Where To Buy A Treadmill

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Buying a treadmill? Chances are you'll want to comparison shop to find the best deal for you. Looking at all of the options available can often save you hundreds of dollars.

But where can you look?

There are in general 3 places you can buy your tread mill. This article will outline what you should know about each. You'll learn the advantages and disadvantages - to help you find the best treadmill buy.


#1 Department Stores

Department stores like Walmart, Sears, and Target sell a variety of name brand treadmills in their sports and fitness departments.

What you should know: Although these stores may appear to offer several different brand names they are almost always produced by one manufacturer - Icon Health and Fitness.

Icon is one of the largest treadmill manufacturers on the market today and produces such brands as Proform, Weslo, Epic, Image, Nordic Track, Free Spirit and Reebok.

These treadmills have lots of neat gadgets like CD players, TV's, iFit compatibility and more. However, they are not necessarily known for high quality cushioning, stability or durability.

They also typically offer short warranties. For many of the cheaper treadmills, 90 days on parts and labor is all you get. If you want a longer warranty you'll have to pay extra for it.

Salespeople at these department stores are often not very knowledgeable about treadmills, fitness or how to choose the right treadmill based on your personal needs. So if you need to buy from a department store make sure you do your homework before you go.

Also, at a department store, you'll usually have to pay extra for shipping and delivery of your treadmill (around $150 - $200) so that's also an extra cost to consider.


#2 Specialty Sports and Fitness Stores

These are stores like Fitness Depot, Dick's Sporting Goods, Sport Chalet etc.

What you should know: These stores typically offer you higher end treadmill brands like Precor, Landice, Trimline, Star Trac, Keys and more.

You technically get a larger selection at these stores because the treadmill brands are made by more than 1 giant treadmill manufacturing company.

Sales people are typically more knowledgeable at these stores and can tell you more about the treadmill models, what you need, etc. However be careful as these salespeople are often on commission and may try to pressure you into buying a higher priced machine than you actually need.

You'll also typically have to pay for shipping and delivery of your treadmill when you buy at one of these stores (which could cost you $150-200 depending on the size of your treadmill). However if you hit these stores on a sale, you may be able to get a discount or free shipping.


#3 Online - Direct From the Manufacturer

Buying a treadmill online is an option that is growing in popularity with buyers. There are both online fitness stores and online treadmill manufacturers.

What you should know: Online manufacturers sell direct to the consumer, in effect skipping the middleman of the store. Consequently customers can save up to $800 on a brand name treadmill.

Buying online is also easy and convenient since you can research treadmill brands and prices from the comfort of your living room. You have a much larger selection of treadmill brands than either option above and can thus make a better buying decision.

Another bonus is that online distributors typically offer free shipping which can also save you a couple hundred dollars. There are no pushy salespeople to deal with so you can take your time to decide without any pressure.

The downside of buying a treadmill online is that you don't get to walk on the treadmill first. Many people get around this by trying them out at stores first and then buying the treadmill online (if possible).

Or you could do the research and invest in a high end treadmill brand with high ratings from experts and users. (Several treadmill websites will list any expert awards or user reviews for you to read.)

So those are 3 main places to buy your treadmill. Regardless of where you buy your tread mill, remember to take your time, have fun and consider your own personal workout needs before buying.

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Treadmill Ratings - What Most People Don't Know About Treadmill Ratings

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If you're buying a treadmill, chances are you'll want to research before you buy. Everyone wants to get the best deal for a discount price. They also want to find the best treadmill to suit their workout needs.


So you'll probably be interested in looking at various treadmill ratings or reviews. But why are there so many different ratings and which one is the most accurate? Here's a few things most buyers don't know about treadmill ratings.


There are really 2 types of treadmill ratings:

1) Consumer Ratings

2) Expert Ratings


User Treadmill Ratings:

Consumer treadmill ratings are done by the layperson who has bought and used the specific treadmill. Many websites allow anyone to go online and post a review of their treadmill.

Customer reviews and ratings can be very valuable when searching for a treadmill - however keep in mind several things:


#1) No treadmill has a 100% perfect track record. Even the BEST treadmill manufacturers sometimes make a dud.

And it's usually the people that have had BAD experiences that leave negative reviews of their treadmills, not the many that have had good experiences with the same treadmill.

They have every right to do this and hopefully the treadmill manufacturers read these reviews and do something about them. Just remember that one bad review doesn't prove it's a low quality brand.


