by A.Currell

The Science of Choosing a Treadmill

The health benefits of exercise treadmills are well documented and their popularity both in gyms and in the home is due in part to the natural form of exercise via walking or running that the treadmill is available to deliver in a warm and safe environment.

They are available as electrically powered models or the cheaper and less popular manual treadmills.

Manual treadmills are powered by the action of the user’s feet on the walking surface that moves the rolling tread belt. In essence the user is using his or her own leg muscles in order to keep the belt rolling. In theory this sounds a cheap and effective idea, but in practice it is very ineffective and actually introduces unhealthy strains upon your leg muscles that have been known to result in injury.

In this article we shall examine some of the advantages and features of the modern electrically powered treadmill including detailing things that are important to consider before purchasing one. Although manual treadmills can be purchased for less than a few hundred dollars, powered treadmills usually start at around the 0 mark and go as high as 00 depending upon the features, quality and specification of the specific model.

The average home user should be looking at spending around 00 for a treadmill of reasonable quality. Product quality and overall value for money seems to improving amongst some of the bigger brand names, however, and some manufacturers are now making relatively good machines for around 0.

When trying to decide upon a suitable treadmill it is worth studying the specifications and features of a few machines and trying to decide which of these would be important factors in your choice of treadmill. These factors can include: running area, speed, motor horsepower, cushioning, folding or non-folding etc.

Here are a few things to consider:

Motor – as a general rule the more powerful the motor the better. A powerful motor will not only be able to drive the tread belt to higher speeds it will also be able to accommodate heavier users and allow the belt to accelerate smoothly. A more powerful motor is also beneficial in terms of the overall longevity of the treadmill as it will be able to able to cope with the load it is placed under more easily and be less likely to overheat and possibly fail. A powerful motor will also tend to draw less current than a less powerful unit in certain situations and be less likely to overheat the associated motor control circuitry and wiring. Put simply a more powerful motor is less likely to fail than a smaller unit.

A motor’s power can be expressed in HP (horse power) or CHP (continuous horse power). A measurement expressed in terms of HP can be misleading as this can either mean the average HP delivered by that motor or the peak power that is delivered for only a short period. A motor whose power output is measured in CHP, however, refers to the power that the motor is able to consistently deliver without overheating. CHP is therefore a much more useful way of expressing the power that a treadmill’s motor is able to deliver.

Folding or Non-Folding – fitness treadmills are available as folding or non-folding designs. Folding or space saver treadmills have a frame that has been made such that the running deck can be folded up into a near vertical position after use. The machine then occupies a smaller floor area. Folding treadmills are usually found in the low and mid price ranges and are aimed at the domestic user where the space saving feature may be an important consideration for someone with a limited amount of room available for their treadmill.

Non-folding treadmills are usually confined to mid to high end models and are marketed towards the gym and health club markets where the space saving feature is not an important consideration. There is a common misconception that folding treadmills are not as strong or as stable as non-folding treadmills. In actual fact a folding treadmill of comparable price and quality to a non-folding model will be just as strong and stable. Folding treadmills usually have to be folded manually but many have a shock absorber mechanism to ease the unfolding of the treadmill and some are available with a power folding mechanism.

Running Deck – this is an important but often overlooked component of a modern fitness treadmill. The deck supports the moving tread belt and the way in which it reacts to the user’s movements together with the suspension determines the way the treadmill feels when you walk or run on it. Some decks are reversible so that they can be turned over which theoretically will double the life of the deck. Some decks require owner maintenance without which they may fail. With proper care, however, a deck should last the life of the treadmill.

Good quality decks are generally made of thin layers of layered wood, coated with lubricants to reduce friction between the belt and deck, which in turn lessens strain on the motor. When choosing a treadmill an important consideration is to ensure that the weight of the intended user does not exceed the maximum user weight limit set by the manufacturer.

Belt size – in order to handle the long stride and natural side-to-side movement of runners, treadmill belts are expanding in width and length. Most exercise treadmills these days have twenty inch wide belts, and no belt should be narrower than 17 or 18 inches. The length of the running area should be at least 53 to 55 inches. A 60 inch belt is preferred for tall runners with longer than average stride lengths.

