What Factors to Look for in the Perfect Treadmill

Treadmills are one of the most versatile pieces of exercise equipment. They burn a ton of calories and can be used to achieve almost any type of fitness goal, such as weight loss, improve endurance, increase strength, or just enhance overall fitness levels. Today there are a number of different types of models offered, each with different features and options. Choosing your perfect treadmill really comes down to knowing what you want.

Setting Goals:
Start your journey by setting your goals. Knowing that you are using a treadmill to lose weight will lead you in a different direction than if you are looking for something to build your strength or improve endurance. Once this decision is made, you can move on to looking at the actual components and features of the perfect treadmill.

Motor:
The motor is what drives all of the other components of your treadmill. They are rated according to horsepower, with a continuous duty being the number to look for. Usually, these fall between 1 and 3hp. It is strongly suggested not to consider anything below about 2hp. If you are using the machine to lose weight, you will need the hp to simulate hills and other changes in scenery. A runner or someone looking for endurance, might need a higher hp rating in order to sustain an increased performance load.

Speed & Incline:
As a general rule, you want a treadmill with a maximum speed of at least 10mph. If you are just interested in walking, you might get away with 8mph, but plan ahead in case goals change to something a little more ambitious in the future. As far as incline, this can be very beneficial to almost any goal. Look for something at least a 10 percent incline (more is preferable).

Conclusion:
Choosing a piece of fitness equipment is a very personal decision. All of our equipment is extremely high-quality and we offer personalized advice from well-trained fitness equipment specialists. Visiting one of our convenient locations will allow you to ask questions and have personal demonstrations to see first hand how everything works. We have six locations to choose from, including:

• Metairie, LA
• Baton Rouge, LA
• Shreveport, LA
• Jackson, MS
• Mandeville, LA
• Kenner, LA