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Friday, May 16, 2008

Why You Shouldn't Waste Your Money on Manual Treadmills

Honest Mind, Loving Heart, Strength in Body! The Martial Arts way of Life at The Taekwondo Network

By Reagan Miers

People purchase exercise equipment to help them with their workouts, not complicate them. When you go shopping for treadmills, the price tags on manual treadmills may seem perfect for your wallet because they're so cheap. However, the stress these machines put on the body, as well as the hassle of operating one, make them a bad investment.

Since there is no motor in a manual treadmill, you have to provide the power to move the belt. The problem is the belts on most of these treadmills are difficult to bring up to speed at a flat or even slight incline. Most people find they have to put the treadmill in a sharp incline to get the belt in motion.

Manual treadmills also lack momentum. Unlike a motorized treadmill, every time you slow down on a manual treadmill, you will have to bring the belt back up to speed again yourself. While this may sound like a good way to burn calories, it doesn't benefit you long term. In addition, your feet, knees, and joints probably won't like the abuse of having to keep the treadmill belt moving.

To get the most out of a workout on a treadmill, your body needs to maintain a fluid walk, run or jog. Manual treadmills aren't equipped to do this. As stated, when you ease up or slow down, it slows down, too. There is no push, or momentum, to a manual treadmill. To be honest, it is virtually impossible to keep a consistent motion on a manual treadmill. Yes, you may burn some extra calories getting one of these treadmills up and running, and then up and running again when it begins to slow its pace. But, in the long term, more calories will be burned if you are on a treadmill that's motor driven because it will keep your motion consistent and regulated.

Manual treadmills are bad investments because they can actually take time away from your workout. Most people don't have a lot of time to workout. The time spent having to get on and off a machine to adjust its incline, and the constant slowing down and building back of a manual treadmill's momentum is really a waste of precious time. A manual treadmill's lack of features also makes it very easy to grow bored. Boredom can easily turn into exercise procrastination!

As stated, most people buy manual treadmills because the price looks good. Yet, you should know that you can purchase high quality, used motorized treadmills for around $700. There are new, high quality treadmills that are affordable, too. The Smooth 5.25 can be purchased for just a few extra hundred dollars. This budget friendly treadmill works great for both walkers and those who enjoy light jogging.

Purchasing a manual treadmill is really a waste of time and money. The chances are high that if you purchase one, you will regret your decision. Instead of throwing your money away on a manual treadmill, save your cash. Wait until you have a bit more money saved and then purchase a used, or budget friendly new, motorized treadmill. These machines are well worth the wait!

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1 comments:

ManualTreadmiller said...

The advantage of a manual treadmill is not just the lower relative cost, but also the fact that you don't have to pay for electricity. However, you are right, there are a few disadvantages, especially keeping the belt turning.

It is definitely not like just walking or jogging along. But this is something you can get used to over time.

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