Electronic features – Most exercise treadmills have a bewildering array of electronic features built into them and many even have a computer wired into the console to control these features. These electronic features include one shot speed and incline control, heart rate monitoring (including wireless telemetry), heart rate control, calorie counters, user profiles, and speed dependent workout fans. The main electronic feature that most modern treadmills have are a collection of inbuilt workout programs. These are actually small computer programs that when activated by the user take over the control of the speed and incline of the treadmill. These programs run for a set period of time during which the speed and incline of the treadmill are varied automatically by the program.

An interesting development of the pre-programmed workouts is the iFIT system available on many ICON fitness treadmills. This feature uses small, pre-programmed workout cards that can be slotted into the console of the treadmill. These cards are available with a variety of different workouts focusing on a particular area of fitness, such as cardio vascular training or weight loss, etc.

Entertainment – although the benefits of using an electronic treadmill have been well documented, one downside for some people is the monotony that comes from exercising for along time in one place. Many treadmills now have some form of entertainment feature built in. This can take the form of a music system that can be hooked up to an MP3 player such as an iPOD or a built in flat screen TV.

For most people an exercise treadmill is going to be an expensive purchase so when looking to buy a treadmill try to treat the task as a research project and do your home work! Endeavor to gather as much information about the various models of treadmills that are available and what the various specifications and features mean and which you think that you will require. Seek out information from as many different sources that you can find including treadmill reviews and consumer reports so that you can build up a con census view regarding which models would suit both your budget and fitness requirements.

by www.YoVenice.com

Tips For Choosing An Electric Cordless Kettle

There are times when having hot water at your fingertips is a must. Not just for making that odd cup of tea or instant hot chocolate but, also for those quick cups of soup and packets of instant oatmeal that college kids live on. Having the right cordless kettle for those “just add water foods” in life simply makes sense. So here are some tips on choosing the right electric cordless kettle for you.

Durability

If that electric cordless kettle is going to be sitting in that dorm room or an office with people running in and out, accidents will happen. Which means you are going to want a cordless kettle that is durable. Choosing a stainless steel electric cordless kettle will give you the durability you need. If on the other hand your kettle will be in your kitchen where durability may be less of an issue then either a glass cordless kettle or a stainless steel kettle will look right at home.

Automatic Shut Off

People live busy lives and there is nothing worse that having your new electric kettle burn out within days of purchasing because life got a little hectic and your kettle ran dry. Having an automatic shut off to prevent that dry kettle syndrome can help your kettle last years longer and keep you in hot water.

Healthy Materials

Of course you want your electric cordless kettle to stay as sanitary as possible and that just isn’t going to happen if you choose one of those plastic kettles. It doesn’t take long for these kettles to crack and then all that bacteria hides in all those little tiny cracks. Glass or stainless steel cordless kettle are much more sanitary and far easier to keep germ free.

Price

Price is also important. While you don’t want to pay an arm and a leg for something that just heats water you do want something that is going to last. Choosing an electric cordless kettle in the .00 to .00 dollar range should give you a great kettle at a fair price.

A Few Bells And Whistles

People who are going to use their cordless kettle on a regular basis will be pleased to know that there are kettles out there with a few special features. Two of the most popular features are the variable temperature control that allows you to heat the water to the exact temperature you need for steeping that perfect pot of tea.

Another great feature is the hold temperature function which is great for people who enjoy a second cup of hot chocolate on that cold winter’s night. It allows you to keep your water hot without it boiling away.

A 360 degree swivel base allows you to easily get your kettle off the heating element with either your right or left hand or reaching over other things that may be on the counter.

Electric cordless tea kettles are great to own not only for tea lovers but, for all those “instant” moments in life.

by phrenologist

The Home Buyers Guide To Choosing A Treadmill

Ohiyo!

Hello again from the Far East on the West Coast, and greetings from the DOJO. This week, before I get in to the nuts and bolts of the treadmills and the ellipticals I work on, I’m going to start with a quick guide to how to choose a treadmill — well, how to choose a residential / home grade treadmill. Choosing a commercial treadmill tends to be a bit easier — go Star Trac, Matrix, Landice or Life Fitness and, in spite of their great ellipticals, avoid Precor treadmills. Precor is a great company, they just don’t quite have treadmills down as well as the other companies. With the commercial treadmills it’s kind of like choosing between a BMW, a Mercedes and a Lexus. It’s all about bells and whistles more than performance…they’re all great machines and we’ll talk about them another time.

Home treadmills are a tough sea to navigate for most buyers — there are so many different brands and they all look alike to outsiders. Luckily, over the past 20 or so years, I’ve had to repair just about every treadmill ever made. In other words, my pain will be your salvation!

