i would assume one of those at the gyms are good quality as a lot of people use them and seem to last.
Do you want it with an incline, with variable speeds, with cup holders, with various programs like "mountain", "regular track", "gorge", etc. Some have downloadable programs you can get from iFit.com and from other sites. Take it for a test drive at SEARS or where ever it is you're buying it. They should have some for display. When Mrs. SwoLy and I bought one a long time ago, we made sure it had a comfortable grip and cushion padding under the belt.
Not really an expert on treadmills, but the width of is definitely one thing to consider. I'm not sure if the narrow ones are always lower-quality or not, but they maybe. Something to ask a sales guy. Also, something that just happened to me is the pulley lost it's grip on the roller. Apparently it happens after a certain amount of time and you either buy the new part each time or you can do a quick fix with a drill and some screws, which should hold it almost permantly. My treadmill is a few years old, so i dont know if that's been improved or if a better one would not have this problem.
lol Dr of Dunk nailed it. For my home gym, I went cheap initially and I bought a Reebok treadmill.. huge waste of money. After that I bit the bullet and I got a Precor treadmill and elliptical instead. No complaints. If you can afford it, buy a high quality treadmill.
All I know is that unless you are willing to throw down a lot of cash then just join a gym. Good ones are probably in the 5000 dollar range.
What would be defined as a good one? $5000, that's a pretty high price. I would thought you could get fairly good treadmills once you got to the $800-$900 level or higher. I have a Proform, which was just under $600 and I haven't has any issues in 5-6 years until now (problem i described earlier).
Most sub-$1000 treadmills are considered lower-end. My parents have owned about 2 Proforms and Weslo, over the past 6-8 years. They keep breaking down or the motors weaken. And they're old, so it's not like they're running them into the ground. Even when they were working if you ran on the things hard you could hear the low torque motor being overworked and the belt slowing the motor with every step. I know others who have had no problems with their ProForms, like you. Some of it is luck, some of it is just because the more expensive ones really do have better parts. That being said, I'd have a hard time forking over $5000-$12000 for a treadmill - I just don't think they're worth it. But again, that's just me. BTW, the Precors that dmc89 mentioned are considered pretty good treadmills.
I have a proform that I took from my parents, thing must be around 10+ years old, but still works like its new. I would personally go with an elliptical machine, since HIIT is more effective on one and its much quieter.
I never understood why people don't just jog/run around their neighborhoods. Unless you live in the hood or somewhere where the weather is constantly ****.
Because you don't have the meters and pre-programmed routines. I have one, but I much rather go to the gym because mine is pretty basic. I like to know how far I went, the calories I spent, heartbeat, time and pre-set routines. Don't go cheap like I did.. you'll regret it.
A lot of people aren't home on weekdays until around when the sun is down (early mornings or early evenings) and/or they don't feel like jogging in 100 degree heat in the summer or 30-40 degree weather in the winter. With a treadmill you can run whenever the heck you please no matter the time, weather, etc.
Treadmills rule. Ran 4 miles earlier on a nordictrack e3800 while watching tv. The thing I like is the cushion setting(hard/soft) for the running pad. I enjoy mine and got it at sears several years ago. Have not done any maintainence on it and have logged many miles on it. I guess I better take a look at something. Lol. You might check out a newer model of nordictrack. I found good value for the price. But, it's the only one I've really used in such depth. I think I went mid price range on it at around 3k before tax.
Why a treadmill vs. a stationary bike? Is it a better workout? What if you live in an apartment building, won't a treadmill bother the people who live below you?
Good point, I didn't think about it like that, that people like to keep track of calories, heartbeat, etc. I guess I was just never fond of running in place, so boring, basketball does wonders for my cardio as it is.
Good point. You can get more bang for your buck with a bike (way less moving parts, no motor), but I suppose it's more difficult to work different sets of muscles. Also, a roommate of mine had a rowing machine back in the '80s. I loved that thing (if you have the space). Works your arms more than treadmill's do. But you can't read or watch TV, etc. At the gym, I now gravitate to the ellipticals for a lot of intangibles. Reading, watching news, working different groups of muscles without thinking about it. etc. Just an easy, solid workout.
The best workout I've ever gotten on a treadmill is this thing. http://www.amazon.com/Bowflex-TC5000-Treadclimber/dp/B000BH7C9Y It's like walking through snow or sand. Really gets your glutes, hamstrings, etc. It is very effective for training your core/hips/lowerback to stabilize your walking motion. Of course, you can't run on it. Lots of gyms stopped carrying these because of the learning curve, lots of uncoordinated, out of shape people would get on them, try to go 99mph, and bust their asses. Too much liability.
I find jogging to be much better for the mind. I can really lose myself and relax. Except for when there are some short-shorts running in front of me sweating with tank tops on. But unfortunately, my right knee has a bad meniscus, so I just don't do it as much anymore.
