ST. LOUIS, MO - January 2005

When choosing the proper treadmill equipment, it is important to carefully think about what piece of equipment is the best to help you achieve your goals. Many factors should be considered, but often it comes down to what is the most “natural and functional” or, just plain “easy to use” as it delivers the desired results.

It doesn’t take long to come to the realization that the best piece of equipment is the one that you will actually use with regularity. When you stop and think about that, it’s easy to see why walking is the single most popular form of exercise in the world. Which leads you to treadmills.

Man Was Built To Walk
Humans are designed to walk on two legs. You’ve been walking since you were a baby and walking is the most natural thing for a person to do. Walking is so natural in fact, that studies show that walking and running have the lowest level of perceived exertion while burning the highest number of calories. These two key components make it very easy for a person to realize the optimum benefits of a cardiovascular conditioning or weight-loss program.

Treadmill Benefits Include Natural Walking
That’s where the treadmill comes in. When evaluating all the various forms of cardiovascular exercise, treadmill benefits win hands down. Why?

Because, unlike pedaling a bike, rowing a rower or propelling an elliptical trainer, a treadmill enables the user to exercise by using the body’s most natural motions. You don’t have to think about walking or running, because you do it every day.

A treadmill is also the only piece of equipment that actually moves you. A treadmill is motorized to keep its belt moving. It powers you. You don’t power it the way you would a bike, rower or an elliptical trainer.

The treadmill sets the pace for the user. It puts energy into the equation. The treadmill sets the pace that allows you to keep moving. From a motivational standpoint, all the user has to do is take the next step. It is far easier to just keep walking than it is to keep pedaling, rowing, or moving on an elliptical. And best of all, the user doesn’t have pain or discomfort from walking. It’s Natural.

Exercise Without Risking Injury?
How many times have you heard the old saying, “No pain, no gain”? Well, believing that statement can get you hurt.

But, you don’t have to hurt to be healthy. If a person will simply walk a minimum of 30 minutes a day, three to five days a week, they will see a marked improvement in a number of areas. These include; energy level, appearance, endurance and self-esteem just to name a few. It’s also attainable, because it’s easy for every person to walk at a comfortable pace.

Complete Exercise And Time Efficiency - Key Treadmill Benefits
A treadmill not only works your skeletal support muscles, it works the most important muscle in your body, your heart. And it does it with the least amount of perceived effort. Simply stated, you are able to do more work on a treadmill, in a shorter period of time and still feel great.

When compared to other types of equipment, the treadmill delivers better results in less time with less effort! It sounds to good to be true, but it’s not.

Other Treadmill Benefits - Walking With the Right Kind of Impact
Osteoporosis (the loss of bone mass) is a big risk factor especially for women. Walking and/or running does wonders for maintaining bone mass because it is weight bearing and provides the additional benefit of impact at foot plant.

Yes, the right kind of impact can be very beneficial. When walking, the effect of body weight at foot-plant is two to three times the norm. When running that impact can be four to five times the norm.

This multiplication of body weight at impact helps keep bones dense and strong as it facilitates continued bone maintenance by the body. It simultaneously helps strengthen the largest muscles in the body.

NASA studies of Astronauts who have been in weightless environments for extended periods of time prove the point. Each Astronaut lost significant bone mass while in space, even though they were performing muscular exercise.

NASA has now specified that a treadmill be used in all extended stays on the space lab. And not just any treadmill, but a treadmill that allows scientists to monitor the Astronauts in order to observe load of impact on foot strike. This monitoring will allow Astronauts to increase the impact if needed, in order to stave off bone loss.

It is important to note that weight bearing exercise alone, without impact, will not maintain bone density and stave off bone loss.

TRUE Treadmills lessen the negative effects of impact on soft tissue and joints by absorbing shock at heel strike. This is accomplished by having the front two-thirds of the deck supported on shock absorbers.

Ninety percent of shock absorption occurs at the point of heel strike. That’s why running shoes are always thicker in the heel than in the forefoot. While it’s important to maintain the effects of impact on the bones for the benefit of maintaining bone mass, you want to lessen the effects of impact on the soft tissues and joints. Shock absorbing decks allow that to happen.

But it’s important that the deck be designed in a way to enhance biomechanics rather than hinder them.

Is a Treadmill hard running deck or a soft running deck better?
You want a balanced deck that absorbs shock at heel strike and then transitions to a firm surface for push-off. If the running surface has an overall softness, the user’s perceived exertion will be much higher because they will have to work harder to push off. It’s like running in sand. You have to work harder.

This effect can be observed by first running on a treadmill with an overall softness while wearing a heart monitor and then running at the same speed on a treadmill that is only soft in the front. You will observe that your heart rate on the softer treadmill will be higher at the same speed.

If the running surface is to hard on impact, you lose the benefit of minimizing soft tissue and joint discomfort.

If the running surface is hard on impact and soft in the middle, it doesn’t absorb impact where it’s needed most - at heel strike. You’ll loose ninety percent of the benefit of impact.

Target Heart Rate Training Is Optimum
In order to gain the ultimate benefit from a cardiovascular program, the user should base their program on Target Heart Rate Training (THRT), where the heart rate is elevated to a specific number of beats per minute and held there for a specific period of time.

THRT on a TRUE treadmill is simple and easy.

Once the user has determined their target heart rate, they simply increase speed and grade until they have achieved their desired Target. Once achieved, the user simply presses the cruise control button and the treadmill will automatically adjust the speed and/or grade to keep the user at their selected target.

Walk With Regularity For Good Health
As stated in the beginning, the best piece of cardiovascular equipment that you can purchase is the one that you will actually use with regularity.

Walking is the easiest and most productive form of regular natural exercise. Walking is something that you can stay with, see results and enjoy. And with the added benefits of shock absorption, heart rate control, and the convenience of exercising in your own home, we believe a TRUE treadmill is the best choice that you can make.

See our fine selection of residential or commercial treadmill models.