Anyone beginning on a personal exercise program knows that there are countless equipment options available for losing weight and improving muscle tone. Weight machines, stair climbers, exercise cycles, and more are popular choices, each of them having their own distinct benefits to the user.
Aerobic exercise is the way to go for those who want to lose weight and body fat, so machines that will help you get a good aerobic workout are the best options for those looking to shed the pounds. An excellent option for providing such workouts is the treadmill. Easy to use and versatile in application, treadmills are the machine of choice for people from all walks of life and for men and women at every age, both young and old alike.
Treadmills
Treadmills give you the chance to do your walking in the comfort and privacy of your own home. Weather conditions in some parts of the world prevent people from getting in that walk around the block every evening. Other people have odd work schedules and can only do their exercising at three in the morning, which is hardly the best time for being out in the neighborhood alone. But treadmills enable walkers to get moving no matter the weather or time of day. When set up in one’s home, they also make it easy for the walker to watch TV or get reading done while exercising, two things that are impossible when walking outside.
Speed and Resistance
Perhaps the greatest benefit of treadmills is that the speed and resistance of the machine can be adapted to nearly every fitness level. Those who have not walked in a long time will need low resistance and an easy pace so that they can get into shape before moving on to more challenging speeds and resistance levels; as your fitness improves, so too can you increase the workout intensity. The ability to increase the resistance of the treadmill through an adjustment of its incline is especially good for the exerciser, as going up an incline typically burns more calories and strengthens the heart more than just simply walking on level ground.
Measurements
Treadmills also are able to measure the heart rate and give a record of the calories burned and the distance walked. It can be hard to measure your progress if you are just taking a stroll around the block, but the calories-burned readouts on treadmills can show you just how much your walking is benefitting you, and you can base your workouts on the amount of calories that you desire to work off. Set the treadmill for a 500-calorie workout and once those calories have been burned, the workout is over. You can also tell the treadmill the equivalent distance you desire to walk and then have it shut off once that distance has been reached.
All in all, treadmills are an excellent choice for any person starting a personal fitness plan. Inexpensive relative to the health benefits they provide, treadmills can help you workout for years to come. Choose one today and you will be well on your way getting back into shape.
Source by Matthew Richard Kerridge
Note from Brigadoon Fitness
Health experts suggest walking on a treadmill for 30 minutes at a pace of 5 mph, 5 days a week.
How does this benefit you? Here are the top 6 reasons.
1. Cardiovascular health – protects your heart against disease and stroke. Walking helps lower blood pressure as well as cholesterol.
2. It lifts your mood and makes you feel better. Your stress levels will decrease, it releases endorphins and lowers cortisol levels.
3. Improves your memory. Studies have shown that walking increases your memory and attention by roughly 20 percent.
4. Helps you fall asleep quicker and have a better quality of sleep.
5. Boosts metabolism for up to 12 hours which helps with weight loss.
6. Increases muscle tone in your legs as well as your belly and arms. Just don’t use the handles while walking or running.
If you walk on a treadmill consistently the benefits will greatly improve your overall well being and health.
Here are our suggestions for treadmills for in home use:
The True Fitness Performance CS20000 Treadmill is affordable for home gyms while being comparable to a commercial machine. It features the latest in technology letting you easily track and manage your workouts.
The True Fitness Alpine Runner TI1000 delivers a workout for experienced users. This treadmill has a 30% incline and a 3% decline that provides a more challenging workout.
