Americans aren’t getting enough exercise. As of 2017, roughly 30% of Americans are living inactive lifestyles.
Only 54% of men and 46% of women are likely to get enough aerobic exercise. Which may be why 30.4% of Americans over the age of 20 suffer from obesity.
Going to the gym is a way to get and stay in shape. Even finding the time to go to the gym can be a major hurdle at times, however. Which is where home gyms come into play.
Americans spend over $10 billion each year on home gyms. Nearly $800 million goes towards treadmills alone.
If you’re thinking about upgrading your home gym with a treadmill, here are some things to think about to choose the perfect model for your needs.
How To Choose The Best Treadmill For Your Home Gym
Before you even begin, you should take a moment to think about your fitness goals. Is losing weight your number one priority? Or are you looking to build stamina, training for a marathon or long-distance race?
Your ultimate fitness goals will make a big impact on the treadmill you ultimately decide upon.
You should also think about your budget. Spending more will get you the best possible quality treadmill. It will be made from sturdier parts with a longer warranty. You’ll also get a wider running surface that is capable of higher speeds and steeper inclines.
Try It First
If you have the opportunity to try out a treadmill before you make a purchase, that’s the best and easiest way to see if it’ll meet your particular needs. When you get a chance to take it for a spin, see how cushioned and comfortable the treadmill is. This will impact how long you’re able to work out for, which will greatly impact your fitness goals.
You should also make sure you don’t feel the motor casing when you’re running or jogging. You want your treadmill workout to be as close to running in the wild as possible. This is how we’re designed to function and how we derive the greatest benefits.
Finally, you should make sure that the controls are easily reachable and easy to operate. You don’t want to be grasping for the stop button when you’re running at 10 mph.
Four Factors To Consider
Some other things you should keep in mind when you’re choosing the right treadmill for your home gym are as follows.
Size
How big is the area that houses your home gym? If it’s a foyer-sized workout space, you may want to choose a smaller treadmill. If you’ve got all the space in the universe, you can go with the model with all of the bells and whistles.
Folding treadmills are an excellent way to save space, as well. The average size of a treadmill is 77 inches long by 35 inches wide. A folding treadmill cuts that size in half, on average.
You’ll also need to make sure that there’s enough empty space around your workout area to use your treadmill safely.
Ergonomics
If you’re going to be running on your treadmill, you’ll need to make sure it’s big enough to accommodate your stride. You should also consider the average length of your walking and jogging steps, to make sure that you’ll be able to do all three comfortably on your new treadmill.
Technical Features
Are you a technophile? Do you use the treadmills at the gym? Either way, you’re likely to have grown accustomed to having the latest technical features on your treadmill.
Check to see if your treadmill offers smartphone docks or USB connections. Wireless connectivity is also commonly found on many modern treadmills. If you’ve grown used to having these features, you’ll want to have them for your home gym.
Adjustability
Many treadmills have a top speed of 10 to 12 mph. Some will go faster and some will be slower. Decide what you’ll be using your treadmill for ahead of time to determine if this is going to be a dealbreaker for you or not.
Many treadmills offer an incline of 10 to 15 percent. If you’re going to be training for more extreme uphill races or trail running you may want to find a model that is more customizable.
Other Factors To Keep In Mind
You should be honing in on your dream treadmill at this point. Here are a few final considerations to keep in mind to ensure you get the treadmill of your dreams for your home workouts.
Weight
Will you be moving your treadmill often? Will you be installing it yourself? All of these questions will determine how heavy you want your treadmill to be.
If your treadmill runs on the heavier side, you may want to look into home delivery. You’re looking for aerobic exercise, after all, not weightlifting.
Assembly
Will your treadmill come pre-assembled? If not, how difficult will it be to put together?
Some home treadmills can be relatively simple to put together. Others are more complex than Ikea furniture. You’ll also want to honestly assess how mechanically savvy you are before signing up for a complicated assembly job.
Warranty
Finally, you’ll want to think about what kind of warranty your treadmill offers. Ideally, you should look for a warranty of 3 to 7 years on the parts. Most treadmills have a lifetime warranty on the frames. The same is true of the motor.
Thinking about these things ahead of time will help ensure you get the best possible treadmill for your unique fitness needs. This will help you to stay motivated, helping you to use your treadmill and reap the ultimate benefit.
Looking For A Treadmill?
Good for you! Searching for a treadmill means you’ve begun your quest for fitness. It’s the first step towards becoming the best possible you!
Now that you’ve had a chance to reflect on what you’re looking for in a running machine, browse the complete section of our treadmills today!