Not sure if this has ever been discussed here, but I’m thinking about buying a treadmill for home use. I don’t really know anything about home treadmills, though. Anyone have any thoughts on what I should look at?
I don’t need anything that folds up, and I’d prefer not to break the bank. I do want a comfortable, roomy running surface, though. I also don’t run super fast, so it doesn’t have to be top of the line.
My experience with exercise machines is that you get what you pay for. Maybe you don’t need to get the top of the line or a heavy duty gym model but the cheap Sporting Goods store models will break down. I can’t recommend a machine or brand for you though as I don’t know enough of what is out there.
Make sure you get one with lots of extra handles and things so it’ll hold the maximum amount of clothing when it morphs into a shirt rack. :P
I recently picked up the Livestrong LS13T on sale for 60% off. It is a beast, and we use it every day. It isn’t top of the line, but is solidly built, has a good motor and has good reviews. It has a long deck, so plenty of room for running, even for taller folks. You want to make sure the motor can handle the load, I would not get anything under 2.5 hp.
Best advice I can give you, is set it up in a place that you are likely to use it, don’t fool yourself into thinking that if you put it a room you never visit that you’ll make the detour. Ours is in the basement right in front of the projector screen, and I catch up on shows while on the treadmill.
Whatever you buy, expect to need at least 2 people to move it and install it, this baby weighs about 250 lbs.
Go for a crosstrainer instead. Better cardio and easier to watch TV or listen to ebooks while you do it.
And I second the “don’t buy the cheapest” sentiment.
That reminds me, I’ve been meaning to ask my parents if I can borrow their treadmill/clothes rack.
So you’ve seen my rowing machine?
…and my bench press…
I actually do this on days when I work from home, but I’m too cheap to buy something fancy. I put a 8" x 36" piece of wood across with the laptop and mouse on it. Works pretty well, and i get 1-2 hrs in while I work.
I’ve had a good experience with a Horizon Fitness treadmill, and a bad experience with a Proform, for what it’s worth.
The one recommendation I have is to pay attention to the length (and width) of the walking/running surface. Depending on your height and stride, you’ll want to err on the side of more rather than less. I like a 20"x60" surface.
Get one big enough to put an airplane on it.
You heard me.
There are three models of Sole treadmills on sale at Woot right now.
I just finished setting up this treadmill desk. It’s built like a tank.
My footsteps are the loudest thing about it, which is to say not very. The hardest thing to do is use the mouse, typing isn’t much of an issue at all.
Actually comes with bluetooth built in but the logging app they provide is janky at best. It’s an Adobe Air app that you can’t move, it lodges itself to your primary monitor’s right side. Considering I now have four monitors this is amazingly irritating. To actually use it you have to click a bluetooth button on the treadmill, then click a bluetooth button on the app, then you have to click Yes. Then when you are done you have to hold Stop on the treadmill and then hit Account Sync on the PC or you will lose the data.
Yeah, just going to stick with the fitbit I think, which is a shame, the treadmill has a pretty accurate step counter.
Right now I have a 46" LCD sitting on the desk, which is too big obviously, but the idea is to wall mount it shortly so it should be the perfect size. Wireless keyboard and mice I just pick up and move back and forth to my normal desktop since the TV is the 4th monitor. I will probably just pick up another keyboard and maybe a trackpad instead. I normally hate trackpads but I read they are easier to use than a mouse on a treadmill.
I like my elliptical, feels like I’m working out more parts then just a treadmill. I’ve also read that if you can talk and work while working out, you are probably not getting your heart and breathing to the point where it benefits you.
I’m not an exercise person, but my schedule doesn’t let me work out for long periods which is why I try to work harder with interval training in a shorter period of time.
Pretty sure if you can talk and work out, you’re in lower-mid aerobic levels. When you can’t talk, you’re between high aerobic to anaerobic levels. When I used to train more seriously on my bike, I often tried to work out at about 140 BPM, which would let me talk while I biked - not so I could talk, but because you build up your base cardio levels. That lets you do more strenuous exercise at the same perceived level of exertion, but you do it over long periods of time - I used to do 2-3 hours at a time at that rate. The neat thing about that is that your perceived level of exertion stays the same, but you go faster and faster every ride.
If you’re looking for maximum calories burned or something else, then ignore what I said. Different training for different goals and all that.
A lot of distance running training programs always say you should be able to talk and have a conversation while you are training. If you are running harder than that, you are probably moving into anaerobic territory where your body begins to use sugar and carbs in your stomach instead of burning your stored fat.
Anaerobic isn’t bad though, it just means you aren’t burning fat anymore. It can still increase your cardio (though, I have heard conflicting advice on that if all your training is in the anaerobic zone).
That being said, a treadmill desk isn’t used to replace a 30-60 minute treadmill run. Its there so you can walk all day. I’ve never used one myself, but I’m guessing you’ll rack up lots of walking miles. Let’s see: assuming 20 minute miles walking (3mph) x 8 hours, you’ll rack up 24 miles if you can walk the whole work day. Which is, in itself, a good workout in its own right. I know that I’d be sore after the first day.
I am just starting out, usually at 1.6. I have developed a sort of rhythm with the mouse, clicking in mid stride seems to work. 2.0 seems to be the normal max for typical office work.
3 is crazy fast for trying to do work. 4 is a jog, and the usual maximum of a treadmill geared for walking. Doing 3 now and while I can type fine using the mouse it would be annoying.
I was thinking of this treadmill as more of a replacement for the standing desk, something to get me off my ass. While I can walk for hours just standing kills my feet so I definitely prefer to walk.
Yeah, I didn’t even think about that. 3mph is a fairly brisk walk, which would be tough.
Still, halving that speed still means you are walking over 10 miles, instead of sitting (or standing, in your case). That will have its benefits. Americans walk, on average, about 2 miles a day.