16 Dec Christmas gift ideas: Picking a treadmill

This is the third in a 10-part series on Christmas gift ideas to help people on your list get more fit. Featured today are Treadmills.

The treadmill is arguably the most widely used and effective piece of exercise equipment. You can walk, jog or sprint on a treadmill; change incline and speed; and even walk or job sideways or in reverse on it if you wish to work the muscles in different ways.
People of nearly all ages use treadmills for a variety of reasons.
However, the thought of buying one for your home, office or other place you want it to exercise on can be intimidating. There are a huge variety of treadmills in all price ranges.
It’s very important to try out treadmills in person. Bring running shoes and walk or run on it — and talk with a trained sales associate at a specialty fitness store like At Home Fitness to learn the different features available. They can help match you with the best treadmill to fit your needs and budget.
Often, a treadmill really is an item in which you get what you pay for. Don’t go to a “big box” department store and expect to get a treadmill you’ll enjoy running on for a crazy low discount price. Chances are it will be a flimsy machine that will wind up breaking down or that you won’t want to use. The department stores often won;t tell you that some discount treadmills aren’t even made for running on — just walking.
To help get you started, here are three treadmill brands I highly recommend at three different price points:
Landice – Generally regarded as the best in the business, Landice has been the No. 1-rated Treadmill seven years in a row with a perfect score. Landice also has the best warranty in the business.
At Home Fitness in Arizona and their online headquarters www.athomefitness.com is your one-stop source for great deals on Landice equipment.
People might be surprised to learn they can mix and match treadmill features even at this elite level. Landice has two different sized frames (L7 and L8) and four varieties of electronic boards (pro trainer, pro sports trainer, cardio trainer and the top of the line executive trainer) to select from.
Even if you want the top-end frame, you could save about $700-800 depending on what electronic board you decide to go with. Depending on the model and features, Landice Treadmills are often priced between $3,300-$6,000.
BH Fitness — The internationally regarded BH Fitness has been around since 1909 and has some tremendous mid-priced treadmills.
The BH Fitness TS2 Treadmill ($1,999 retail, on sale for $1,199 at AHF) has an extra-large blue backlit LCD display and an extra 2 inches of running surface. The folding frame features Safe Drop technology, which helps offer a space-saving solution without sacrificing quality. It has a quiet 2.5 HP DC motor, 20” x 57” running surface and is Polar® wireless HR compatible.
3G Cardio – To save money and also space, try the ingenious 3G Cardio 80i Fold Flat Treadmill ($1,499 at AHF, $600 savings off MSRP).
The 3G Cardio 80i Fold Flat Treadmill has one of the most powerful motors among fold flat treadmills and is sturdy enough to provide an excellent workout whether you’re walking or running. It can accommodate people who weigh up to 325 pounds.
If you’re short on space in your home, garage, apartment, camper or wherever else you want to have a treadmill, the 3G Cardio 80i Fold Flat Treadmill should fit your needs.
It can fold flat to a height of just 9.75 inches and easily be rolled under the bed for storage, or it can be folded up and stored vertically.
If you are looking to buy a new or used treadmill in Scottsdale, Desert Ridge, Ahwatukee or Gilbert, there are At Home Fitness superstores in those cities in the Phoenix area. Those stores are also located near many other cities in Arizona.

Landice L7 Pro Treadmill

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.com