# Home treadmill advice please



## Obsessed Merc (Apr 10, 2011)

I value the (vast majority of) opinions of the people on this forum, hence a post here.

I want to buy a treadmill for home. I do go to a gym 3 days a week, but I've just signed up for a charity for next years london marathon.

The problem is, I'm the wrong side of 19 stone, so whatever I buy needs to be heavy duty. For the first few months I'll be walking uphill / light jogs etc until I've lost more weight. I've lost 3 stone already, but at least that again to shed.

I had "bought" a decent looking ex gym startrac machine off ebay 3 weeks ago - but it never arrived and I ended up getting a refund yesterday. Not even an apology why it never arrived...

I don't want/can't run mentally fast - any suggestions for either new or 2nd hand ? I have set aside a budget of up to £5k, but would prefer to spend around £2k if poss.

Please point me in the right direction...


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## The Cueball (Feb 8, 2007)

My honest opinion.... 

Keep going to the gym, spend the money on a Personal Trainer 

and don't do anything at home...

Your body needs rest, that is very important, as is diet... 

Spend your 2k on a good personal trainer and they will do far more for you than any bit of equipment could...

Oh, I'm not a personal trainer BTW... :lol:

And good luck on whatever you decide, hope you get to the marathon and raise some money - good for you. 

:thumb:


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## danwel (Feb 18, 2007)

We have the life fitness 95T at work and that's very good although no idea on costs.

Edit

Just looked and its over budget but the life fitness ones look very good IMO


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## danwel (Feb 18, 2007)

Just a thought but and don't shoot me down. Why not pound the pavements, its free and will be better in the long run as running on a treadmill is easier than actually running of the road so will help with stamina etc


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## Shiny (Apr 23, 2007)

We've just sold our old Carl Lewis treadmill on ebay. It was £800 new and was fine for 20 stone +, padded treadmill, incline option, fully motorised and up to 10 mph.

Very sturdy bit of kit weighing in at 80kgs.

This is pretty much the new equivalent http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/3357705.htm but i see it has a max user weight of 19st. Mind you, if you are initially using it for walking and light jogs, then i would think it will be fine.

I don't think you will need to spend £2k+ to get a decent one.


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## Obsessed Merc (Apr 10, 2011)

The Cueball said:


> My honest opinion....
> 
> Keep going to the gym, spend the money on a Personal Trainer
> 
> ...


Pearls of wisdom as ever Mr C.
I do have a personal trainer every Friday and FOR SURE that's where I get the best workout ever.

I'm just an inherently lazy shat by nature, so on days when I don't make it to the gym, I would like a home option.

Plus when I'm at the gym, I tend to get into weights, do some rowing, get on the bag and kick the stuffing out of it. Ie : anything but walking and running...


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## Obsessed Merc (Apr 10, 2011)

danwel said:


> Just a thought but and don't shoot me down. Why not pound the pavements, its free and will be better in the long run as running on a treadmill is easier than actually running of the road so will help with stamina etc


Sound advice. But it's unlikely to happen. I live on a nasty hill. Everywhere around me is hilly.

I have a room kitted out with great audio and a big screen. If I plonk a treadmill in there, there is a 50:50 chance of me using it...


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## benji1205 (Jun 15, 2009)

If you dont mind me offering an opinion, have you thought about getting a rowing machine or a cross trainer for home? Both can be picked up for a substantially less amount of ££ and would certainly be easier on your knees. Intervals on a rower (e.g 45secs flat out rowing, 1min rest / very lght rowing and continuing that pattern) would certainly raise your heart rate and make you work harder than just jogging for 10mins say?! Cross trainer is again much better for your knees and if you do a bit of shopping about you could pick up a nice one for about half the price of what you want to spend on a treadmill again using programs or regimes that make you work inconsistently to keep your body on the edge? Just a thought to be honest. If you are keen on losing weight and find it hard to motivate yourself, buy a machine and use the rest of the money on some personal training sessions? Also using this machine first thing in the morning would certainly help with losing weight as it sets you up for the rest of the day


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## Z4-35i (Jun 12, 2012)

benji1205 said:


> If you dont mind me offering an opinion, have you thought about getting a rowing machine or a cross trainer for home? Both can be picked up for a substantially less amount of ££ and would certainly be easier on your knees. Intervals on a rower (e.g 45secs flat out rowing, 1min rest / very lght rowing and continuing that pattern) would certainly raise your heart rate and make you work harder than just jogging for 10mins say?! Cross trainer is again much better for your knees and if you do a bit of shopping about you could pick up a nice one for about half the price of what you want to spend on a treadmill again using programs or regimes that make you work inconsistently to keep your body on the edge? Just a thought to be honest. If you are keen on losing weight and find it hard to motivate yourself, buy a machine and use the rest of the money on some personal training sessions? Also using this machine first thing in the morning would certainly help with losing weight as it sets you up for the rest of the day


+1 for a rowing machine over a treadmill for home use. If you invest in a Concept 2 they hold their value very well, I got 80% of the purchase price back for mine after 3 years. I would have really liked to have kept it but ran out of space, so now just do my rowing sessions in the gym.

