Treadmills

[Hawk45]

Man! Try to get some advice on treadmills is like ridiculous. Seems every website dedicated to running and treadmills has "paid " advertisers on there making positive claims on all their equipment like they are average users. It's like you can't get a real life review like you can on this site or any other forum I go on. The exercise industry is NUTS!!!

Everything I read says spend $2000 minimum. Well, that ain't going to happen and my wife won't let it. I'm having a hard enough time getting her to let me spend $700 on a treadmill. I can probably go to $1K but that's it. My wife and I will walk and light jog on it daily or a few times a week when we can't get outside. No marathons for us.. pass. I've looked at the Livestrong branded stuff at Dick's Sporting Good, the Nordick Trak stuff at Sears and have seen that Sole and Smooth make ok stuff... but can I trust any of the reviews?

Anyway, since I can trust you guys, what are you using and what do you recommend to stay away from.

 

[JJones75]

Re: Treadmills

Well , the only tread mills i ever use are the high end ones at my gym and thats only for walking , if i run on a treadmill it kills my knees on the road doesnt bother me though.

anyway , i have seen some great deals on them from gyms that are going out of buisness , the gym i train at sold 6 for $1000 each and they were like $5000 new!!!

My wife bought one from Sears about 3 years ago , paid over a grand for it and its no where near the quality of the lower end comercial ones.

I personaly refuse to buy anymore home based exercise equiptment , no room for it and it doens tget used nearly as much as is expected.
spend your money on a gym membership instead and let them worry about fixing somthing if it breaks

 

[Dagsta]

Re: Treadmills

Hawk, I will just tell you 700 to 1K will do nothing but bring you regrets for spending the money.

It will be sitting outside for trash pickup before you know it. I hate to bust your bubble but that is just the way it is. There is a reason the good ones cost big bucks.

The non commercial ones will hardly take any wear and tear

 

[Hawk45]

Re: Treadmills

That seems to be what I'm finding...

 

[Erud]

Re: Treadmills

Keep an eye on Craig's list. You wouldn't believe(or maybe you would) how many people buy top of the line exercise gear and sell it in the first year after they finally accept how lazy they really are.

 

[chongoMT]

Re: Treadmills

This may not help but, depending on your job you may be able to right off the price of a treadmill on your taxes. I'm not an accountant but my accountant told me gym memberships and exercise equipment can be a legit right off.

 

[Graham]

Re: Treadmills

You can't get a good treadmill for under a grand. For entry level, have a look at the Nordic Track 1750 'Commercial' model.

 

[benchmstr]

Re: Treadmills

small gyms go out of business all the time....check craigslist for gyms going out of business and have fun...

 

[spaniel]

Re: Treadmills

I put 1000-1500 miles/yr on my treadmill. It's a $1000 Sole, for a more casual runner it might be OK. It was all I could afford when I bought it. Next time, I'll find a used commercial model.

You will settle for $1000 but that is about the lowest amount I'd recommend spending if you intend to put any real use on it. $2000 would probably get you a "real" machine.

 

[gabstersmoma]

Re: Treadmills

I'm still using the $400 Walmart special I bought 8 years ago. Between my wife and I, we put 1500-2000 miles per year. I guess we got lucky!

 

[SuckitTrebek]

Re: Treadmills

bought my ex wife a elliptical. After maybe a year it was a coat rack.

Never do that shit again. The home exercise equipment that isnt for me, not the wife party she's history. hahaha

 

[Hawk45]

Re: Treadmills

Well, after the good feedback here and visiting a few stores that specialize in fitness equipment (not Dick's where the guy selling gym shoes is helping me) and I've decided to buy once, cry once. Even got the wife to go along after talking to one of the guys and showing us the differences.

Thanks for all the help.

 

[former naval person]

Re: Treadmills

Do the road. The treadmills don't exercise the same muscles/joints. They don't really transfer. Been there.

 

[xNF_9]

Re: Treadmills

It's cheaper to run outside...

and why can't you get outside?

 

[Hawk45]

Re: Treadmills

Reasons to not be able to get outside for a run all the time are too numerous to list. With a treadmill I can workout while on a long boring call for work (I work from home) or when the weather is bad or if I just don't have any time before/after work. When the weather is nice I'm outside exercising as much as my lazy but will, but in the winter months it's not very pleasurable.

 

[VTi]

Re: Treadmills

Another thing not mentioned in this thread is that treadmills are much better for tougher, structured workouts. Most people that go out and run on the streets, around the blocks in their neighborhoods, are usually just "jogging/walking".

Sure it's better than nothing, but jogs outside are difficult to structure properly for a good, high intensity workout.

I love running outside (mostly in the hills/country near my home) when possible but my best running workouts come on the treadmill. For example, a good workout for me is to set the treadmill to 10% incline, fast walk / slow jog for 3 minutes (4.5-5mph), then "sprint" on 12mph for 1 minute. Repeat that 4 minute interval 12 times for a 48 minute workout. An intense (IMO) workout with a good combination of less intense "cardio" type working, and powerful anaerobic sprinting. Because of the structured nature of this type of workout, tracking progress is very easy. Decide what you're going to do on the treadmill, set the speeds and try to keep up with your plan.

I do this usually 2-3 times per week along with lifting and crossfit type workouts the other days. It's a good supplemental workout to the resistance workouts.

Anyway, IMO a treadmill can be a great integral part of a good workout program... Not just simply a "substitute" for running outside during bad weather.

 

[Hawk45]

Re: Treadmills

Agreed.. doing intervals outside is hard or should I say not optimal (at least from my experience)

 

[woodsrunner]

Re: Treadmills

Hawk, if you haven't gone to runnersworld, I would check out their site. Go under the shoes and gear tab and select treadmills. I'll warn you the one I just read started with the most expensive first to the least expensive. I hope this helps.

 

[Hawk45]

Re: Treadmills

Yep, been a member of RunnersWorld forums/site for a few years. Was already over there reading. If anyone is interested for future reference, I am ordering a Spirit XT385 after trying out about 8 treadmills at a fitness store. This store supplies residential and commercial clients some of which are professional sports teams so I felt confident with their recommendations and no pressure sales. I went more than 2x over what I expected to spend but comes with a 10yr warranty on all the major parts and 1yr 100% guarantee with in-home service. After that they do in-home service directly through the store (which has been in business for over 30 years locally). I feel much more confident in this purchase than going with a lower end LiveStrong or other from a cookie cutter sporting goods store. Buy once.. cry once.. if this site hasn't taught me that more than anything. Guess that ELR build goes on hold for a bit longer.
Thanks for all the help and feedback.