Buying a treadmill is quite hard enough. Choosing the best option out of millions is nearly impossible. But after you got the one you have always wanted, are your worries truly over? Well, they might be, but only if you take care of your treadmill and keep it under maintenance.

Your treadmill is probably one of the biggest investments you’ve ever made besides your home and your car. It’s only natural therefore if you want to keep it running. One of the ways to doing that is to keep a regular maintenance schedule.

A high quality treadmill, however, should never require frequent maintenance. Upkeep for your treadmill includes period dusting, and occasional belt lubrication. The following are some tips to help you maintain your treadmill and prolong the life of your fitness investment.

The number one cause of early belt issues is dirt. That has always been the case ever since the first treadmill was made and broke in the fitness industry.

Dusting between the belt and the deck will insure way longer lasting of your treadmill just do this once a week. The deck should be kept dry and debris free at all times during usage. In addition, make sure the area where you place your treadmill is dust free and dust free means not the attic, to minimize the dust from getting between the belt and/or the deck.

Wipe down display with a mild solution of Non-Phosphate cleaner on damp soft cotton. Cloth should be damp not wet. Wipe down handrails and traction strips with soft cotton cloth and mild soap and water. Cloth should be damp not wet.

You should also do the following on a monthly basis. Unplug the treadmill and let it sit for 10 minutes, then disassemble the motor cover and vacuum inside the motor area, being very careful not to directly touch the static-sensitive electronics. Slide a clean towel under the tread belt and wipe the deck and under the belt. Rotate belt 180 degrees and repeat. Check drive belt tension and adjust as necessary. Check tread belt tension and tracking and adjust as necessary.

The best treadmills of all are those that allow you to or around the belt area easily. But even the best treadmills with the most easily accessible belt tracking are also susceptible to stretch slightly under initial use. That is why it is important that you adjust the tread belt every so often to keep down stretching. If the belt gets to stretchy when your running you could fall when it breaks and really injure yourself badly. This is why choosing the best treadmill is the first step in buying one.

Long, slow cardio is not the fastest way to burn fat. Research shows that short interval training workouts burn belly fat faster.

I was one of the first trainers to question long, slow cardio for fat loss back in the late 1990′s and I believe that traditional cardio is over-rated.

Interval training, or interval “cardio” if you want to call it that, is much, much better for fat loss. It burns belly fat in half the workout time.

I figured this out just before the year 2000. Back in 1998-99, I was but a lowly grad student, studying the effects of androstenedione (the supplement taken by the mighty baseball player, Mark McGwire during his record-breaking home run quest in ’98).

In my study (which was published in the Canadian Journal of Applied Physiology for any science nerds like myself out there), we had guys use the supplement and go through a couple of weight training sessions. By February of ’99 I was stuck in the lab, analyzing the blood samples using some fancy radio-active isotopes.

And when I say stuck in the lab, I mean STUCK. I’d get there at 7am, and record my last data point at 11pm. Sixteen hours of mad science. And if I wasn’t there, I was downstairs in the medical library, studying papers on testosterone and training.

Now coming from a very athletic background, this sedentary lifestyle didn’t sit well with me. But there I was, studing for a degree in Exercise Physiology and left with no time for exercise. Or so I thought.

Fortunately, I actually had a 50 minute window once per day of “down-time” while the lab’s gamma-counter analyzed blood samples.

That left me 50 minutes to get to the gym (5 minutes across campus) and get a workout in the remaining 40 or so minutes. I knew that if I applied my studies to the workout, I could get maximum results in minimum time.

As a former athlete, I knew that I had to find a way to stay fit and to avoid the fat gain that comes with working long hours in a sedentary environment. And I also had to stay true to the high-school bodybuilder I once was, so there was no way I was willing to sacrifice my muscle to one of those long-cardio, low protein fat-loss plans that were popular at the time.

Instead, I had to draw on my academic studies and my experiences working with athletes as the school’s Strength & Conditioning Coach. I knew that sprint intervals were associated with more fat loss than slow cardio, and I knew that you could also increase aerobic fitness by doing sprints (but you can’t increase sprint performance by doing aerobic training).

