02 Feb Improve Your Heart Health During American Heart Month

Since February is American Heart Month, there has never been a better time than now for you to get started on a new exercise routine.  One way to get your body moving and to reduce your risk of suffering from heart disease or other heart-related problem is to purchase a treadmill.  But, what should you look for when trying to decide upon the right treadmill for you?  There are many features that can be found on a treadmill – and here is a look at a few of them and what you should look for when making a purchase.

Considering the Speed

Any treadmill you look at will allow you to adjust the speed of the belt, but some will allow you to achieve higher speeds than others.  In addition, some will allow you to change your speed in small increments than others.  If you plan on running on your treadmill, you should be certain to look for one with a horsepower of at least 2.5.  If you are on the heavy side, however, a treadmill with a horsepower of at least 3.0 is better.  This way, you can be certain the treadmill will be powerful enough to move at higher speeds while also accommodating your weight.

Putting an Incline in Your Workout

Adding an incline to your treadmill workout will help you work on building different muscle groups while also increasing the intensity of your workout.  Some treadmills do not offer an incline feature at all, while others will provide you with an incline of up to 15%.  Some even offer a decline feature, which helps work additional muscle groups as you move “downhill.”

Exploring Program Options

Many treadmills will also provide you with a variety of program options, though some will have more options than others.  Having a variety of different programs to select from allows you to target different areas of your health while also preventing boredom.  Therefore, spending a little extra on a machine with more program options is usually a worthwhile investment.

Monitoring Your Heart

Most treadmills will have some sort of heart rate monitoring feature, though some only offer the hand pulse rate monitor.  While this is better than nothing, these monitors are only about 80% accurate.  Therefore, in order to get the most out of your workout, it is a good idea to purchase a machine that comes equipped with a wireless chest heart rate monitor instead.