#2) The treadmill industry is growing more competitive each year. And marketing is a huge portion of the treadmill industry since treadmill manufacturers KNOW you're going to research treadmill ratings before you buy.

So while I'm not making any accusations, I have read 'customer reviews' that are clearly NOT written by the average buyer. They sound like they're written by somebody working for the competition - someone well versed in the art of sales psychology and who knows more about treadmills than the average person. Again, not making any accusations here - just keep this in mind when reading user ratings online.

Rule of Thumb: Use common sense. If it sounds like it's written by a treadmill salesperson, take the treadmill review with a grain of salt.


Expert Treadmill Ratings:

There are also expert treadmill ratings. These are the ratings written by the experts in the fitness industry. People like Consumer Reports, Runner's World, Consumer Guide, Men's Health, Prevention Magzine are just a few out there. These people rate and review various treadmills at various times in the year.

While these ratings are much less likely to be tainted by biased reviewers, here are a few cautions to keep in mind while reading them:


#1) Each rater has a different rating system and may rate treadmills on such factors as price, cushioning, stability, quietness, belt area, warranty, console, electronics, programs, incline and quality of parts.

So while one reviewer may put more emphasis on cushioning the other may put more emphasis on warranty. It's nothing to get confused over - just understand that different experts value different features. They'll usually have an area where they list exactly how they rated the treadmills and which features they valued highly in their review.


#2) Expert ratings also usually don't have time to look at EVERY treadmill brand on the market. Nobody does. We've been reviewing treadmills for over 3 years and we still haven't covered all the brands.

So just because a certain brand isn't in the ratings, doesn't make it a poor quality brand. Try to find other reviews on a brand if you can't find it in your favorite expert ratings list.


One last thing: Many treadmill ratings are also based on comparison to other similarly priced treadmills on the market.

So if you have a $1000 treadmill that gets 5 stars - that doesn't necessarily mean that it's better than a $2000 treadmill that gets 4 stars. It means that compared to other $1000 treadmills it is one of the best values.

By remembering these things when sifting through treadmill ratings, you're less likely to be confused. And it will be easier to choose the best quality treadmill for your needs.

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Which is a Better Workout – Treadmill or Elliptical Trainer?

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We live in a society obsessed with losing weight and getting fit. In response there are countless products on the market that claim to get you in shape. Most are fads that come and go. For example, how many people are still working out with a Thigh Master. But, occasionally an exercise machine is designed that gets results. It promotes fitness and wellness. It helps both novice and fitness enthusiasts reach their exercise goals. It has 'staying' power!

The two most popular fitness machines that fit this qualification are treadmills and elliptical trainers. The tried and true treadmill has been around for years. It remains popular due to its appeal to both novice and seasoned athletes. It is a simple machine that requires no special skills, all you need to do is walk, jog or run.

Although relatively new in comparison to a treadmill, the elliptical trainer is growing in popularity. In shear numbers the treadmill outsells ellipticals, but by percentage the elliptical is gaining in sales. It offers the benefit of a total body workout without the impact.

How do treadmills compare with elliptical training equipment? What benefits do each machine offer? Could either be right for you?

Treadmills

Treadmills are the most popular fitness equipment. They are simple to use and provide an excellent cardiovascular workout. Treadmills allow you to walk, jog or run. In addition, they can simulate hill climbing.

In shear numbers running and walking are the most popular form of exercise. Whether you are a casual walker or a serious runner, a treadmill can accommodate your exercise needs. By setting the speed and incline you can adjust your cardio workout to any level – from casual walking to heart pounding running.

Most power treadmills offer a number of pre-set programs and intensity levels from which to choose. On these particular machines, you may program in your personal information (i.e. age, weight, height, fitness level, etc.). Then, you may choose a pre-set program (such as 'killer hill,' ‘interval training’ or 'weight-loss'), and the unit will automatically adjust the workout to fit your specifications.

You can bypass the pre-set programs and manually adjust the incline, speed, and the time yourself. And, even if you've chosen a pre-set program, you have the option of changing the incline level or speed level at any time.

Running on a treadmill with a nicely cushioned running surface provides less impact on the knees, shins, ankles, back, and joints than does running on pavement. As a result, the runner who uses a treadmill is less likely to sustain a running injury than a runner who runs upon a harder surface. (Nonetheless, a runner's body will still experience impact when the foot lands on the belt.)

Outdoors, you could possibly trip over a rock or twist your ankle in an unseen hole in the ground. You don't have to worry about unseen road or trail hazards when exercising on a treadmill. You need only maintain your rhythm on the moving belt.

