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One question: Can you keep an even line when you run? I
don’t think anyone can. Besides, if that were the case, we’d all be
running in treadmills six inches wide. Wouldn’t that be a picture? Just
imagine running while focusing on burning calories, while keeping an eye
on the timer, while concentrating on staying on the thing. It’s just not
viable. So when you buy a treadmill, make sure that you don’t settle for
one with a short and narrow deck.
One thing to
remember is that your treadmill doesn’t even have to be too wide. As
you’re placing the treadmill in your house, you want to save space as
well. So unless you bought a treadmill that can be folded ( and much
more expensive!), you’d better pick one that is wide enough for running
effectively, but narrow enough to save space. Of course, the rule always
would be “the wider the better,” but pay attention to space anyway.
When
it comes to length, your choice depends on how steady your pace is, as
well as how long your stride is. If you find yourself always slowing
down and drifting off the back when you’re almost done with the run, a
longer deck would be a wise choice. That way, you’ll have time to catch
up before you fall off!
The length of the deck also depends on
your height. Taller runners tend to have longer strides and, hence, need
longer decks. But then again, if your goal is to improve your form,
shorter decks are excellent, because they will force you to keep the
strike turnover quick and snappy. A treadmill with a deck that is
somewhere between 52 inches and 60 inches is the average. Anything
shorter than 52 inches would be too short and you’ll find yourself
feeling a bit like a hamster on a wheel.
Don’t fall for products
without Money-back guarantees
Two things you must consider when you
buy a treadmill: cushioning and foldability. The first has to do more
with avoiding injury. The second really isn’t a word (but you get the
point). One of the main reasons why people buy treadmills today is to
avoid injury. Many running injuries happen because the ground really is
not suitable for running (but you run anyway, because, well, calories
are aplenty and you need to get a-burning). Treadmills are one way of
avoiding getting leg injuries and the reason for this is the cushioning
provided.
However, the bad thing about it is that there’s really
no way for you to determine this accurately. The store may let you run
on a treadmill but probably only for 30 minutes or less, and that’s just
too short to make an accurate assessment. Worse if you’re buying the
treadmill on the Internet. Then there’s really no way for you to know
how cushioned the treadmill is. That is why it is important that
you
don’t buy products that do not have money-back guarantees. The product
description can only tell you so much, but once you get the package at
home and test it out, you find out that the cushioning isn’t enough and
there isn’t a lot to support each foot-strike.
The other
fact about treadmills that is difficult to ascertain is its foldability.
Having a treadmill that folds up and out of the way is great. It’s
space-saving, perfect if there’s already too little space in your house.
And don’t even think “backyard” because that’s never going to work. So
unless you have ample space in your basement or your garage, you need a
treadmill that can be folded and takes as little space as possible.
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