Top 05 Considerations When Buying a Treadmill in Sri Lanka

Nowadays, all we want is to have a healthy yet easy-going life. However, to achieve all your dream in life, you need money which is going to set you up for a busy working life. To have the fulfilling life you desire, you must be more diligent. Having a busy schedule every day means you have less and less time to exercise and improve your body health leaving you with even less time to think about your figure. The key is to do exercises at any time you get in the comfort of your home. Sure, you can go jogging, run, or fast run outside that would be great, but your busy life might not allow this for you. You might feel demotivated to go outside for a workout on a rainy day. However, did you know that you can do all those exercises on this one compact machine called Treadmill?

In the previous article, we have described “10 Reasons to Get a Treadmill for Home in Sri Lanka” and “How to Maintain Your Home Treadmill?“. If you haven’t already read the article, we may ask if you’d like to read it too.

How to choose the most suitable Treadmill for me?

Types of Treadmills

When choosing the most suitable Treadmill, consider the type. There are 5 main types of treadmills you can find.

Magnetic/Manual Treadmills
A motorless treadmill that creates resistance by using magnetic force is called a magnetic treadmill. By increasing or decreasing the magnetic pull, you can either do a more challenging workout or a less strenuous one. Many people like these due to their ease of use, storage, and maintenance.
Electric/Motorized Treadmills
This type of treadmills often comes with a belt cushioning system, so any person can have a more comfortable time exercising. In addition, motorized treadmills offer various speed and incline settings so that any user can customize them to their liking.
Hybrid Treadmills
Generally, Hybrid Treadmills have a motor, but also offer a manual option where the user can disengage the belt from the motor to use it in manual mode. There are several different variants of hybrid treadmills where some may only let users walk while others may allow for running as well.
Commercial Treadmills
These Commercial treadmills are the highest quality treadmills available and are built to withstand many hours of daily use even in a gym environment, hotel fitness room, or physical therapy clinic. They are typically not sold directly to consumers as they can be very expensive and may have additional features that home users might not need. You can request Commercial Treadmills from ESER.LK through inquiry.

What are the differences between commercial and home treadmills? Most commercial machines tend to have a more sophisticated shock absorber system (The indoor treadmills under the BH and Reebok brands that we import and distribute are also equipped with a more sophisticated shock absorption system.) along with a larger deck size than home models. Speed and slope with powerful motors, commercial-grade treadmills can reach up to 20% to 30% higher running speeds than their residential counterparts (some can even go up to 20 kilometers per hour).
Medical Treadmills
Medical Treadmills are used to obtain a continuous electrocardiogram recording of the heart as a patient performs increasing levels of exercise used in medical clinics and hospitals. The use of medical treadmills is usually limited to healthcare or private individuals who require them.

Monitoring and Programs

When it comes to monitoring in treadmills, it is important to note that most heart rate monitors on treadmills are accurate. Some treadmills read your heart rate through pulse sensors on the rails while some will have a tracking device that you can attach to your chest which operates by subtracting your age from the constant number 220. For instance, if you are 30 years old, your maximum heart rate should be 190 bpm (beats per minute) according to this measurement. Set your target heart rate (an effective and low-risk range from about 60% to 80% of your maximum heart rate). If you’re 30, that would be anywhere from 110 to 160 bpm.

What are preset programs on the treadmill?

Due to the new and improved software programs found on these treadmills, you can now simply set your target heart rate, and the program will monitor and adjust the intensity level automatically to maintain your heart rate within your targeted range while you exercise. This is the best method to maximize your weight loss and fitness goals.

Maximum User Weight

In general, lower-end treadmills tend to specify a weight limit anywhere from 200 and 300 lbs while higher-end models often provide a more forgiving weight limit from 300 lbs up to 450 lbs. So, keep this in mind when looking for a treadmill.

Shock Absorption

Running on a treadmill with a shock absorption feature can reduce the bounce-back impact on your body and joints by about 40% according to overall assessments. This decreases common injuries that occur while using a treadmill and allows you to run for longer safely.

The purpose of a treadmill shock absorption system is not to make it soft, but rather to make it safe when your weight shifts from left to right as you run. Followings are two types of shock absorption systems found on treadmills:

Springs – Just like any other spring-based suspension system, this will first compress the springs and absorb some of the impact energy and then bounce back which returns the force of the stride distributed into the body.
Variable-Durometer Elastomer Cushions – These are cushions that absorb some of the energy from the impact and are found on most commercial and heavy-duty treadmills due to their performance and reliability.

Safety Features

Emergency Stop – Modern treadmills typically come equipped with an emergency stop technique usually consisting of a panic button, a tether with a clip, or both. When used properly, these safety features are verified to reduce accidents drastically.

Safety Key – Safety keys are just one part of the feature set offered by modern treadmills that help make treadmills safer, especially at home. It is also important to know the fact that not all treadmills are made equal thus some may not have safety keys.

Safety Switch – The safety switch is an automatic safety device found on treadmills. When the safety switch is pulled out from the induction area of the treadmill, the treadmill holts immediately and emits a warning sound to protect the user from falling over and getting injured while exercising.

Safety Clip – Most treadmills often have a clip with a red string that connects to a key in the treadmill. The clip must always be connected to the user’s clothing while using the treadmill to ensure safety. In the event the user falls, the clip disconnects the key from the treadmill and the belt will stop, minimizing the chances of getting injured.