So clearly, intervals were (and ARE!) superior to long slow cardio for fat loss. I had seen first hand the incredible results of sprint intervals in the summer and fall, as the athletes made huge fitness improvements and shed winter fat in a short time using my interval programs. I knew that intervals had to be the next step in the evolution of cardio.

The biggest benefit of intervals? A lot of results in a short amount of time. I knew that I only had 40 minutes to train, and therefore I could only spend 15-20 minutes doing intervals.

I also understand that interval training sounds intimidating to a lot of people, so I need to clear up how an interval training workout goes.

After all, I believe everyone can do interval training for fat burning. Even beginners. For beginners who usually exercise for 30 minutes at 3.5 mph on the treadmill, their interval workout would be to go for 1 minute at 3.8mph and then recover for 2 minutes at 3.0 mph. That’s it. Repeat 6 times. If you are more advanced, you would use more intense exercise.

Interval training doesn’t have to be sprinting for your life. It just needs to start off harder than normal and progress from there.

Most folks hate cardio, so they are happy to use interval training as an effective replacement to lose stomach fat. Here is my list of preferred ways to do your intervals, ranked in order from best to worst, based on my experiences.

1. Sprinting outdoors (Hill sprinting might be the absolute best method)

2. Kettlebell exercises

3. Bodyweight interval circuits

4. Treadmill running

5. Stationary cycle (upright cycling preferred over recumbant bike)

With those 5 interval training methods, you’ll burn fat fast and never have to do cardio again!

As a personal trainer, I get asked many times about what brand of treadmill to buy. However, from personal experience, I will not buy based on name because there are many more factors to consider. I will also not review any brand in this article. Do not simply walk into a shop and get tempted by “$0 Deposit, 0% interest” deals. An impulsive purchase like that will leave you regretting for many years later.

Before going into the specifics of how to choose a treadmill, you need to sit down and think about the following questions:

1. What is the reason for getting a treadmill? If you want something to do your daily walks at a pace that raises your heart rate, you can opt for a treadmill with a low maximum speed and no incline. However, if you are planning to get in shape for a vacation where you will be hiking and biking, then you should opt for something with higher maximum speed and incline functions.

2. What is your budget? There are many good models you can purchase for $2000 or less. I suggest $2000 because most people cannot afford $3000+ for a treadmill and I know you can get a good treadmill for less. There are great deals online so shop around.

Once you have decided on the reason and budget, you have to do the following before you go shopping for your treadmill.

1. Measure the floor area you have to position your treadmill.

2. If you want a treadmill that folds, measure the storage area you have for the folded treadmill.

3. Measure the weight of the heaviest person that will be using the treadmill. Each treadmill has a maximum weight limit. If you weigh between 45kg – 90kg (99lbs – 198lbs), a treadmill with 100kg (220lbs) weight limit will be sufficient.

Now you are ready to go shopping for a treadmill.

Standard features that should come in a treadmill for your home. These are features that will be important to you.

1. Foldable – As a home user, you never know if one day, you will have visitors to your house or need to move house. A foldable treadmill on wheels will make repositioning the treadmill a breeze.

2. Electronics – Heart Rate monitor, Time read-out, Distance read-out, Speed read-out, Calories burned. An electronic “track” lighting up to show my progress. At least 5 preset programmes and 3 more programmable slots for you to define your own workout routine.

3. Belt – Try out your shortlisted treadmills. Take note of how long and wide it is. Bottom line: you must be able to run comfortably on it.

4. Horse Power – Most people do not pay attention to the horse power of the motor. Look for the term continuous duty rating. Look for something between 1.5 to 2.5 horsepower. Some have horsepower of 3. You do not need one that powerful but if you do not mind the extra cost you pay for a model with a horsepower of 3, that is fine.

5. Make sure the treadmill counts down when starting and the speed increases progressively when you start it. I have been on treadmills that start at the speed I set without counting down and have to immediately lower the speed manually. All treadmills should allow you to change your speed at any time using the arrow keys. Do not buy it if it does not allow you to do that.

6. Water Bottle holder – This should be a standard feature on most models. This is especially important if you do long walks or runs lasting 30 minutes or longer on your treadmill.

7. Speed Range – Look for one that goes up to 15km/h (9mph). An average person will not need more speed than that. A power walker walks at 7km/h to 8km/h (4.3mph to 5 mph). You will be jogging above 8km/h (5mph) and at 12km/h (7.5mph), you will be running.

