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Exercise treadmills bring the outdoors inside so you can
enjoy the benefits of running
without leaving your house.
They can be very useful for
people who don't feel safe
running out of doors and are
popular with female runners.
But what needs to be considered
when making the decision to
use one? Are they a good substitute
for running? Do I buy one?
Are they expensive and what
type should I buy? Are exercise
treadmills worth the cost?
Before you consider whether
you need to buy one, you may
like to answer the following
questions. 1. Do you run at
present? If the answer is
NO, can you be sure it won't
end up as an expensive clothes
hanger gathering dust in a
few months time. Maybe try
an exercise treadmill at the
gym or start a running in
the local park so you can
judge whether you will enjoy
running. If you answer YES
and have made a long-term
commitment, appreciate that
road running and using exercise
treadmills are quite different
activities. Personally, I
prefer to stick to the roads
but there may be reasons why
you would like a treadmill.
2. What are your reasons for
running? If you are running
to lose weight then exercise
treadmills are popular where
you may feel self-conscious
about running in public or
the gym. A treadmill offers
a great way to start. If you
are running to keep fit and
you feel safe running in your
local area then road-running
may be a better option. However,
if environmental conditions
make training difficult at
times, an exercise treadmill
is a good alternative to keep
your on the move. 3. Can you
use your local gym The treadmill
is the most common piece of
gym equipment, even in an
ill-equipped one. Of course
you still have to pay gym
membership or an entrance
fee but you do have other
machines to use. They may
even have a swimming pool
for a cool down following
your run. But again you may
not want to run in front of
all those fit individuals
or your gym is inconvenient
to get to when you fancy a
quick jog in the evening.
4. Do you have the space?
Where would you put it? Obviously
if you answer No here a treadmill
is not an option. Unless you
have a very dear friend who
will house it for you. Even
fold-up treadmills take up
space. Non-folding treadmills
take up a considerable amount
of a room. If you have got
space, what type of room is
it. Some use their garage,
others prefer the bedroom
or somewhere near a TV. Where
ever you consider putting
it, is it a room you would
like to spend a considerable
amount of time in? If you
progress your running you
may be training up to two
hours at a time! If after
taking in the pros and cons
you decide to go ahead and
purchase an exercise treadmill
be prepared to spend at least
US$1000. If you buy a cheaper
treadmill it is frankly not
worth the bother. If you spend
more you will get extras such
as heart monitors, running
programs, stopwatches and
tilting surfaces for hill
running. Specifications: You
will need to look at the power
of the motor and the maximum
speed. You really need a minimum
of 1.5 horsepower and one
that can do up to 10 mph.
You don't want to be growing
out of your exercise treadmill
in just a few months time
after spending all that cash!
The belt should be at least
48" long and 16" wide. I would
also advise you try a model
before you buy one - you may
use an online provider but
always check the same model
for yourself first. Check
neither the frame or the belt
moves when you use it. Make
sure you can reach and use
the control panel with ease.
Test run for at least 10 minutes
and listen for any changes
in the noise of the motor.
Is it quiet? It may sound
okay in a large sports store
but what about in your garage?
As mentioned earlier, running
on a treadmill is different
than road running. The advantages
to using one are first of
all the obvious, such as running
in your own home so you will
feel safe and not need to
worry about traffic or undesirables.
You can run any time of day
and not worry about weather
conditions. Another advantage
is by using a mirror(s) you
can assess your running technique.
Video analysis is useful but
you cannot see instant results.
One other advantage often
overlooked is that when you
get tired you can stop, step
off, grab a beer from the
fridge and recover on your
sofa, there is no need to
worry about a long walk home!
Roy Palmer is a teacher of
The Alexander Technique and
has studied performance enhancement
in sport for the last 10 years.
In 2001 he published a book
called 'The Performance Paradox:
Challenging the conventional
methods of sports training
and exercise' and is currently
working on a new project about
The Zone. More information
about his unique approach
to training can be found at
http://www.fitness-programs-for-life.com.
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