If you’re trying to decide between an elliptical trainer and another piece of exercise equipment, consider the workout advantages an elliptical provides. What’s so special about an elliptical workout? Here are 3 unique advantages of using your elliptical trainer to workout

1 Forward & Back Motions Provide Better Workout Results

Almost all elliptical trainers offer both forward and back motion also called dual action motion. This allows you to work different sets of muscle groups in your legs hamstrings vs quads which adds up to more calories burned, more muscles toned and an overall better body workout.

You can’t walk backwards on a treadmill ok, you can but that might be difficult. And peddling backwards on a bike might not be so helpful. The dual action ability of your elliptical trainer helps you work more muscles. Plus you have the potential to burn more calories

2 You Get A Lower Impact Workout

A properly designed elliptical trainer mimics your body’s natural stride – the way your foot moves elliptically when walking, running, or jogging. You stand upright striding in a forward or reverse motion. Your feet never leave the pedals.

Because of this, impact is basically eliminated and there is much less overall stress on your knees, hips and back, joints and back. Just make sure you get a properly designed elliptical trainer – not one of the cheaper department store versions!

Because of the lower impact of an elliptical workout, the elliptical machine is becoming very popular with the older population or those who are more easily prone to sports injury.

3 Upper Body Arm Bars Help You Burn More Calories & Get A Superior Overall Body Workout

Many elliptical trainers offer moveable upper body arm bars. By working both legs and arms, your heart rate elevates more quickly which encourages your body to burn calories faster and more efficiently.

It also results in a lower perceived rate of exertion basically you don’t feel like you worked as hard as you really did. This may mean that you end up burning more calories, even without feeling like you did much of a workout.

By offering upper body arms, an elliptical trainer workout also helps you tone your arms, shoulders and back for better definition.

An elliptical trainer workout has many advantages over other exercise machines. It gives you an overall body workout that burns extra calories and gives you an extra efficient workout. Just make sure you choose one that meets your needs and is properly designed for maximum comfort.

If you’re in the market to buy a treadmill, your timing couldn’t be better. Treadmills are giving you more value for your money every year. In fact according to a recent Runner’s World article

“Today’s treadmills are better than ever. In particular, most brands have improved their stability and controls. Meanwhile, they continue to offer a dazzling variety of features.”

If you’re buying a treadmill no doubt you want to get the best price. Having been researching and reviewing treadmills for over 3 years, I’ve seen some killer treadmill deals and some completely overblown, overpriced treadmills.

I’ve also seen the same treadmill offered at vastly different prices – sometimes the difference is as much as 800! And people are still buying the overpriced treadmills!

There are ways to getting the best price on a high quality home treadmill that many people don’t know about. So to help you save some money, here are 3 key tips to getting the best price on your treadmill

1 Buy Online

If you want to save money, buy online. This is the case with most items from computers to DVD’s to electronics and especially treadmills. Because when you buy online, the treadmill dealer doesn’t have to pay to rent a storefront, pay salespeople, pay hydro, heat, etc.

They can ship directly from their warehouse. This saves them a lot of money and in turn these savings are passed on to you in the form of lower prices.

Obviously you don’t want to just buy from anyone online. Make sure the online treadmill dealer offers secure ordering, prevalent contact information phone numbers, email, online help, address, at least a 30 day money back guarantee and of course – high quality treadmills. It also helps if they offer customer andor expert testimonials.

2 Buy Direct From the Treadmill Brand Manufacturer

Buying direct from the treadmill manufacturer means you skip the middleman i.e. the store, which always has to mark up an item to make their profit and pay their employees, rent, etc. There are several treadmill manufacturers that sell online direct to the consumer at wholesale prices and it’s a great way to get a brand name treadmill for a discount price.

Also, if you watch closely, many manufacturers will drop their prices even more when they are phasing out a certain treadmill. I’ve seen a 1500 treadmill go for 899 when the manufacturer was trying to close the model out.

Again, make sure these treadmill dealers offer secure ordering, prevalent contact information, at least a 30 day money back guarantee and high quality treadmills.

3 Save on Shipping and Sales Tax

Whether it’s an online store or an online treadmill manufacturer, many online dealers offer you free shipping. Some offer free shipping all the time whereas others offer it at certain times of the month.

Shipping your treadmill can cost you as much as 200 – so why pay for it if you can get it free? I’ve yet to see an actual store offer free shipping on treadmills – it’s always an add on at the cash register.

Another area where you can save money is on sales tax. Many online dealers won’t charge you sales tax depending on the state which can also save you a considerable amount on your treadmill.

So those are 3 key ways to get the best price on your treadmill. If you want a list of the most popular online stores and treadmill manufacturers check out

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That’s it – follow these 3 tips and you’ll easily save hundreds on your next treadmill.

Buying a treadmill? You’ll probably be making several treadmill comparisons when doing your research.

Here are 3 things you must know when making treadmill comparisons in order to find the best one for you.

1 Compare Apples To Apples

Don’t compare prices between treadmills online and treadmills sold at a store. They are two different marketplaces, each with their own advantages and disadvantages.

When I was selling a Proform treadmill many years ago, the gentleman buying it had gone online and seen the same model for less. I had to explain to him that this price was an online price only. Buying a treadmill online can sometimes be considerably cheaper, depending on the manufacturer, sales, closeouts, etc.

So when comparing treadmill prices side by side, make sure you compare online treadmills to online treadmills and store treadmills to store treadmills.

Also make sure you’re comparing the same models. It sounds obvious but some treadmill brands have so many similar sounding treadmills in their line-up it’s easy to get confused!

2 Know the Key Ingredients to a Quality Treadmill

Make sure you know the top 4 key ingredients to a quality treadmill

- Motor Power
- Stability
- Warranty
- Cushioning

Your motor is the heart of your treadmill and adequate motor power is extremely important. Most experts recommend at least a 1.5 HP motor although I prefer a 2.0 HP or higher to ensure you don’t burn the motor out and then have to pay costly repair fees.

Stability ensures that your treadmill will not shake or wobble when you start to run on it.

Your warranty will protect your investment and quality treadmills will include a warranty. You shouldn’t have to pay extra for a treadmill warranty – unless you want to, of course!

Cushioning is the ability of the treadmill to absorb the force of your step. Higher cushioning means lower impact on your joints and ligaments. Cushioning is extremely important as poor cushioning can cause injury and muscle strain

3 Know What YOU Need When Reviewing Treadmills

Many people get sold on all of the ‘neat’ features of the treadmill – but don’t ever consider if they’ll really use them.

For example we’d all love to own a commercial-grade, luxury treadmill – but for many people, it’s MORE than they need. On the other hand, a serious runner might actually need that kind of stability and cushioning in a treadmill.

If you don’t really care about 30 workout programs, why pay extra for them? If you know your 6’2″ son will be running on the treadmill, remember to look for one with a longer running area and adequate user weight capacity.

By knowing what you you need before comparing treadmills, you’ll save yourself a lot of time and frustration.

So there you have it – keep these 3 points in mind when making treadmill comparisons and you’ll be well on your way to making an excellent treadmill purchase! Enjoy and have fun!