8. Safety Key – This is a feature that will allow you to stop the treadmill immediately in the case of an emergency.

9. Warranty period – Look for a treadmill with 1 year or longer warranty periods. Do not purchase if the warranty period is less than 1 year. Do not be deceived by “X years warranty on frame”. Ask about the warranty on ALL parts, such as belts and electronics.

Optional Features you may want. These are features that will cost you more but if you feel that they are important to you, please go ahead and choose a model with these features.

1. Incline – Running at an incline, even at 1 degree, allows you to burn more calories as compared to running with no incline. Look for one that inclines at least 10 degrees and if you can afford, go for one that can incline 15 degrees or more.

2. Speakers – New treadmill models now have speakers where you can plug in your Ipod or MP3 player to play music from the built-in speakers while you run.

3. Fan – A few treadmills have a built-in fan. This will limit your choice of treadmills as there are not many models around with this feature.

Before heading down to your nearest fitness store, do your research online so that you do not waste too much time talking to salespeople who will try to sell you their latest models with the highest premiums.

Some precautions to take with a treadmill:

1. Please do not start an exercise programme before checking with your doctor.

2. Remove the safety key when not in use so that kids cannot fiddle around with your treadmill. They may get very hurt if their clothes get caught in the treadmill.

I hope this article has been helpful. Enjoy your machine.

You can lose weight if you really wanted to. You just need to make a commitment to yourself to eat less and exercise more. Most people think that exercising will take up a lot of their time because they always think in terms of going to the gym and burning 2-3 hours while trying to burn some calories.

But it does not have to be like that.

You don’t have to go to the gym on a regular basis to lose weight. Really? Well, provided you think out of the box and do some aerobic type exercises near your home – like sprinting up your stairs!

Stair Sprints are perfect for sculpting the legs and back. If you’re looking to build a shapely bum and strong thighs, then you should really try this exercise. The muscles in your feet also get a good workout from this and gain more endurance.

On top of that, you get an excellent aerobic workout without wasting precious time travelling to the gym and back.

Here’s how to do this simple yet effective and time saving exercise the right way:-

1) Find a save and airy stair case to start your exercises.

2) Run up and down the flights of stairs between several floors; the more stairs you cover, the better your workout will be.

3) Start small, even if you’re in a good physical condition. Do four floors twice up and down. If you’re very overweight or are doing it for the first time, this will do for starters.

4) Give yourself time to build up to two repetitions. Try to do two repetitions every other day for two weeks.

5) After the first two weeks, increase to three or four repetitions. Don’t push yourself too hard though. If you can’t do four at first, then do three. Then, as time passes, you should gradually increase the repetitions in your routine. This is how you can increase your endurance and to work your muscles progressively harder.

Just a word of caution : be real careful going up and down the stairs. You don’t want to trip up or miss a step and end up spraining your ankle or get other serious injuries.

Most of all, do this in moderation until you get the hang of it. It is no doubt one of the best exercises you can get for free!

Here are a few suggestions for creating an intense treadmill workout. If you think that a treadmill workout is boring, think again. You can make your treadmill workout as challenging as you would like. But before you begin any exercise program always consult your doctor first to see if you are suitable for intense workout.

5 methods to improve your workout

1) Dumbbells/Hand Weights

Try raising and lowering five to ten pound hand weights as you walk.. By the end of a vigorous walk, you will have given your upper and lower body a good treadmill workout. But if you are used to holding on to the side handles during your workout, start out a slow then build speed.

2) Walk Backwards

Walking backwards uses your legs muscles in a whole new way and improves your balance and builds your psychomotor abilities, this is something very important for any sports person. Your muscles will be stretched and worked to their max as the focus of the workout shifts to a whole new area of your leg.

3) Speed Intervals

For this training always start with a good complete stretch and warm up. For a complete workout, a good set will take about 20 minutes. Start with a run of about 2 minutes for 400 meters then walk or do a slow jog of 2 minutes. Rinse and repeat 5 times to get your 20 minutes. This exercise will build good cardio as well as burn fat.

