How to choose a treadmill expert tips
Running is a great way to keep your body toned, your muscles fit, and the amount of fat at a minimum. For this reason, on warm summer evenings, the stadiums and open areas are literally littered with trainees - the fashion for a healthy lifestyle makes itself felt. However, it is not always possible to conduct a full-fledged training - rain and wind, snow and severe frost - these and many other anomalies do not allow not to run, but even to leave the house without getting wet to the skin and not frozen. The treadmill becomes an ideal solution to this problem - with the help of this compact simulator, it is possible to run at any pace and at any time of the day, regardless of the weather and rainfall!
In order to choose the right treadmill, it is necessary to determine its key features, as well as other parameters that need to be paid the closest attention.
Which treadmill to choose: mechanical or electric
Mechanical treadmill
It is a simple mechanism, which is a canvas, fixed between two rotating rollers. No power source is required in this situation - the rollers rotate and the web moves with your feet. This makes running on a mechanical path as close to real as possible: while you are running - the track is spinning, if you stop - the canvas stops moving.
Virtues
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Compact dimensions;
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Relatively inexpensive;
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Plainly emulates a regular run in a stadium;
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Does not require a power source;
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Simple design;
disadvantages
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It is not possible to maintain a certain pace of running and adjust the intensity of the workout;
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Additional stress on the knee joints while running;
Virtues
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Compact dimensions;
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Relatively inexpensive;
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Plainly emulates a regular run in a stadium;
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Does not require a power source;
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Simple design;
disadvantages
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It is not possible to maintain a certain pace of running and adjust the intensity of the workout;
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Additional stress on the knee joints while running;
Electric treadmill
The modern version of the treadmill, in which the electric motor is used as the main driving force. It is he who sets the canvas in motion, and all that remains for the athlete is to adjust to the speed of his movement and choose the appropriate training intensity. The latter is regulated by a special control panel, where you can adjust the intensity of the load, as well as emulate all sorts of descents and ascents, as well as perform interval training.
Virtues
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Functional and convenient device;
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They allow you to control well-being, measure heart rate and blood pressure;
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Huge possibilities in adjusting the load and intensity of the exercise;
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Wide functionality;
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Easy to manage;
disadvantages
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High price;
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Large dimensions and weight;
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Requires a constant power source;
Virtues
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Functional and convenient device;
-
They allow you to control well-being, measure heart rate and blood pressure;
-
Huge possibilities in adjusting the load and intensity of the exercise;
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Wide functionality;
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Easy to manage;
disadvantages
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High price;
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Large dimensions and weight;
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Requires a constant power source;
After weighing all the pros and cons, as well as reading the reviews of experienced fitness trainers on the Internet, preference should be given to the classic electric treadmill.Despite the higher cost, this option gives a truly limitless opportunities for the trainee and allows you to sensitively adjust the intensity and pace of the exercise. And it is not at all necessary to immediately buy the most expensive model of the top class, the model of the average price range is quite enough, the cost of which does not exceed 30 thousand rubles. Mechanical treadmill should be bought only with a significant shortage of free cash.
What should be an electric motor in an electric treadmill?
So, the buyer was convinced that the electric treadmill - what you need for productive workouts. What to pay attention to? First of all, on the electric motor installed “under the hood”, and on its key characteristics in particular:
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The rated power of the electric motor fully characterizes the ability to rotate the canvas at a certain speed for a long time. It is the rated power that determines the performance of the track under load, as well as the maximum weight of the runner. The most powerful models of treadmills are able to work with an athlete who weighs 130-140 kilograms;
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Peak power of the electric motor displays the maximum possible values that the electric motor is able to develop in a short period of time. This parameter should be paid attention, first of all, to those who like high-intensity interval training;
If we speak in terms of numbers, then an electric motor with a capacity of 2-2.5 horsepower is quite enough for a long-term workout of a person weighing up to 100-110 kilograms.
Determine the size of the running belt
The second important feature is the overall dimensions of the running belt - the same track on which the race will be performed. At the moment, on sale you can find a variety of models, the width of the canvas which can vary from 30 to 60 centimeters. Here everything is selected on the basis of the weight and dimensional parameters of the runner - the bigger the person, the wider the treadmill he will need. The selection criterion is very simple here - even in the store you need to get up on the track and try to emulate the run - the width should be enough for natural movements, and the handrails should not interfere.
However, the purchase of a treadmill with a canvas of maximum width, that novice athletes practice, cannot be called a logical step. It should be remembered that the wider the canvas - the more effort it will take to rotate it. This, in turn, will lead to the need to install an electric motor of obviously more power, which will certainly affect the overall price of the treadmill.
Control Panel
The control panel is a kind of central control of any treadmill. They are even equipped with low-end models and economy-class devices, but their functionality cannot be called exhaustive. The pace of running, time and calories burned - these are the three main parameters that reflect the control panel of an inexpensive treadmill.
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The more expensive the device is, the more functional it is, and therefore various heart rate indicators appear on the dashboard, smart algorithms that measure the percentage of adipose tissue in the body, blood pressure and adjust the exercise program depending on the values obtained.
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In order to measure the state of your body - the pulse, heart rate, oxygen level in the blood and other parameters, complete with the most advanced tracks are special sensors. They are located on the handrails or have the form of special clips attached to the earlobe or wrist. The information obtained with their help is displayed on the screen and already relying on it, the athlete gets the opportunity to adjust his own training program.
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Another very interesting node is the so-called security key, used to prevent injury during exercise. It is inserted into a special niche and is fixed on the wrist. In the event of a fall, the key is automatically pulled out of the lock, and the track immediately stops, thus avoiding injury.
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It should be noted, and various training modes, which by default are integrated into the memory of the most advanced tracks. Classic running and interval training, ascent and descent, as well as many parameters that can be adjusted manually and customize the track for yourself - this is not a complete list of the functions that most advanced treadmills have. There really is something to choose from!
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Attention! This material is the subjective opinion of the authors of the project and is not a guide to purchase.