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.

10 Quick Tips for Buying Elliptical Trainers

Are you thinking about buying an elliptical trainer? Before you purchase your next piece of fitness equipment, be sure to read this informative list of Top Ten Tips to distinguish which elliptical machines work best for you and your household.

1. Elliptical trainers offer a superior cardiovascular routine. Whether you are a beginner or advanced fitness trainer, elliptical machine works with your exercise level to give you most rewarding experience for your personal fitness level. An important part of this successful cardiovascular exercise depends on comfort level user experiences throughout length of machine’s use. An elliptical trainer works because it has a smooth, flowing movement that encourages user minute after minute. A key part of this rhythmic movement depends on stride length. There are some machines on market that offer a 14” stride. You should always purchase an elliptical trainer with a stride length of 21” for maximum use and optimal settings.

2. Look for an adjustable incline and varying levels of resistance. The incline option is sure to give you increased aerobic activity and future opportunity to challenge yourself in new and different ways. Your machine should offer a wide range of incline and resistance levels to ensure that you have maximum array of potential workout programs. When you change incline levels or resistance levels throughout workout, alteration should be smooth and non-jarring so that you can change inclines any time you wish, while still enjoying a great workout experience.

3. The Quiet Factor is important when you are buying a new piece of home gym fitness equipment. You want to work out, but you don’t want it to sound like a hurricane is tearing through your home. A superior machine will have a quiet, shushing sound, letting you listen to your favorite cd’s or television program for length of your workout experience.

4. Safety features are important. Make sure that there is a cooling fan, as well as warm-up and cool-down programs to give your body a chance to work your muscles comfortably and effectively in right manner.