About Folding Treadmills

Types

• There are many varieties of treadmills on the market. They can be very straight forward and simple to operate, or they can have lots of bells and whistles which require time to learn to use. While not as common, you can still find manual or non-electric treadmills, however most treadmills these days are electric. With the popularity in home fitness growing, there are now some good quality treadmills for home use that fold up. This can be a great option if you do not have a lot of space.

Misconceptions

• It is commonly believed that all treadmills are the same. Many people often believe that folding treadmills are a good option since they come with wheels and are therefore easy to move around. Both are not necessarily true. Some treadmills, especially the folding variation, can actually be quite unsteady and may not provide enough cushioning for your joints. Manufacturers often go this route to make the treadmill more affordable and light weight. Unfortunately spending time on treadmills that are unsteady or do not have proper cushioning can leave you with chronic back and joint pain. In addition, many folding treadmills that are good quality are actually very heavy to move around, and some can even be hard to fold. It is best to visit a few stores and try folding and moving the treadmill before you buy. You may have to buy a treadmill that you can fold, but not move, in order to get one that is good enough quality.

Features

• A good quality treadmill should not shake or rock when you use it and it should have a sturdy and solid base. This is especially true if you are going to use the incline feature or run. The walking surface should have some give to it. It should not feel like you are walking on cement. A basic treadmill should suit most people's needs. It can be nice to have features that tell you how far you have walked, however, most of the other features on the treadmill are not usually accurate or necessary. Features, such as heart rate monitors, that require you to hold the handles do not provide an accurate heart rate. You are better off just taking your pulse or using a heart rate device that straps onto your chest. If you want to keep track of the calories you burn, make sure that you get a treadmill that allows you to input your age, weight and other statistics, as all of these factors will influence how many calories you are truly burning.

Benefits

• Having a treadmill, folding or not, at home can help you stay on track with a steady workout even when the weather is bad or you can not get to the gym. It can be set up in front of the TV to help you pass the time. This is when a fold up treadmill comes in handy. You can keep it in the family room, and have it take up less space when not being used. As long as you purchase a good quality treadmill, you should be able to get a good workout on a regular basis without stress on the knees, hips or back. Of course, make sure that you also wear the appropriate foot wear. Get good quality sneakers that are made for walking or running. Do not use flip flops or clogs while on a treadmill as they do not support the foot and ankle and you can trip.

Expert Insight

• If you have difficulty with balance, one good feature is a safety clip that hooks to you and the treadmill. Then if you fall or get too far back, the key will pull out and stop the treadmill. Make sure that the treadmill rails are high enough that you do not have to lean forward to hold on. If you find a treadmill you like, but the railings are too low, you can buy extensions that clip on and make the railings higher. Another fun feature of some treadmills are ones that come with interactive or virtual reality programs. The treadmill plugs into your CD player or TV. You then insert a special CD or DVD that will take you through a workout. You can either just follow along or some programs actually control the speed and incline of the treadmill.