TIP #1: GET MOVING The first thing you need to do, as a fitness beginner, is to start moving! I mean this literally. Get up, and walk out your front door. Now walk down street. Now turn corner. Keep going! Do you get picture? Start introducing your body to fitness by going on walks. These walks will probably start out slow and short, but before you know it they will be brisk and long. Try to work up a sweat as you tour neighborhood. Make it a habit to wake up early to go on your walk, or consistently go on a walk before you go to bed. These walks will get you to start burning calories each day, and will also begin to build your cardiovascular endurance.

The History of Treadmills

You must be familiar with treadmill exercise machine. The darling of home and public gyms alike, treadmills are a popular and ever-present part of fitness landscape. But where did treadmill originate? And how did it come to be so popular and effective among fitness buffs and ordinary folks alike?

It all began with fitness equipment. Physicians, physical fitness instructors and personal trainers have been chanting same mantras for years: “Get in shape!” Exercise can help you burn fat, increase circulation, build healthy bones, create stronger muscles, increase self-confidence, fight high cholesterol and many, many more benefits. With higher importance being placed on getting in shape, demand for fitness equipment grew. Fitness buffs needed a machine that could give them workout they were searching for—with additional perks, such as heart rate monitors, calorie counters and more to help them work out smarter, not harder.

Along came treadmill. The treadmill was actually invented in 1875 and its original purpose was for power, not fitness. Agricultural farmers, needing additional power sources on their farms, used a small manual treadmill run by dogs and sheep for butter churners, while a larger one run by horses for power threshing machines.

The year 1952 ushered in cardiologist Robert Bruce and staffer Wayne Quinton. They bring first medical treadmill on market to test and diagnose heart and lung disease. Quinton later sells his concepts to Stairmaster (later bought by Nautilus).

With design of medical treadmill comes easy transition to fitness machine. Fitness enthusiasts and beginners alike demanded a better, smoother machine for their daily workouts. Aerobics, Inc., for example, began production of smooth, affordable treadmills in late 1960s and now manufactures an award-winning Pro Series with top technology and automated controls. Trackmaster models in 1978 are known for their very tough, very durable machines that set standard in gym models today.