Treadmills not only efficiently burn calories, but their impact reducing surfaces decrease the chances for injuries.

Elliptical Trainers

Elliptical trainers are relatively new to the fitness equipment industry. They have increased in popularity during the last few years, and the rate of growth is surpassing treadmills. But, do they deliver what they promise – a low impact, total body workout?

Elliptical trainers allow the user to burn a similar number of calories as they would from walking or jogging - but without the risk of injury to the back, knees, hips, or ankles. The difference in comparison to a treadmill is your feet never leave the foot pedals.

As a result, an elliptical is very low-impact and significantly reduces the pressure on your joints. In fact, whereas exercising on a treadmill requires your body to absorb the impact of walking or running, exercising on an elliptical can be compared to running in midair. Running can result in 2.5x your body weight impacting a treadmill.

Because of the low impact quality of an elliptical trainer, this machine may be the best choice for older people or individuals who are recovering from injuries. That is the obvious reason ellipticals are so popular with us baby boomers. Our joints are starting to tell us they’ve had enough.

Elliptical machines mimic the normal elliptical motion of the foot, the extension of the leg, and the rotation of the hip during walking or running. This motion uses all the leg muscles, giving you a total lower-body workout.

But what makes an elliptical workout so enticing is you also get a upper body workout (unlike the treadmill, which works only the lower body)! As the feet go through their elliptical motion, the hands grip the moving handlebars, exercising the arms. The movement of the dual handlebars mimics cross-country skiing. This particular type of upper body workout will not result in a bodybuilder’s physique. However, because you are including the upper 30% of your body in your workouts, the results will be more efficient exercise in less time.

Because elliptical trainers DO work the upper and lower body simultaneously, the heart rate climbs more quickly. Thus, less time is required to achieve more results. The amount of energy expended is optimized. As the legs are being worked, the back, shoulders, chest, biceps, and triceps are also working...making it possible to burn more calories in less time. (An optimal workout need only be about 20-30 minutes long, if you apply the right amount of resistance.)

Another advantage of elliptical trainers are the foot pedals can be worked in a forward or reverse direction. When you change the direction of the pedals, you'll target your lower body in different ways. It is nice to be able to add versatility to your elliptical workouts, and such a change works to ensure optimal training of the leg muscles.

The intensity level can be adjusted on elliptical equipment to fit your personal level of fitness. Resistance may be added as desired to increase the workload on your legs throughout the forward or backward stride. With such an efficient workout, you can say 'goodbye' to flabby thighs and derrieres!

Studies show working out on an elliptical trainer can trick the body into believing it is working easier than it actually is. Therefore, as you're burning more calories in less time on an elliptical trainer, your body feels as though it doesn't have to work as hard to achieve its goals. This phenomenon is known as the "Rate of Perceived Exertion."

An elliptical device is safe to use (i.e. it stops when you stop). It uses very little electricity and is economical to operate. Because of its low impact, there is less wear and tear of the machine, making maintenance quite low. It has a small footprint, so it takes up less floor space than other fitness equipment. And, as with the treadmill, it allows you to exercise in a controlled environment for more comfort and convenience.

And the Winner Is!

Which is better, a treadmill or elliptical trainer? Both give an excellent cardio workout and when used regularly will burn unwanted calories.

For a walking or running devotee, the treadmill is the machine of choice. Even if you prefer the great outdoors, the treadmill allows you to continue your favorite sport all year long and in the most inclement weather. A treadmill will reduce injuries since you workout on a flat surface that is cushioned. It can add variety to your workout through various challenging programs. And with heart rate control you can optimize your exercising by allowing your heart rate to control the level of exertion.

The appeal of an elliptical is the combined upper and lower body workout, and the low-impact. You exercise more muscle groups, while avoiding the kind of impact that can result in injuries. For those of us whose knees or ankles just can’t take it any longer, the elliptical trainer is the obvious choice.


So which one do you choose? Depending upon your preference and needs either can be an excellent choice.

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Who Else Wants To Shed Pounds In Weeks And Have A Toned And Ripped Body With Fitness Equipment?

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Is your weight getting you down? Are you sick of carrying that extra baggage wrapped around your waist? Too embarassed to go to the gym?

These questions are the bane of a lot of peoples' lives, because they either don't exercise! or they don't do it regularly!

Do you want to lose weight and look good with fitness equipment?

