Choosing a treadmill

Your first step - mechanical or electric one?

The mechanical treadmill is the simplest and cheapest.

The principle of this type of track is based on the fact that the running belt moves only due to the efforts of the runner. That means if you stop, the deck will stop moving. Choosing this type of tracks frees you from dependence on electricity connection and paying a high price. A small weight is one of the other biggest advantages of such treadmill. Thus, it is easy to transport the equipment and put it whenever you want. Many people find it a big drawback of the treadmill to spend a lot of efforts on overcoming the resistance of the running belt. But on the other hand, it can be taken as a part of strength exercises, very useful for the weight loss and body shape correction.

Load varies by changing the angle of inclination (at the most simple models) or by braking the front shaft mechanically or magnetically. To increase the smoothness of the motion, one or two flywheels are put on the front shaft.

The electric treadmill is considered to be more convenient.

Its main difference is that the running belt is driven by an electric motor and you set the speed on your own. It goes without saying that this type of treadmill is more expensive than mechanical ones.

Electric treadmills can be classified in this way:

• Economy. This class of electric treadmills, in comparison with mechanical ones, provides greater comfort for a workout, but crucially the quality of training does not change. Designed for home use. The width of the running belt is 38-40 cm. The cost of such exercise machine is from 800 to 1200 dollars.
• Amateur. In this type of treadmill, the computer performs not only recording functions, but also control ones. It includes built-in training programs, as well as the ability to customise your own ones. Electric tilt control. The equipment is designed for use both at home and in small gyms. The cost of the exercise machines is about 1800-3500 dollars.
• High-End. The most important difference in the comparison with the amateur class is the ability to control the pulse, which means that the computer selects the load in such a way that the pulse of the trainee does not exceed a predetermined limit. This is important when using the track for rehabilitation purposes. The width of the running cloth is 45-50 cm. They are designed for home use, rehabilitation centres, fitness rooms with low capacity. The cost of such exercisers is from 2600 to 5500 dollars.
• Professional. There is no difference in functionality in comparison with the previous class. Due to a complex of technical solutions, these race tracks can be operated in large commercial gyms all around the clock. This is achieved due to a brushless motor, the tape and base automatic lubrication system. The cost is from 6000 to 16000 dollars.

Your second step is choosing the size of the running belt

The size of the canvas is important for your comfort because it is much more convenient to run on a wide and long treadmill than to be afraid of misstepping all the time.

Your third step is to choose how to change the angle

In simple models, there are 3-5 fixed positions, and in expensive models, it is possible to fully simulate running over rough terrain, this is achieved by automatically changing of the angle according to a given program.

Your fourth step is the choice of computer equipment for the treadmill

All running tracks are equipped with a computer that measures speed, distance, training time and calories. In more expensive models, there is the possibility of simple programming, for example, producing a signal after a specified distance or the end of a given training time, and a pulse meter is also provided.