one of the key parts to a treadmill is the motor having such a long warranty on it is great. If a motor needs repairing and you have no warranty or it has run out, the cost of repairs can be quite high. This is a testament to how durable Key Fitness believe their machines to be. Other machines on the market that come with ten year motor warranties cost $5000 or more.

Keys treadmills are good for everyone even those who are overweight or want to be using the machine a lot. The treadmills are all made in the USA but parts are imported so that they can stay competitive. Because of this the machines are perhaps not of as high a quality as those companies that make their machines only in the USA where there is more stringent production.

THe obvious advantages to getting a Keys treadmill are the affordable prices range and the excellent 10 year warranty on the motor and lifetime warranty on the frame. Plus the durability makes them ahead of the rest of the competition. Disadvantages are that structurally they may not be as good as other brands as they are not totally made in the USA. Also the higher end models may be too high for some people at a little more than two thousand dollars. If that is the case look at treadmills that are cheaper but still have a fairly good motor warranty at around three years.

When weighing up the advantages and disadvantages as to whether a Keys treadmill is right for you it is something to note that newer model are showing some improvement in structural quality. However if choosing between a long motor warranty or a better quality structure, go for the latter as a lower motor warranty should be enough.

This article is just a brief look at the common features of electric treadmills to help guide any unsure buyers. That way you can be happy that you got an exercise machine that will meet your needs.

· Treadmill size: Larger treadmills can take heavier users but are usually bulkier machines that are heavier and cost more. Their horsepower is also higher. If you want or need to get such a machine look for one that folds so you can store it away. Make sure you have the measurements correct and you know it will fit in your home.

· Speed: Are the speed settings enough for what you want to do? How much do they graduate up by? Make sure this suits you though if you are only going to be walking most treadmills are good for that.

· Belt thickness: The ones that will last longer are the two ply belts and that is because they are stronger. The edges will also curl less. But this costs more money.

· Incline/slope of treadmill: Do you want the option to walk or run up a slope? Incline options on treadmills let you do this and the amount varies based on a percent ranging usually from 2 per cent to 25 per cent. The higher the incline the machine can go to, the harder the workout. Good quality treadmills let you adjust incline with just the touch of a button. Cheaper ones you have to manually do it.

· Deck size/Running surface: Large treadmills mean you get a large deck size, which give users workouts that are more comfortable and free but you need the room for it.

· Shock absorption: Treadmills nowadays come with shock absorption already as it is vital to reduce damage to your legs, feet, joints and knees. Some have shock absorbers below the deck and some have thicker belts. The better a machine is shock proofed the more it will cost.

Hopefully this information will prove useful in your research when looking at what treadmill to buy. There are many other features not looked into here that are important to learn about too, so make sure you do your homework. As you can see though you pay for better quality machines. If it is a low price, then you may find it is lacking in certain areas.

For the last twenty five years True Fitness have been making treadmills and have won a number of awards during that time. Their treadmills often get excellent reviews and this is because they take the time to understand that different people have different fitness objectives. They therefore have several models to offer to suit each possible fitness goal. In fact they make more models than is standard in the industry.

On each True Treadmill you get their innovative and patented technology that will build your own personal training routines. The materials used to make their machines are of high quality only so you can relax knowing your money is being spent on the best you can get, and their warranties will keep you happy and satisfied.

There are several models to chose from so identifying which one is right for you needs some thought and research, though at the end of the day it will come down to your own preferences. Here is a quick look at three of them.

1 – True Treadmill Z5.5

Out of all the models this one has the largest belt surface and the fastest speed setting. So if you want to work on your speed this is the one for you. Unique to this brand is the heart rate patented control system. This model will get you to your fitness goals as quick as it is possible to do.

2 – True Treadmill Z5.4

This also has the heart rate control system and a 22″ belt. It is designed so that it takes up less space and has twelves levels of cushion for your feet. You can pre program workouts and benefit from a quick glance panel on which you can track your distance, time, calories burned and speed.

3 – True Classic

With this model you can save personal workouts that you have built into the system’s memory. There are less panel options, so that you concentrate on your exercise rather than figures in front of you. The belt surface is 18″ wide.

Everyone does it – or nearly everyone! You get a new toy, i.e in this example a new exercise machine and as soon as you get it home and unpacked you turn it on without even glancing at those pesky instructions that came with it. However you soon become confused and then have to give in and pick up the manual and actually read it. But it really is important to do so. If you want to get the most out of your treadmill and have it last as long as possible, you should understand how it works and the inner mechanisms.