Looking for the right home fitness equipment can be daunting, with all the options available to us. But it's not all gloom and doom, you can have that body or fitness you have always wanted, it's just a matter of doing a litttle research, which I hope this short article can provide you and guide in the right direction on which fitness equipment is best for you.
Quite often, the biggest challenge is what fitness equipment to go for. When purchasing a piece of fitness equipment, your choice should be based on the fitness level, physical make up and general interests of the user. Before making the plung and spending all your hard earned money, you should ask yourself a few pertinent questions:


How much do You want to spend?
What is your current fitness level and what do you hope to gain?
Do you have enough space for the fitness equipment?
How much time will I spend on this fitness equipment?
Is this equipment suitable and safe for me to use?

Are you tired of having the local gym extort large sums of money from you? Why not set up a home gym and save yourself hundreds!?

The prices for yearly memberships just seem to be rising higher and quicker than the inflation level every year! a simple solution would be to buy your own equipment and build a gym in the comfort of your home, that way you can save hundreds on that membership and have a long term investment for the future. Whether you want biceps like Arnie, a six pack like Bruce Lee or legs like Jane Fonda there is a piece of equipment available for every exercise you can think of, for everyones budget.

With such a wide choice available, knowing what to purchase can be a little daunting. So after you have asked yourselves the questions I posed earlier, you almost there in finding the perfect accessory you need to get fit.

Abdominal fitness equipment - Are you embarrassed by the ever expanding tyre wrapped around your waist? Do you want to have a six pack? with hundreds of choices on the market, finding the right one can seem a tedious task. You dont have to spend alot to get a washboard stomach. A fitness quest flexaball or a foam roller. But we warned, you may have to purchase a few belts to keep your trousers from falling down after you lose that unsightly belly.

Recumbent cycles - Do you feel the strain on your lower back and knees when cycling? Then why not check out the recumbent cycles we have on offer and add another piece of fitness equipment to your home gym. Recumbent cycles give more support to the lower back and minimize the stress on the knees compared with an upright bicycle. Recumbents provide a cardiovascular workout that uses the muscles of the gluteus, quadriceps and hamstrings.

Treadmills - Fancy going for a run?, but its pouring cats and dogs outside. Not to worry, one of our Treadmills lets you walk, run, up a hill or up a montain regardless of the time of day or weather without leaving your home. Treadmills are a popular piece of aerobic fitness equipment for home use. When purchasing a treadmill, be sure to look for the following features, smooth action, solid build, a steady pace, wide belt, safety shut off, and incline settings. Quality models range from $1500 and up. Th treadmill you consider should be built to take a substantial load because running on one spot will create alot of downward force.

Elliptical fitness equipment - If you are looking for an effective and thorough indoor workout, than have a look at some of our elliptical machines. There are many benefits with having ellipticals, one of them is when you use one, you will notice how impact free your workout will be. With the elliptical machine, there is no impact on the ground, so lower body joints are free from abuse you may get with other workout machines. At the moment it is the most popular item in health clubs and so going and trying one out would be a good idea, just so get a machine that suits you.

Step machines - Mainly used for an aerobic workout, but don't be fooled by its simplicity. There are many exercises you can benefit with as well as different settings to increase the resistance for harder workouts. Finding a high quality step machine can be expensive, however, steppers give an excellent low impact aerobic workout, also strengthening and building the lower body muscles.

Resistance fitness equipment - a good compliment to any home gym. The two most common kinds of weight equipment are Home Gyms or multi-stations and free weights. Free Weights are real value for money, however, they require expert instruction and supervision for proper use to avoid major injuries. Home gyms or multi-stations are generally safer to use but are more expensive, and the price tag often reflects the quality of the machine.
Rowing Machines One of the most complete cardiovascular exercises around has to be rowing. A proper workout on a rowing machine will tone all of the major muscle groups such as your legs, back and arms. The beauty of using an indoor rowing machine is first of all it doesn't involve water. This rower doesn't get you wet, there are no early morning trips to get your machine out of the boat shed. No cold changing rooms and gale force winds for your training session. There are lots of different machines available on the market. Although they generally fall into 2 categories:


Water rowers

and..


Air rowers

The water rower, which contrary to its namesake, do not end up in you getting wet after a vigorous workout. The machines are very beautifully designed and use enclosed water and paddles for resistance as opposed to air. These rowers tend to be quieter than air rowers and are just as much works of art as they are exercise machines.

The air rower comes in many different varieties but the concept 2 is commonly accepted to be one of the best, if not the best. They are engineering masterpieces and are all calibrated to the same standard. So, if you do a certain time on a concept 2 rower, you can rest assured that, that time will be replicated exactly on another concept 2 machine. This is the reason why the world indoor rowing championships use the concept 2.

