Today's best rated treadmills can do anything your training demands, such as hills, intervals, tempo, long distance, and anything else you can do on a treadmill. Treadmills are often used in the home to save time and avoid the expense of going to a gym. The home treadmill has experienced substantial growth over the past few years.

Cheaper treadmills will often give you the peak duty motor power rating, which is always higher than the continuous duty rating: know what the continuous duty rating is when comparing units. There are two types of frames - aluminum and steel; steel is heavier than the more expensive aluminum, which potentially increases stability but steel (not aluminum) may also rust or corrode from sweat. Always choose a belt width that's at least of 16 " ands long enough to accommodate your stride.

Some treadmills monitor your heart by way of sensors built into the frame that are gripped by your hands, but can only be done if you're walking not running. Some excellent features, like heart monitors and safety keys that automatically stop the treadmill if you slip, will contribute to the enjoyment and safety of your treadmill workout or help add motivation. Notice that some treadmill heart rate monitors clip onto an ear or, for more accurate readings, strap onto the chest.

Display panels should be easy to read and straightforward to operate. Most treadmills come with an electronic console that displays workout feedback such as speed, distance traveled, time you've been working out, and calories burned. Quite a few of the treadmills available today have the ability to add an incline to your workout to duplicate running or walking uphill, thereby increasing the intensity of your workout.

The console indicates the belt speed and other factors, such as heart rate, miles per hour, and distance. Features such as extra cup holders, built-in fans, CD players and other electronic gizmos may be handy but not essential for you to get an ideal workout.

The more incline variation offered in a treadmill unit, the more expensive the model will be. It's important to set a strict budget and then stick to it. The first thing to consider when shopping for a home treadmill is what you need it to do for you.

If you can afford to buy a treadmill with a heart rate monitor, it'll be a good investment in your health. One indication of the likely longevity of any treadmill is to check out the length of the manufacturer's warranty; the longer the better. If you're planning to use a treadmill purely for walking you're not likely to need an expensive top-of-the-line machine.

When buying a treadmill, the best savings will be for an online purchase, generally saving up to 45% over brick and mortar stores. If there's a treadmill you've enjoyed using regularly at your local gym or fitness center check to see if there's a home version available in your price range. Probably the most important thing to look for in a treadmill is to see how sturdy it is.

Be aware the better quality treadmills can cost as much as $5000 and have a lot of bells and whistles you don't need. Do your research; treadmills are an important investment, regardless of the price, and if it's not right for you, you don't want to find out after you've set the treadmill up at home.

You may want to spend less money if you're not really sure you'll continue using it. If you're looking for a heavy-duty treadmill that can withstand running as well as walking, be prepared to spend more money.

Walking, whether on a treadmill or not, is one of the best approaches anyone can take toward physical fitness. To get even more workouts, think about making your treadmill into a walking, working office by adding a mini-platform to the side rails. Selections of preprogrammed exercise routines are not essential to obtaining a good workout from a treadmill, but they do help to provide motivation. The more programs the treadmill has to offer the more you can vary your workout and you'll be likely to continue exercising on a regular basis.