Motorized treadmills for home use cost from $750 to $5,000, and generally the more you pay, the better you get. Most motorized treadmills under $1,000 have underpowered motors and are less sturdy and have fewer options for adjusting the incline, programmed workouts.
Best Bargains
You can often find a good used motorized treadmill for a huge discount and get a better quality treadmill for your dollars. Many people sell their almost-unused treadmills as the New Year's Resolutions wear off. You can find practically new treadmills sold as used.
Use Somebody Else's Quality Treadmill
You may be thinking of a home treadmill for convenience, but you will find far better treadmills at gyms, schools and fitness clubs. Treadmills built for club use are far more sturdy and often have more options for programmed workouts, incline settings, etc.
- Fitness Clubs: Shop for a club with a low monthly fee and join them to use their equipment.
- School Gyms: Check into getting access to a school gym, including local community colleges. You may have to volunteer or sign up to audit a course, but this can be a relatively low investment to use their facilities.
- Work Fitness Centers: Check with your employer or those of your immediate family to see if they have an on-site workout room or if they give discounts to use local gyms or fitness clubs.
- Community Centers: Check with the local senior center, parks department, after-school program centers, etc. to see if they have facilities available to the public for free or for a low fee. If you don't meet the requirements, ask about volunteering to earn the perks of using their equipment.
- Health Programs and Medical Centers: Check with your health plan, HMO, or local medical centers to see if they have workout facilities available. You may find a free or inexpensive fitness or weight loss program they are offering as well.
- Recreation Centers: Check with your close friends and immediate family who live in apartment or condo complexes, senior living facilities, etc. as many have fitness centers. Check the rules of use.
Just Walk
Your feet and the local sidewalks or indoors shopping malls are free. While you may have been thinking of a home treadmill for convenience, staying out of the weather, and personal security, you do still have the free option of just walking.
- Mall walking: many or most shopping malls and large shopping centers open early for mall walkers. Check into this in your area. You can circle inside without crowds, with bathrooms and water fountains available.
- Dress for the weather, know that you won't melt in the rain, and get out the door and onto the sidewalks!
Other Home Fitness Equipment
If your goal is to burn calories, burn off fat, get a good cardio workout, and tone your body, then you may want to use an elliptical trainer or exercise bike instead of a treadmill. But if you are training to walk or run, then you need to walk or run on a treadmill or outdoors, and other equipment provides crosstraining rather than being a substitute for walking or running.