The bottom line is this: All of these items are good choice if they are equipment that you will actually use. Real thought, consideration and research needs to be done in order to purchase exactly what you need. Remember, you are the only one who knows what you need but with a little helpful advise you can build yourself an excellent gym and achieve the results you have always dreamed of.

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Why Elliptical Trainers are Growing in Popularity!

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If you work out at a health club you probably noticed that in the last few years there are fewer treadmills, because they are being replaced by elliptical trainers. And although treadmills still outsell ellipticals in total numbers, elliptical sales are growing at a faster rate.

What is driving the popularity of elliptical trainers? There are two factors that make elliptical trainers so appealing:

Low Impact Workout

Upper and Lower Body Workout

Benefits of a Low Impact Workout

Most types of exercise require some type of impact and/or reverse action. For example, when you walk each step is impacting force on your ankles, knees and lower back. That impact is minor in comparison to running, which can be as much as 2.5x your body weight. Over the years that constant pounding can result in long-term injuries and strains.

Elliptical trainers reduce the hazards of impact through an elliptical motion.It feels like you are naturally walking or running without any real impact or reverse action, and yet it is a weight bearing exercise that contributes to building muscle and bone density.

If you look at the side of an elliptical trainer you’ll notice the shape of the motion is like a flat circular pattern. Budget ellipticals tend to be more circular and bouncy, while quality machines have a flatter circular motion and more of an even stride. Regardless, the elliptical motion significantly reduces the impact to your joints, and that is why elliptical trainers are appealing to older individuals and people with injuries. It is becoming the exercise machine of choice for the “baby boomers.”

Benefits of an Upper and Lower Body Workout

The concept of exercising the upper and lower body simultaneously is revolutionary. An elliptical workout utilizes the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, chest, back, triceps and biceps. There is no other machine that offers this benefit. You are not only exercising more muscle group, you are also optimizing your energy expenditure. That means it is taking less time to achieve more results, like burning calories and increasing your cardio capacity. A number of elliptical trainers allow you to reverse the motion, thereby emphasizing resistance to even more parts of your muscles.

By exercising more of your muscle mass you improve fat mobilization, which results in burning more calories and building muscle endurance more efficiently. Certain experts have suggested that this dual action process reduces the perceived rate of exertion. In other words, you are exercising harder without a noticeable difference from a less strenuous workout.

The benefit of an upper and lower body workout, combined with low impact exercising, are the reasons why elliptical trainers are so popular. And there is one other feature that should be noted. In comparison to treadmills, elliptical trainers require considerably less maintenance. That is due to the fact there are fewer moving parts, and less wear from impact.

If you haven’t tried an elliptical trainer, get to your local health club or a fitness equipment store and take one for an elliptical spin. Avoid the budget models and test the machines that are at least $1,000+. They have a more natural elliptical motion and are more stable and durable.

You’ll find that an elliptical trainer can have a major impact on your health and fitness.

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Wrestling Workout Equipment

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If you are training for professional or amateur wrestling it is very important to have the right equipment that helps you to gain wrestling strength.

The following can be helpful for getting started:

Brief Workouts

The workouts should never exceed 35 minutes in duration, as If they do, you aren’t working hard enough to complete your workout. The ability to recuperate from the workouts, and therefore develop more strength, is increased when you complete your workout within the stipulated time. Long and strenuous workouts will eventually cut into your body’s ability to recuperate, and lead to over-training.

Using Machines and Free Weights

There is a common misconception amongst athletes and coaches that you must use free weights when strength training. Free weights are great! So are machines! Your muscles don’t know the difference. The intensity is the most important thing when trying to improve your strength for wrestling. The tool that you use to get there is not. I like certain exercises for certain muscles. It also depends on injuries that a wrestler might already have. You can work around and injury and still give the body a thorough strength workout. If you have access to Hammer Strength machines, I highly recommend that you include them in your wrestling strength workout.

Using thick bar

The thick bar is usually a hollow metal tube that you put free weights on the end of. A thick bar forces you to hold on tightly when performing exercises. It develops fantastic forearm and hand strength. It should be part of every serious strength-training program for wrestlers. You can do curls, reverse curls, rows, and presses with it.

The Trap Bar

The trap bar another piece of equipment that helps to gain wrestling strength. The trap bar is a hexagonally shaped bar that allows you to perform dead lifts with maximal stimulation of almost every muscle vital to improved wrestling performance. An exercise that will make your entire body stronger.

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