Treadmills are a growing trend in the world of physical fitness. They enable everyday people to get a great workout from the confines, and privacy, of their homes, or offices. While they have been around for a while, more, and more, people are realizing the powerful effect such a simple investment can have on their fitness and quality of life. Treadmills are especially popular in the winter months, when going out side is an unwelcome, or even impossible, prospect. Additionally, good treadmills reduce impact on the knees, as opposed to conventional running on the rough, unpredictable landscape that most of us live on.

It is very easy to build up fitness rapidly on a treadmill. Beginners can start by walking for a few, perhaps fifteen, minutes everyday, or every other day, depending on what they can handle. Once this becomes easy, use can be stepped up to twice a day (preferably morning, and evening) and exercise time can be increased. Also, assuming your treadmill has settings for speed (we’ll talk about selecting the right treadmill later on), you can step up the speed that you walk as you go along, and your fitness improves.

As for athletes, given the higher fitness level, they can probably start at much higher speed, and workout time than the average person. It might be a good idea to get on the treadmill and keeping turning up the speed until you get to a pace you are comfortable enough with that you can hold it for thirty minutes. Try to do this everyday and step up the intensity as you can handle it. There isn’t usually a need for more than thirty minutes on a treadmill, for anyone, but it remains an option for someone fit enough to last longer on the maximum intensity.

As for the purchase of a treadmill, there are a few things to look for. First, be sure that the treadmill you are buying comes with a good warranty. Like other types of equipment, treadmills can be defective so it is important to ensure that you can get a refund or a replacement should this be this case. Equally important is that you select a treadmill that has all the basic features you need. You can find catalogues online that show examples of the treadmills on sale, with details on their features and pricing – and there’s even sites that do nothing but reviewing treadmills to help you make the right decision! On the subject of pricing, it’s a good idea not to overspend on too many features that you don’t need. Go for the cheapest option, which is good quality, and will get the job done. There’s no need to break your bank to buy a treadmill – many online sites will offer them for highly economical prices, without sacrificing any quality.