The need for fitness equipment is a personal matter. If you are going to be doing most of your exercising at home you may want to consider purchasing some equipment to help you do certain exercises more easily, conveniently, and efficiently. If you plan to exercise at a health club, then you should make sure they have the type of equipment and facilities you want to use. For home equipment, cost is usually a determining factor. Also, the amount of space you have in your home has some bearing on the kind of equipment you might consider. And, the type of exercise program you are going to follow is another factor. Putting all of these considerations together will help you to make the best decision you can to get the most benefit from your exercise equipment and program.

So now that we have established that a treadmill just might be an excellent idea for our home, and maybe yours, here are some interesting points that I found in my research that are important to consider in the process of deciding to get a treadmill or not. The most common question we all seem to have is related to the cost: Is it better to pay for a gym membership? Or is better to in the long run to buy a treadmill for home?

First the basics, how it works. You have a walking belt that is powered by an electric motor, on which you can walk or run. The walking surface may have the capability to be raised and lowered and the speed can be increased and decreased. No real learning curve is required. Treadmills provide exercise specific training, for runners and walkers.

Don't be penny wise and dollar foolish. Not every less expensive treadmill is a good deal. The phrase "you get what you pay for" most certainly applies to exercise equipment. If you are a serious exerciser or runner you will need to spend in excess of $ 2500.00 dollars to get a model that will last and offers features that most runners expect.

Measure your floor space before you purchase a treadmill. A non-folding model can occupy at least 18 square feet. You need to consider at the least a 3 foot wide by 6 foot long area for usage. Folding models take up about ½ as much space when not in use and folded. There are some folding models that fold electronically, a nice feature for users that may have a hard time lifting the walking deck.

Are you a walker or a runner? If you are a walker, lower price models should suffice. Runners will appreciate the stability of the non folding models.

If you are a runner than you should realize that you will probably need to spend in excess of $ 2500.00 for a model that will last for years to come.

Decide what's important to you. What is the maximum speed? Does the treadmill incline? If so, how high of a percentage? Do you need programs? Do you want to make your own programs? How about items like fans, TV's, orthopedic walking belts, large console displays, book holder. Does the treadmill only have front rails or does it also have side rails? Heart monitors, did you need this feature for medical reasons? Do you want a model with a wireless heart rate detector? If so, is the treadmill capable of this feature and if so is it an additional expense. Go to a local retailer and try the treadmill, you can always go on-line to research for better pricing.

What about warranty? Because treadmills tend to take a beating, this may be the most important feature of all. Many of the lower price range treadmills may only come with a 90 days parts and labor warranty. Does the manufacturer have a national network of service centers? Can you purchase an extended warranty?

Also check the application of the treadmill, most lower priced models are labeled for "In Home Use" only, the warranty will be void if used in a gym or other commercial type setting i.e.: condominium or apartment workout rooms.

Bottom line is if you've decided that a treadmill is for you, you must remember that not every less expensive treadmill is for you and it may not necessarily be a good deal. In my experience if you want gym quality in a non folding treadmill you need to spend about $ 3000.00. That will generally buy you solid construction with better hardware and programs. These treadmills will also come with a superior warranty.