After all if you have bought a treadmill that is top of the line you want it to be a lifetime thing. But as with all machines, eventually it is going to break down and something will need fixing or replacing. It might save you a lot of stress and even some money if you know what part of the treadmill has been damaged. The easiest way to learn that is by reading the information. This can also help you assess whether any warranty on parts that you have covers the damaged part and so you can then decide what step to take next.

Learning the parts by name might even mean you can replace it yourself should something happen. But even if that is not the case at least you can name what is needed and find out how much that part is. Just make sure you look at several places for prices so you can find the best one.

You will learn that treadmill parts that experience regular wear and tear do not usually come under a warranty, but components that are vital to the machine functioning do. Make sure you read you warranty carefully and any guarantee card so you know exactly what is and is not being covered. Compare these as they vary quite a bit between companies.

A lot of manufacturers will freely replace anything that malfunctions within 6 months to a year from the date of being bought. As long as you have not tried to dismantle it, or adjust it or abused it. Do not try to repair something yourself if you still have a warranty, as if you do you are voiding it.

If you have settled on getting a Spirit treadmill the model that you should consider is the Spirit IN400. The Spirit SL218 is $250 more expensive but it and the Spirit Inspirer IN400 have the same excellent features as well as the IN400 having better horsepower and a heart rate monitor. The IN400 also has a seven window dot matrix red LED display showing users calories burned, time, distance, pulse, speed and incline. It has two user programs and ten preset programs as well as three heart rate control programs and included is a chest strap.

There are remote switches that change speed and incline on the hand rails and you choose from 5 speed and incline ranges using a single key. Folding the model away is easy as it has a gas spring assist. It has been rated as very good by Consumer Reports and sells for about $1650 though if you look around you can find it for less.

Here is the report’s breakdown.

· Belt - Here they looked at the usable exercise surface. The IN400 has a surface of 55×20 which is a nice size but there are bigger belts on there on machines from Precor and Landice which are 58×20. However you do need to think about the room you have to put the machine in.

· Ergonomics – This looks at whether the machine can handle users of different sizes, looking at foot rail and hand grip design as well as belt size. The IN400 rated as excellent in this area.

· Exercise Range – Can the machine give an effective workout for users at different fitness levels from total beginners to the very fit. The IN400 rated as good in this area.

· Ease of Use – This is about how easy is it to read the console, change the difficulty of the workout and use monitor functions. The IN400 rated as very good in this area.

· Quality – Is it well constructed, are there any defects and is it durable. The IN400 rated as very good in this area.

Overall the IN400 rates as a very good treadmill and if you are considering making a purchase, would be a good decision.

IronMan Fitness sell to gyms around the globe and are known for their high quality exercise equipment that will give you great workouts. Their treadmills have a speed range of twelve miles per hour whereas other machines in this price range go up to just ten. The adjustable incline can go from zero to twelve per cent meaning you can loose more weight by making the incline higher and the workout harder. The speed also means you can build more muscles and burn more calories. Both are adjustable with just the touch of a button.

When looking at the Envision model, IronMan Fitness have given it a three horsepower continuous duty commercial grade motor making it quiet but powerful. Competition have 2.25 horsepower motors, though anything more than two horsepower is good. In the handlebars are heart rate monitors and some models have reading racks should you want one, making it safe to read while exercising.

If you are concerned about being bored and therefore loosing motivation, you will find IronMan Fitness have that covered too with a choice of preset exercise programs from 5 on basic models up to 20 on the Envision. You can even find true wave stereo sound systems MP3 compatible on some models so you can listen to your own choice of workout music.

Tread belts on some models are very large going up to 20″ by 60″. They are very durable and heavy. Some of their machines can take maximum user weights as high as 350lbs. Great for larger people who want to loose weight and get healthy. Some machines can be folded flat for easy storage if you are worried about the space it will take up. Just use it, then fold it up and slide it under a bed.

hopefully this has given you some information about IronMan Fitness treadmills and you are now aware that they make quality products. They believe in their machines and the warranty they offer proves this.

]]> http://www.buyfitnesstreadmill.com/reviewing-the-ironman-fitness-treadmill-for-all.html/feed 0 http://www.buyfitnesstreadmill.com/fitness-treadmills-for-the-home.html http://www.buyfitnesstreadmill.com/fitness-treadmills-for-the-home.html#comments Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:00:40 +0000 Martha Stew http://www.buyfitnesstreadmill.com/?p=367

People often decide to buy a treadmill as their first piece of home exercise equipment, as it brings with it a lot of advantages. First of all, one of the reasons for this is its ease of use. You do not have to get into any weird positions, you just have to walk.