4) Incline Intervals

This is basically similar to the interval training but with incline up and down. With the same steps as basic interval training, now when every time you are walking or jogging slowly, set your interval to the maximum. This is advance training so start off with interval training before attempting this exercise.

5) Toes and Heels

Slow down the speed to a brisk walk, and then go on your tiptoes for 30 seconds. Rinse and repeat for 10 sets. These exercises will effective work your calves and gluteus. There will be a slight strain for beginners, so it is advice that you start with 5 sets then work your way slowly to 10 sets.

Stay in shape with a treadmill exercise program

A treadmill exercise program does not require learning any new skill and nor is the weather or boredom able to adversely affect the person in training to stay in shape. A treadmill exercise program is best for people who prefer to exercise in the comforts of their home or for the busy person that has very little time to spare. They can directly jump on to a treadmill to ensure that they get some exercise.

The treadmill is superior to other exercise machines used indoors as it is very helpful to losing extra weight and burning calories. In a treadmill exercise program one will be engaged in running which ranges from sprinting, walking, slow to fast jogging, depending on the exercising habit of a person. A note of caution, please consult your doctor before taking on a new training program. There have been cases of people going into cardiac arrest during or after a strenuous workout.

The convenience of a treadmill exercise program is such that the person using it can do so at the pace of his or her own choosing as well as maintain a regular walking program. To begin with, the treadmill exercise program may be of only five to ten minutes duration and it may also have a warm up and cool-down period to ensure that no injuries are sustained, as with any other form of physical activity.

When on Treadmill, a person is active and breathing fast, due to the fact that the body is in need for more oxygen. This actually helps the body to clear out a lot of toxins from the body. Also during the workout or body is actively engaged in strengthening it self by burning away any unwanted weight. Lastly as our heart rate increases, blood flow is also increased to our limbs and vital organs.

While following a treadmill exercise program pay note to a few key points, such as the right footwork, proper walking form (from the waist to get better hip rotation), and arms action (swing your arms as if you are marching). Bear these pointers in mind and pay attention to your safety. Always start slow then build up speed. As with all sort of exercise, get the basics first before moving on to increase the intensity. Give your body time to adapt before subjecting it to more intensity will decrease the chance of injury and improve your results.

Treadmill is the best fitness equipment to burn excess fat and is available to fit into the budget of anyone. It has been proved and accepted that treadmills are very effective in reducing the fat since they can be suited according to the needs and fitness level of the user.

But, the main grudge of the users of the treadmill is that it is monotonous and boring to workout on a treadmill. This can be overcome by making the workout enjoyable and obviously, watching television during workouts is the first thing that comes to the mind of the people. It is also a good diversion to listen to music while workouts, to take away the boredom of working on a treadmill. While walking on the treadmill, one can watch the soap operas or movies that would make the workout more enjoyable.

There are various workouts on the treadmill like walking and running and preset programs can stimulate hiking with various intensity, which would be a rewarding treadmill workout. Running on the treadmill consists of intervals of walking and jogging which would help to keep a person motivated and consistently carryout the workout. There is a constant effort to make the treadmill workout make more appealing and enjoyable.

The most effective treadmill workout should be able to work on the calf muscles, thighs, hips, abdomen and chest and improve blood circulation. Also, there is a difference between the treadmill workout that is done indoors and outdoors. During indoor workouts, there is no wind or air resistance to drag the person behind. While doing indoor treadmill workouts, it is essential to keep the room well ventilated and airy. This would help in reducing the sweat and would not make the belt slippery.

It is always advisable to start the treadmill workout with a low speed and gradually increase the speed. Then sprinting and not walking should be resorted to. Care should be taken not to exert more pressure on the belt as this would exert more pressure on the shin thus causing aches on the shin and other muscles. More importantly, the speed has to be monitored so that the user does not gasp for breath or pant and strictly has to be in accordance with the body capacity of the user.

A good strategy is to reserve half the workout time for incline treading, beginning with a mild incline and gradually working upwards and this can be increased as one gains experience. There are several other fancy treads to make the treadmill workout far from boring and monotonous and the secret of consistently doing the workouts is to change the workouts and try different methods, suggested by the manufacturers.

Treadmills are helpful in keeping a person fit from the comfort of the home in all weather conditions and this advantage can be utilized to its entirety if only some spice is added to the treadmill workouts.