Treadmill Tips & Buying Advice

vivekiny2k · 19th May 2008, 19:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Samurai

2) In my experience, most doctors know very little about fitness related issues, at least in India. In India doctors are mostly trained for treating deceases and injuries.

whoa, for a moment i was

.

deceases - definition of deceases by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.

joshdrive · 19th May 2008, 19:38

Hi:
Will cycling have similar effects as using threadmill? Am thinking of buying a cycle instead of threadmill and drive it for 30-45 minutes a day. I have a 2 km stretch of decent traffic free road near my house.

s0uljah · 19th May 2008, 21:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by suvi

I bought an elliptical Trainer recently

i have been successful in exercising 3 days a week

i will update if i lose weight

Congratulations on the purchase and the step forward towards a healthy lifestyle

What brand / model did you purchase ?

Quote:

Originally Posted by joshdrive

Will cycling have similar effects as using threadmill? Am thinking of buying a cycle instead of threadmill and drive it for 30-45 minutes a day. I have a 2 km stretch of decent traffic free road near my house.

Nothing beats the real thing (cycling outdoors, running in the park!)

If you have the luxury of secluded roads go for it. Though cycling 2km is a relatively less from the cardio/fitness point of view.

suvi · 20th May 2008, 13:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by s0uljah

Congratulations on the purchase and the step forward towards a healthy lifestyle

What brand / model did you purchase ?

A Chinese brand called Cosco. it has display of speed, distance, calories etc and has adjustable levels of "difficulty".
It cost me Rs 6150 in the sports shop at the end of Cambridge Road (near Frank Anthony Public School)

ravikn · 20th May 2008, 16:04

folks,

I have a BSA Manual treadmill which I bought during last summer, however, I am not able to use it effectively as my knees gives up after 10 minutes of walk(speed aprx 3.1 - 3.5 mph). By doing this i hardly burn 70-80 calories (as seen in the display) in my routine. Anybody who is effectively using manual treadmill in the forum could provide any suggestions to improve the calories I burn everyday

sandeepmdas · 25th May 2008, 00:22

Guys, after a prolonged research, I bought an elliptical trainer today. The model is Physique RE500. I bought it from HomeFitnessDirect, which is connected to our fellow TBHPian, s0uljah. I made the decision (actually, to buy a treadmill) some 45 days back, but stumbled upon some posts highlighting the elliptical trainer. Confused, I turned to Team-BHP, and you can read the advice that I received in this very thread. Thank you guys!

To cut the story short, I then eliminated the number of shops in Trivandrum from six to just 2 from my original list, for a number of reasons. The survivors were the Acme fitness showroom (Pulse fitness) in Bakery Jn and the HomeFitnessDirect, in the Bakery Jn-Vazhuthakkad one way. Unlike the infamous, crappy shopkeepers of Trivandrum- who usually commands you to buy what he want to sell- both these shops were manned by pleasant and unobtrusive people. The Pulse fitness people deal with more number of brands, and are more focused on BH Fitness brand treadmills. However, they were a bit short of breath when I told them about my requirements; they showed me a Rs. 19K SEG brand elliptical, which was a disappointment. The next available model was priced at a whopping 49K.

Headed for HomeFitnessDirect, and promptly zeroed in the Physique RE500. The MSRP was 29K but good discounts were available. Not much bells and whistles, but a sturdy yet butter-smooth, no-nonsense trainer. It has 9 workout programs and 9 user profiles, plus a heart control program. I learnt that the same trainer is available rebranded for Reebok fitness.

You can read more on the trainer here:
Reebok 5 Series Elliptical Cross Trainer - gymworld.co.uk

Here's a picture from the net:

prince85 · 27th May 2008, 18:35

Hi guys, my older cousin is on the lookout for a threadmill. And he asked me to recommend him one. Soo i went through this thread and its a very informative one, but the only thing stopping me from recommending him any is the weight that these threadmills can handle. Now i came across one which can handle a max of 100kgs. Now the crunch is that my cousin is 115kgs

. Soo what now? Budget i believe is more or less 50k. Kindly recommend some brand and the models available.

Cheers

s0uljah · 28th May 2008, 07:32

Hello Prince!

The main criteria that your cousin needs to shop for in a Treadmill is one that has a motor that can truly put out 2 HP continous. This would bear his weight.

