How Treadmills Work – An All-Weather Walk

An all-weather walk? Absolutely! Walk in the comfort of your own home. Save money on all that fancy gear that makes you “look good” as you go out walking or jogging. Can’t sleep at night? Take a walk in the comfort of your home. Need to take the dog for a walk, but it’s raining? Walk him at home where it’s dry and warm (you know how bad wet dogs smell!). There are many other reasons for walking indoors. And it is possible – on a treadmill.

There are all kinds of treadmills available on the market these days. Fitness equipment manufacturers are in fierce competition to provide you with the best treadmill ever. So if you’re going to go and look for one, you’ll need to know how treadmills work. Then you’ll know which one best fits your exercise program and your lifestyle.

Why were treadmills invented?

For more detailed information on why treadmills were invented, read the "History of Treadmills". Here, we’ll just tell you that they were originally invented as a power source on farms. That’s a far cry from their next use – cardiac stress testing. They were recognized and developed as “walking machines”. And because there’s nothing like a good walk to get the heart beating, the treadmill became a valuable tool in measuring the heart rate during cardiac tests. Then the fitness equipment industry saw an opportunity – walking could be done indoors, allowing people to exercise at their leisure, without being subject to weather and time issues.

So armed with this wisdom, treadmill manufacturers worked to develop a machine that would provide people with the full benefits of outdoor exercise, in an indoor environment. The treadmill serves this purpose to a T. There’s a massive move towards healthy lifestyles these days, and one of the healthiest forms of exercise is walking. Walking is natural and safe and is recommended for people of all ages and conditions.

However, walking is affected by the speed you move and the surface and variety of terrain you cover. Treadmills were specially designed to duplicate the whole scope of these terrains – uphill, downhill, fast, slow. You could create a total multi-terrain experience without leaving your home.

Treadmills go right to the heart of the matter

With the current emphasis on good health and exercise, treadmills are a natural solution. As we mentioned, walking is probably the most recognized form of beneficial cardiovascular exercise. Walking burns calories. It gives us energy. It gives us an opportunity to enter that much pursued area – peace-of-mind. But, mostly, as Glen Frye says in one of his songs, it goes “to the heart of the matter”. It gets your heart pumping, and the more your heart pumps, the healthier it becomes.

There’s a lot of emphasis on prevention these days. Heart disease is one of the leading killers in America today, and scientists are constantly working to develop preventive technologies. But it’s the fitness equipment industry that’s come up with the best solution. Exercise will out-perform medicine any day. And experts say that the best way to exercise is to walk. So the treadmill is the ideal piece of exercise equipment.

Burn off those calories

Another killer today is fat – obesity. And over 60% of Americans are obese. According to the experts, when it comes to fitness equipment, the machine that burns the most calories is the treadmill. Stair machines, rowing machines, stationary cycles, ellipticals – all these machines have been proven, in calorie-burning tests, to be an effective method. But these tests also showed that treadmills are number one in performance when trying to burn calories.

Which treadmill should you buy?

Buying a treadmill can be compared to buying a new car – there are so many models to choose from, with so many different options. So just use the same mentality you use when you buy a car. You know how the more expensive cars have the best options and superior performance? Well, it’s no different with treadmills. “You get what you pay for” rings true again. So “test-drive” them all. Get the feel of them. You’ll need to find one that suits your unique stride. And if you’re tall, you should consider a “stretch” model. And by the way, if you walk your dog, look for one of the new extra-wide models – enough room for you and your dog.

And check out the mechanical side, not just the cosmetics. Any good treadmill worth it’s weight will have at least a 2HP continuous motor. The deck should be able to absorb the impact that could normally injure your joints. And, if you’re a long-distance terrain runner, you’ll be delighted with the models that duplicate the ups and downs of an outside course – all automatically. On the better models, you can actually program in your own terrain preferences.

Treadmills are wonderful exercise companions

There are many questions surrounding fitness equipment today. A treadmill is the answer to many of those questions. It burns calories. It’s good for the cardiovascular system. It’s always an option, no matter what the conditions outdoors.

You don’t have to go very far to find a wide variety of treadmills. In fact, you don’t have to go out for that either – at least not initially. There’s a world of information about treadmills on the Internet. You’ll be able to get ideas about which model is right for you. It’ll help narrow down your search when you go test-driving. But whatever model you choose, the treadmill will definitely answer this question: How do I get in shape, and how do I stay in shape? And you won’t have to wait for spring!

About The Author

Gareth Marples is a successful writer who works from home providing valuable tips and advice for consumers purchasing best treadmill ratings & reviews, elliptical exercise machines and treadmill feature comparisons. His numerous articles offer moneysaving tips and valuable insight on typically confusing topics.

This article on "How Treadmills Work" reprinted with permission.