It is a natural form of movement and you can do other things at the same time. A lot of people do not visit gyms or exercise because of claims of little time. People have to work, spend money, the children need looking after and so on. When you get a home treadmill you can exercise while you read, or watch television.

Plus there is the advantage of no weather excuses. We could easily take a walk outside, but half the year for most people, the weather is not favorable to going out for a walk, unless you like wind, snow, or rain! You can exercise in the comfort of your own home, safe and warm and not have to struggle with that motivation issue when it is cold outside. Nor is it particularly safe anymore to be out jogging or walking alone. A treadmill also means you can monitor how you are doing, what calories you are burning, how close to your goal you are getting

But it is not all advantages to having a treadmill. For example you cannot target specific areas of the body. It will help you loose weight but killer abs will not suddenly appear. It can also get boring working out on just a treadmill all the time. Indoors you do not have a lot of sights to see as you walk or jog! You can also suffer from injuries if you misuse it. If you fall it keeps going making it pretty hard to get up again despite what you may have seen in several movies.

Hopefully the pros and cons here have helped you weigh your decision about whether a treadmill is the right exercise for you!

Manufactured by Icon Health and Fitness who are the largest makers in the world of exercise equipment, Icon treadmills appear under the subsidiary brands like Epic, Weslo, Nordic Track, Image, Healthrider and Proform. Their treadmills are well known for being full of workout tools, especially in the Nordic Track and Proform machines. This includes extras like built in speakers, free workout CDs, t.vs, fitness journals, carb counters, hand weights, heart rate monitors and more.

These treadmills are prices around the budget to mid price range and brands cater to the different areas of the market. For example the brands Image and Weslo have machines that are for the under five hundred dollars market whereas Nordic Track is high budget to mid price equipment.

The main strength of Icon machines is their affordability. Even if you are on a tight budget, there is a machine that you can probably afford. There is really no other manufacturer like Icon that is as good at using their resources to make their treadmills better for less.

Also good about this company, if you want the extras, the bells and whistles, such as the iFit comparability (a virtual personal trainer you can download off the internet), the t.vs, the iPod docks and speakers, the fans, the hand weights, then they have definitely got it. The competition racing, fitness journals and marathon training tools and other fitness tracking tools are also nice.

But even with an experienced company like Icon the old adage of you get what you pay for still stands. When you pay $500 for a treadmill you cannot expect a sturdy, durable machine that gives the right cushioning you should have when exercising. Another problem is their warranties as though it varies from brand to brand, they can be very short (though Nordic Track have recently improved upon this area with lifetime warranties on motors and frames). Most are around 90 days which hardly gives you any protection at all.

It is hard to make one sweeping statement about Icon treadmills as there are so many models. There are some great ones and some rather questionable ones. If unsure it would probably be wise to look more to Nordic Track units and avoid Image and Weslo ones.

Nowadays, it’s harder and harder to take care of your health and body for 2 main reasons: firstly because there is more and more unhealthy and full of calories food, but tasteful at the same time so you can’t resist the temptation of eating it, and then because most of you are too busy to allow to follow a training program – as this usually supposes to go to a health club and respect another program than yours. Therefore many people decide to buy a treadmill, that fitness machine which gives them the possibility to stay in shape or to lose weight by following an exercising routine in their own homes, any time they want, depending only on their program.

There are many treadmills on the market today, but unfortunately not all of them are well-built, therefore you can have some problems with some of their parts. A very often problem regards the treadmill’s walking belt, which has proved to be pretty sensible. This problem does not always appear because of the lack of quality, sometimes being provoked by the users who don’t respect the treadmill’s instructions; for example, most of them don’t take into consideration the maximum weight capacity, thing which can lead to the treadmill walking belt replacement.

However, if you need a Weslo, Proform, Nordictrack or other treadmill walking belt replacement you have many possibilities to find it. First of all, you should take a look at the guarantee certificate so you can know if your treadmill is still in the warranty period, because if it’s so you can go to the store where you bought from and receive another Weslo, Proform or Nordictrack treadmill walking belt.

If the warranty has already expired, you still have many possibilities to find the needful walking belt. Usually you can find any treadmill part at any fitness equipment shop, but if you don’t have time or you feel uncomfortable so you can easily find it on those on-line auction sites.