In case he is looking at doing a lot of running he might want to invest in a slightly higher motor capacity (2.5HP) but these tend to get pricey.

Now come to the value added stuff. For someone of that weight they already bear a huge amount of stress on their knees from day to day activities like climbing down stairs etc, getting a treadmill with defined suspension would greatly add to their exercise experience while eliminating the stress delivered to the knees. Notice i say 'suspension' and not cushioning. If you read some of my earlier posts in the thread you will understand the difference.

Keeping in mind the budget that you mentioned he might have to settle for a mid range machine, do let him know not to compromise on the brand or budget at this stage as and over rated or underpowered motor will collapse within 1.5 - 2 years and that is the heart of the machine.

Alternatively he could look at getting an Elliptical / Crosstrainer if he cannot stretch his budget.

Samurai · 11th August 2008, 19:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Do not put kids on treadmill. Their knees are in formative stage and will get damaged beyond repair.

Sorry Tanveer, my young one isn't listening. He runs on the treadmill whenever he feels like.

YouTube - Baby on Treadmill

Meanwhile I just wanted to update that I have been running barefoot since April. First 15 days it felt odd as the foot was getting used to the new sensation. After that the odd feeling went away and it feeling very natural. Now I run barefoot on the treadmill regularly, no issues. I am the only user of this treadmill, apart from our toddler.

benkey2 · 28th September 2008, 23:15

hello souljah,
i am planning to buy a treadmill for my father. is it possible to assemble a treadmill ourself. i need a speed control except that i dont need any display, inclination etc., etc..i hope a locally availble texmaco or any reputed brand motor from coimbatore is enouogh. even the motor noise and size doesnt matter. IMO, this would cost less than 12k rupees.i saw one treadmill with big front portion and broad and lenghty running area in a hospital cardiology lab.need ur advice regarding this...

MillionSwords · 1st November 2008, 12:57

hi s0uljah,

planning to buy a Elliptical, from HomeFitnessDirect, Chennai.
Heard the RE500 is good, they quoted around 27,000, and may be some discounts, what is the best price I can get it for? I'm like 95KGs and like to burn some 10KGs in the coming months.

Please suggest a workout pattern and how to loose 10KGs in say 4 months time using the Elliptical, and what to eat and not. How many minutes to workout on the Elliptical etc? - if there is a video or DVD it would be of great help.

Cheers,
MS

s0uljah · 1st November 2008, 13:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by benkey2

hello souljah,
i am planning to buy a treadmill for my father. is it possible to assemble a treadmill ourself. need ur advice regarding this...

I guess my advice would be biased, since Im in the business.

The idea is workable and very do-able but as the saying goes penny wise pound foolish. I would suggest buying a second hand one instead.

AFAIK there is no one manufacturing motorised treadmills in India yet. There was a time when someone in the north put together something in very minuscule numbers.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MillionSwords

What is the best price I can get it for? I'm like 95KGs and like to burn some 10KGs in the coming months.

Please suggest a workout pattern and how to loose 10KGs in say 4 months time using the Elliptical, and what to eat and not. How many minutes to workout on the Elliptical etc? - if there is a video or DVD it would be of great help.

MS, thats an excellent price!

The MSRP of that model has gone up by close to 15% and if your able to buy at that price I would say grab it now while current stocks last.

I will provide you with some links in the PM system to get you started. Also check out the Bodybuilding thread in this section it has a lot of valuable tips from BHPians.

MillionSwords · 1st November 2008, 15:50

I will look into the body building thread too.
thanks for the reply.

Quote:

Originally Posted by s0uljah

I guess my advice would be biased, since Im in the business.

The idea is workable and very do-able but as the saying goes penny wise pound foolish. I would suggest buying a second hand one instead.

AFAIK there is no one manufacturing motorised treadmills in India yet. There was a time when someone in the north put together something in very minuscule numbers.

MS, thats an excellent price!

The MSRP of that model has gone up by close to 15% and if your able to buy at that price I would say grab it now while current stocks last.

I will provide you with some links in the PM system to get you started. Also check out the Bodybuilding thread in this section it has a lot of valuable tips from BHPians.

MillionSwords · 3rd November 2008, 18:19

I hear that the HomeFitnessDirect Elliptical RE500 model, [all other products as well] is given only 6 month warranty. Why is it so? Does any one have any say about this?