My first piece of advice is: avoid anything and everything from Icon Health and Fitness. They’re the manufacturer of the units you’ll find at places like Sears — nothing against Sears, but the treadmills they sell tend to be on the lower end of the quality scale. Their treadmills seem to have specs that are too good to be true for their cost and, truth be told, they are. The old proverb, “you get what you pay for” comes in to play with them. Small motors with high RPMs to give them a perceived higher horsepower (most of their motors should really be rated at under 1.5 HP regardless of what they tell you — a motor the size of a soda can should not be powering a full sized treadmill!), lots of plastic pieces, tiny rollers, and generally unstable machines are par for the course for the Icon brands like Proform, Weslo, Healthrider and Image. Just stay away from them! There are better treadmills even at the more affordable prices that Icon tempts the unlearned consumer with.

On with translating the arcane lore that is treadmill purchasing for the lay person.

Let’s start with the motor. The first thing you want to do is make sure the motor is rated with “Continuous Duty.” Any sales person or manufacturer who gives you a “Peak” rating is trying to sell you a bag of magic beans. Peak is best described as the maximum a motor will perform at before it breaks down. What’s more imporant is: how the heck is that motor going to perform when you’re actually using it? Another thing a shady salesperson might mention is that a common home circuit (120v/15amps) will only let you run about 2.5 HP and any motor larger than that is a waste of money. Technically that is true (about the amps vs. HP, not the waste of money), but the larger motors will tend to last longer as they are not running at the higher RPMs of a smaller motor. And, if nothing else, the larger the motor, the smoother the “ride.” A bigger motor will allow you to run or walk on it without slipping.

The next thing to look at is the size of a treadmill’s rollers. The bigger the rollers, the longer your belt will last and the better the running experience.

Next, and this is my favorite thing — especially when recommending cardio equipment to my in-laws — the warranty. Like anything else, the better the warranty the more piece of mind you will have. The 5 year parts warranty on Spirit treadmills, for example, is one of the best in the business. For me, the more faith a manufacturer has in its own product (i.e. the warranty), the more faith I have in that product. Of course, doing repairs I absolutely love the lower end warranties as it means more paying work for me!

What’s next? The weight and stability of the machine. There is nothing worse than getting on a treadmill and having it move back and forth, or shake, or, even worse, creak as you run on it. The heavier the unit the longer it will last. If you’re used to running on a treadmill at your local gym and then get on most home units, you’ll immediately notice the difference. You don’t want to be running around on something that feels like it is going to fall apart now do you? Don’t answer, that was a rhetorical treadmill question.

The tread and the deck are where most problems for treadmills happen. When the friction from your running builds up between the deck and the tread, the badness begins. Stick with the 4-ply belts/treads that help to reduce the amount of friction, and look at units with reversable, phenolic wax coated decks. Reversable decks let you flip over your running surface to use the opposite side when the original wears down. It’s like having a free second deck if you wear out the first one.

Programs. Don’t be fooled by this. Most people only wind up using 3-4 programs. If the treadmill has 20, that’s cool, but you’ll rarely use them. If you do heart rate training, then heart rate control is great. If not, it’s just an extra you’ll never use…like the clock you’ve never set on your VCR.

Speed and Incline are worth talking about. Most treadmills can go up to about 10 miles per hour and a 10 degree incline. Don’t let speed or incline become a deciding factor unless you’re doing a lot of high speed or high incline training. Obviously, electronically controlled speed and incline are the way to go. If those feature are manual just move on.

Finally, test out the shock absorbtion. You want to make sure you aren’t running on a hard surface. This is a “feel” thing more than a “scientific” one. If the deck is bouncy, move on. If the deck feels like running on concrete, move on. If the deck moves from side to side, move on. You want to find a deck that feels good, with just enough give and little to no lateral motion.

Beyond that fans, speakers, cup holders, magazine racks and even television sets on the treadmill’s console are all just icing on the cake. It’s better to get a good treadmill without a fan or TV and spend to buy your own than to get a crappy, fully loaded treadmill which will eventually just become an expensive coat rack for dirty clothes.

Now, I know I alread typed “finally” but there is one last piece to consider: PRICE. You can only get what you can get but don’t be fooled into buying a lemon. There are decent (and some downright Great) treadmills at just about every price point. I’ll go over some of the best, at least in my experience, treadmills in the under 00 range in the next week.

Don’t despair, there is a good treadmill out there you can actually afford