If you really want a treadmill, then I would continue to use the gym and your PT plus add in some long outdoor walks and progressive runs whilst the weather is warmer and the days are longer, then look at again at getting a treadmill if you still feel you need one later in the autumn.


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## Guitarjon (Jul 13, 2012)

Ok, always fancied a tredmill at home but was never a da of running. Tat mixed with the price made me go out and run in the open air. I was very sceptical at first. However, when you get over your insecurities of having people in the public stare then its not all that bad. 

Do get some trainers that are appropriate, don't worry about carting water around with you, until you start doing big miles. So use running socks too, they can often be bought cheaply from Aldi/ lidel or sports shop outlets, they really help your feet breath. I'd advise going running before a meal. You can meet some nice people out and about, especially going around parks, country parks, lakes etc. I'm not a fan of running around the houses. I also have a chain of support people who I can run to and have my other half pick me back up after I've had a rest and a cuppa tea lol gives me a purpose to go running - eg to see my sister. 

My friend goes running on a tredmill at home. She can now do 10 miles of it (how boring must that be? I went running with her the other week and she couldn't do the same. So it shows that running under different terrains prepares you better for running. 

Also checkout park runs. When you can comfortably do 5k they are free events where other like minded people gather and do timed events for free. Lots of friendly people and encouragement given.

Wat ever you do start slowly. Last year I was in the same position as you. The wrong side of 19 stone and I could barely run a mile without stopping. I improved so quickly in stamina but wanted to go faster. Listen to your body and how it feels, aching is good but not pain. Try and mix speed and distance. I got my 5k down from nearly 50 minutes to 25 within a few months. I haven't go any faster Than 25 mins since as I have been working more for distance, to loose weight ideally you need to be running for more than 30-40 minutes, regardless of pace as it generally takes so long for your body to start burning its reserve fats. 

Hope that helps, just a bit of my personal experience towards running. By all means spend money on a tredmill but there are lots of reasons not too.

One more thing to note. Make sure if you buy a tredmill you put it on a firm ground/ floor as they don't half make a racket if somebody is pounding sway on one upstairs.


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## danwel (Feb 18, 2007)

Agree wit above comment, I can do 10k on a treadmill happily but on the road it's not possible lol


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## Andy_R (Aug 6, 2007)

Given you have said yourself that you are inherently lazy, a trait which I am familiar with my self I would go for a slight variation on some of the advice given.

Don't blow that amount of cash on equipment which given your nature you will probably not use.

I went for the option of getting a personal trainer to the house. The guys comes to me twice a week but for the sort on money you want to spend you could easily go to 3 times a week. I started out at just over 18 stone and have now lost over 4 stone in just over 4 months. The fact someone is coming to you takes away the motivation aspect as you have no real choice. The guys brings his own kit and I have a cross trainer which was sitting around gathering dust but is now used an additional 3 or 4 times a week.

Cost for me is £20 a session and is well worth it, you may pay more given your location.

Just my 2p worth:thumb:


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## Doc943 (Mar 27, 2011)

I've an old "heavy duty" (lol) Proform 615 treadmill still in good order bought for similar reasons (and size) to you. Cost £900, yours for £100 if u want. PM me


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## Guitarjon (Jul 13, 2012)

Doc943 said:


> I've an old "heavy duty" (lol) Proform 615 treadmill still in good order bought for similar reasons (and size) to you. Cost £900, yours for £100 if u want. PM me


Really good offer! If I had somewhere t put it that wouldn't shake my floor boards I'd snap your hand off. Did I mention I am a fair weather runner lol...


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## Guitarjon (Jul 13, 2012)

Andy_R said:


> Given you have said yourself that you are inherently lazy, a trait which I am familiar with my self I would go for a slight variation on some of the advice given.
> 
> Don't blow that amount of cash on equipment which given your nature you will probably not use.
> 
> ...


That is a great price, especially since they come to you. A few years back I used a PT frequently and they are great however, I was paying much more than that. Probably due to the amount of free lance workers around now. Competition is fierce.


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## Obsessed Merc (Apr 10, 2011)

Thanks to the above. Some sound advice. 

Mostly unheeded. (which is probably why I have been unemployable for 20yrs, forced to run my own show.)

I have a life fitness 9100 being delivered tomorrow. 

Got written confirmation today from the charity I have chosen that I'm "in".

Just got to work out when would be best to let the Mrs know what's occurring..


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## Obsessed Merc (Apr 10, 2011)

Two 5k jogs done. 
Feck my, 26 miles is going to be a bit of a git.


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