I read a better company, with confident product gives a industry matching warranty, other companies like ACME, Atom, Afton and Proline give 1 year or more warranty as compared to HomeFitnessDirect.

Any problem with the Elliptical - users please thro light.

MillionSwords · 3rd November 2008, 21:25

here is a series of answers from s0uljah, who PMed me, I paste it here for other TBhpian's benefit in the future.

Originally Posted by MillionSwords

I hear that the HomeFitnessDirect Elliptical RE500 model, is given only 6 month warranty. Why is it so?
s0uljah
You hear correct. The warranty on the RE500 is only 6 months.

Quote:
Originally Posted by MillionSwords

I hear that the HomeFitnessDirect [all other products as well] is given only 6 month warranty.

s0uljah
Here, you are mistaken.

Warranty terms differ from machine to machine.

For example the treadmill that Samurai San opted for comes with a 5 year drive motor warranty.

Quote:
Originally Posted by MillionSwords

I read a better company, with confident product gives a industry matching warranty.

s0uljah
I wouldnt like to debate better or worse

Though it would help if you could provide the Model #/Manufacturer and price to make a fair comparison.

HomeFitnessDirect are also authorized distributors for Life Fitness, Nautilus, Schwinn & Stairmaster if your interested in higher end cardio equipment.

19th May 2008, 19:38	#62
joshdrive BHPian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Chennai Posts: 205 Thanked: 0 Times	Hi: Will cycling have similar effects as using threadmill? Am thinking of buying a cycle instead of threadmill and drive it for 30-45 minutes a day. I have a 2 km stretch of decent traffic free road near my house.
	() Thanks

20th May 2008, 16:04	#65
ravikn BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 344 Thanked: 25 Times	folks, I have a BSA Manual treadmill which I bought during last summer, however, I am not able to use it effectively as my knees gives up after 10 minutes of walk(speed aprx 3.1 - 3.5 mph). By doing this i hardly burn 70-80 calories (as seen in the display) in my routine. Anybody who is effectively using manual treadmill in the forum could provide any suggestions to improve the calories I burn everyday
	() Thanks

25th May 2008, 00:22	#66
sandeepmdas Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Varkala Posts: 1,539 Thanked: 2,491 Times	Guys, after a prolonged research, I bought an elliptical trainer today. The model is Physique RE500. I bought it from HomeFitnessDirect, which is connected to our fellow TBHPian, s0uljah. I made the decision (actually, to buy a treadmill) some 45 days back, but stumbled upon some posts highlighting the elliptical trainer. Confused, I turned to Team-BHP, and you can read the advice that I received in this very thread. Thank you guys! To cut the story short, I then eliminated the number of shops in Trivandrum from six to just 2 from my original list, for a number of reasons. The survivors were the Acme fitness showroom (Pulse fitness) in Bakery Jn and the HomeFitnessDirect, in the Bakery Jn-Vazhuthakkad one way. Unlike the infamous, crappy shopkeepers of Trivandrum- who usually commands you to buy what he want to sell- both these shops were manned by pleasant and unobtrusive people. The Pulse fitness people deal with more number of brands, and are more focused on BH Fitness brand treadmills. However, they were a bit short of breath when I told them about my requirements; they showed me a Rs. 19K SEG brand elliptical, which was a disappointment. The next available model was priced at a whopping 49K. Headed for HomeFitnessDirect, and promptly zeroed in the Physique RE500. The MSRP was 29K but good discounts were available. Not much bells and whistles, but a sturdy yet butter-smooth, no-nonsense trainer. It has 9 workout programs and 9 user profiles, plus a heart control program. I learnt that the same trainer is available rebranded for Reebok fitness. You can read more on the trainer here: Reebok 5 Series Elliptical Cross Trainer - gymworld.co.uk Here's a picture from the net: Attached Thumbnails Last edited by sandeepmdas : 25th May 2008 at 00:31.
	() Thanks

27th May 2008, 18:35	#67
prince85 BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Mumbai Posts: 971 Thanked: 123 Times	Hi guys, my older cousin is on the lookout for a threadmill. And he asked me to recommend him one. Soo i went through this thread and its a very informative one, but the only thing stopping me from recommending him any is the weight that these threadmills can handle. Now i came across one which can handle a max of 100kgs. Now the crunch is that my cousin is 115kgs. Soo what now? Budget i believe is more or less 50k. Kindly recommend some brand and the models available. Cheers Last edited by prince85 : 27th May 2008 at 18:37.
	() Thanks

