Posts Tagged ‘cardio fitness’

Improving Cardiovascular Fitness With Treadmills

Monday, November 23rd, 2009

Do you want to get ripped and improve your physical appearance? If so, you need to learn how to improve your cardiovascular fitness. You can do so with fitness treadmills.

Home treadmills are very affordable these days, so there is really no excuse for not engaging in cardiovascular exercises. First, let’s explore the benefits of improving cardiovascular health.

When you engage in any kind of cardio activity, you raise your heart rate. The more intense the exercise, the faster your heart will beat, and the more fat you will burn. Ideally, you must get your heart rate to at least 60% of your maximum heart rate for your exercise to be effective. Therefore, a leisurely walk in the park doesn’t count as cardio exercise. You must remember to work out intensely.

Some people believe that they burn more fat by exercising at moderate intensity. This assumption is incorrect. The body does use up a higher proportion of fat for energy when you exercise moderately. But when you exercise intensely, the total amount of fat that you burn will always be more than moderate exercise.

Based on this understanding, always get a treadmill that allow you to get an intense workout. If you are on a tight budget, you can always start with a manual treadmill. A manual treadmill cost less than $200. Although you are providing all the energy, it still helps you achieve your goals - which is to break a sweat and burn fat!

Many modern treadmills are designed for the homeowners who live in small apartments. Space is always a concern because some treadmills can be rather bulky. Fortunately, most home treadmills come with folding functions. You can fold up the machines to save space when you are not running.

If you have some spare cash, you may wish to invest in a higher end treadmill. Higher end home treadmills cost about $1,000. At this price, you will be able to get a high quality machine. The treadmill should come with MP3 support and built-in speakers. These are additional features though. It’s good to have them, but they are not a must.

Before buying the treadmill, make sure you access the motor and the performance of the running belt. High end treadmills should come with motors that provide at least 2.0 continuous horse power. That should provide a top speed of 10mph and an adjustable incline from 0% to 10%. The maximum user weight should be around 300 pounds.

The best way to assess a treadmill is to make a trip to your local fitness equipment store. Don’t just buy based on what you see on the brochure. Some machines look good on paper, but they are not reliable. They break down after a few months.

When trying out the treadmill, you must feel comfortable using the machine. Does it make too much noise? Is the treadmill shaking too much when you are pounding on it? If you don’t feel comfortable using it, the specs don’t matter. Just don’t invest in it. Go try out other fitness treadmills.

Highly recommended - Horizon Treadmills