As a conclusion, if you need a Weslo, Proform, Nordictrack or other treadmill walking belt replacement you have many possibilities to find it, but this is not always the best solution, because if this treadmill is not a well-built one you can have many problems with other parts too; therefore you should better buy a well-built and quality one, with a long warranty period (because warranty is a good sign for any product’s quality). Weslo, Proform and Nordictrack have many well-built and quality treadmills which are a little more expensive, but as you have already seen the cheapest one is not necessarily the best one.

Nordictrack is one of the most popular brands on the fitness treadmill market, which has imposed due to its reliable and quality products. Its treadmills are created by one of the most important exercise equipment manufacturer in the world – Icon Health and Fitness, which has in its impressive portfolio many important treadmill brands, like: Proform, Reebok, Weslo or Image.

Nordictrack Viewpoint 3000 Treadmill is one of the most known and requested models of this brand, which has many important features and specifications to offer, helping you to take care of your health and body and achieve your fitness goal in the comfort of your own home. It combines fitness with a visual and audio experience, keeping you occupied during your exercise and making your workout more comfortable and more pleasant.

As we’ve already said, Nordictrack Viewpoint 3000 Treadmill has many important features to offer, which will surely help you achieve your fitness goals, like:

• SpaceSaver with Lift Assist Shock, which allows an easy storage
• IFIT Workout Card Compatible ( your treadmill’s console has an incorporated card, designed by a certified personal trainer, which automatically adjusts your speed and incline, for an amazing workout result)
• Odometer with MyMiles Tracker, which allows you to know the distance you have traveled and control it
• Carb Counter, which counts the grams of carbs you have burned during your workout
• EKG Cardio Pulse Heart Rate Monitor, which indicates your heart rate, letting you know if you are in the right fitness zone
• AutoBreeze Fan(s), which helps you keep cool during your workout
• 14 Preset Workout Programs
• High Resolution Display

Besides all these impressive features, the Nordictrack Viewpoint 3000 Treadmill has also many important specifications:

• 2.5 CHP Commercial Durx Motor
• QuickSpeed control up to 12 miles per hour
• QuickIncline control up to 12%
• 5 position adjustable cushioned deck, which reduce the impact on your joints up to 28%, compared to road running
• 350 lb maximum user weight
• Lifetime warranty on motor, 10 year frame, 1 year parts and labor

Considering all these features, we can say that the Nordictrack Viewpoint 3000 Treadmill will surely help you achieve your fitness goal, no matter if your goal is to lose weight, to maintain your fitness level (for those advanced athletes) or simply to stay in shape.

Nowadays, we can find everywhere unhealthy and full of calories food and as it is very tasteful it’s harder and harder to resist the temptation of eating it; therefore it is very important for our health and body to follow an exercising program. As many people are very busy and can’t afford to go to the gym and respect its program, but they still want to take care of their health and body, there have been invented the treadmills, those fitness machines which allow you to follow the needful exercising routine in the comfort of your own home, depending only on your program.

Vision Fitness Treadmill is one of the most popular treadmill series on the market today, whose philosophy is to built these machines using quality components. These treadmills are created by Johnson Health Tech Inc., a very important fitness company manufacturer which produces also for other important brands like Horizon and Matrix and whose mission is to create the most simple, reliable and comfortable fitness treadmills in the market.

Vision Fitness Treadmill series has many models to offer, 15 of them being mid-priced treadmills – so most people can afford them. These are some high valued fitness machines, which have many important features to offer, making you certain about a decent comfort, reliability, motor, quality and a long warranty period.

First of all, any Vision treadmill has an incorporated “easy-to-use” design; for example, each of them has on its console the effective Speed and Elevation Quick Keys, which allows you to easily jump to a certain speed or incline level only by touching a button. Also these treadmills use 2.5″ rollers, because some larger rollers reduce the overall rotation of the belt.

These are only a few features of the Vision Fitness Treadmills, the other ones being different form one model to another. This line has a wide range of treadmills, from basic walking models to commercial grade. However, there are three important different types of electronics: Simple, Deluxe and Premier, from which you can choose, depending on your fitness goal.

As a conclusion, a Vision Fitness Treadmill is a well-built fitness machine which offers you many important features, helping you achieve your fitness goal at an affordable price. So if you are looking for a simple, reliable and comfortable treadmill, with a good warranty, the Vision brand is the key.