28th May 2008, 07:32	#68
s0uljah Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: BLR Posts: 2,222 Thanked: 26 Times View My Garage	Hello Prince! The main criteria that your cousin needs to shop for in a Treadmill is one that has a motor that can truly put out 2 HP continous. This would bear his weight. In case he is looking at doing a lot of running he might want to invest in a slightly higher motor capacity (2.5HP) but these tend to get pricey. Now come to the value added stuff. For someone of that weight they already bear a huge amount of stress on their knees from day to day activities like climbing down stairs etc, getting a treadmill with defined suspension would greatly add to their exercise experience while eliminating the stress delivered to the knees. Notice i say 'suspension' and not cushioning. If you read some of my earlier posts in the thread you will understand the difference. Keeping in mind the budget that you mentioned he might have to settle for a mid range machine, do let him know not to compromise on the brand or budget at this stage as and over rated or underpowered motor will collapse within 1.5 - 2 years and that is the heart of the machine. Alternatively he could look at getting an Elliptical / Crosstrainer if he cannot stretch his budget. Last edited by s0uljah : 28th May 2008 at 07:34. Reason: option of elliptical
	() Thanks

28th September 2008, 23:15	#70
benkey2 BHPian Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: chennai Posts: 96 Thanked: Once	hello souljah, i am planning to buy a treadmill for my father. is it possible to assemble a treadmill ourself. i need a speed control except that i dont need any display, inclination etc., etc..i hope a locally availble texmaco or any reputed brand motor from coimbatore is enouogh. even the motor noise and size doesnt matter. IMO, this would cost less than 12k rupees.i saw one treadmill with big front portion and broad and lenghty running area in a hospital cardiology lab.need ur advice regarding this...
	() Thanks

1st November 2008, 12:57	#71
MillionSwords BHPian Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Chennai Pattanam [ellam kattanam] Posts: 172 Thanked: 2 Times View My Garage	hi s0uljah, planning to buy a Elliptical, from HomeFitnessDirect, Chennai. Heard the RE500 is good, they quoted around 27,000, and may be some discounts, what is the best price I can get it for? I'm like 95KGs and like to burn some 10KGs in the coming months. Please suggest a workout pattern and how to loose 10KGs in say 4 months time using the Elliptical, and what to eat and not. How many minutes to workout on the Elliptical etc? - if there is a video or DVD it would be of great help. Cheers, MS
	() Thanks

3rd November 2008, 18:19	#74
MillionSwords BHPian Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Chennai Pattanam [ellam kattanam] Posts: 172 Thanked: 2 Times View My Garage	I hear that the HomeFitnessDirect Elliptical RE500 model, [all other products as well] is given only 6 month warranty. Why is it so? Does any one have any say about this? I read a better company, with confident product gives a industry matching warranty, other companies like ACME, Atom, Afton and Proline give 1 year or more warranty as compared to HomeFitnessDirect. Any problem with the Elliptical - users please thro light.
	() Thanks

3rd November 2008, 21:25	#75
MillionSwords BHPian Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Chennai Pattanam [ellam kattanam] Posts: 172 Thanked: 2 Times View My Garage	Reply from s0uljah to my PM here is a series of answers from s0uljah, who PMed me, I paste it here for other TBhpian's benefit in the future. Originally Posted by MillionSwords I hear that the HomeFitnessDirect Elliptical RE500 model, is given only 6 month warranty. Why is it so? s0uljah You hear correct. The warranty on the RE500 is only 6 months. Quote: Originally Posted by MillionSwords I hear that the HomeFitnessDirect [all other products as well] is given only 6 month warranty. s0uljah Here, you are mistaken. Warranty terms differ from machine to machine. For example the treadmill that Samurai San opted for comes with a 5 year drive motor warranty. Quote: Originally Posted by MillionSwords I read a better company, with confident product gives a industry matching warranty. s0uljah I wouldnt like to debate better or worse Though it would help if you could provide the Model #/Manufacturer and price to make a fair comparison. HomeFitnessDirect are also authorized distributors for Life Fitness, Nautilus, Schwinn & Stairmaster if your interested in higher end cardio equipment. Last edited by MillionSwords : 3rd November 2008 at 21:27.
	() Thanks