Buying second hand or used fitness gym equipment

USED BUYING GUIDE

USED SECOND HAND TREADMILL

Before you buy "ask what do I want to do, where can I keep it, what can I spend" !!!!

Space: How much room do you have? If your workout area is 70 inches long then you cannot buy a machine that is 73 inches long. Make sure you have enough room in width as well. You want to be able to comfortably get on the treadmill and have room to swing your arms freely. Do you want folding treadmill? If so is the size it folds to an issue? Then measure that. Remember that the treadmill may fold and roll but if your storage area is carpeted then rolling it may be difficult.

Money: How much money are you willing to pay? I will always recommend spending as much as you can because usually, though not always, you will get more for your money. Having said that there are some high end treadmills such as StarTrac, Life Fitness, Technogym and Precor treadmills that may not have that one feature you just have to have (LCD col screen, for example if your looking at buying a reconditioned older model).

Goals: Will you be running, walking or a combination of both? Do you usually walk/run outside on concrete but want a treadmill in case of inclement weather or a day that is too hot? Most treadmills now are cushioned in some way. You will hear terms such as flex or some type of shock absorption system. If you usually run outside then a treadmill that is too flexible will feel strange on your joints and could possibly cause injury. Your goals will determine how much cushioning you want.

Now, think about the treadmill features

Layout of the Machine. What is the layout of the treadmill? Does the treadmill have handles that are comfortable to hold? Are there treads on the sides so you can step off easily? Is it user friendly with integrated bottle and magazine holders?

Heart Rate Monitor. Do you want sensors in the treadmill handles that will automatically take your heart rate? Not all machines have heart rate sensors and not all people care about their heart rate number.

The Size of the Belt. The belt on the treadmill is a very important feature. Notice how long it is and how wide. If a treadmill is not long enough, your feet hit will the front which is not only uncomfortable but can be dangerous. The taller you are the longer the belt should be. A good rule of thumb is a belt of at least 50 inches long and 17 inches wide.

Treadmill Usage. How will you be using the treadmill? Will you be running, walking or a combination of both? Do you usually walk/run outside on concrete but want a treadmill in case of inclement weather or a day that is too hot? Most treadmills now are cushioned in some way. You will hear terms such as flex or some type of shock absorption system. If you usually run outside then a treadmill that is too flexible will feel strange on your joints and could possibly cause injury. Your goals will determine how much cushioning you want.

Treadmill Console. What do you want on the console? Is a fan important? Do you want a place for a magazine and water bottle? If your goal is to just get moving and you fear technology then a simple console with perhaps 4 programs will be enough. It is important to be able to read the display. Check to make sure that the numbers are large and clear.

Treadmill Horsepower. Most people do not pay any attention to the horsepower of the motor. You will see the term continuous duty rating and that is the rating you want. A 1.5 to 2.5 horsepower is enough for the average user.

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No matter which treadmill you choose, be a smart buyer. Always, always ask these questions before you make your treadmill purchase

What is the warranty? If you buy a new treadmill and get it at a great price but it only has a 1-year warranty I would not let that stop me from buying it, how ever I would keep away from the cheaper brands. If your buying used go for a good commercial brand such as Precor, Technogym, Stratrac, Life fitness these machines have been designed to get a reall hammering in the the various gyms and fitness centres. They are built to last and would have been well serviced.

What is the maximum user weight of the treadmill at which you are looking? Some machines can handle as much as 400 pounds. If you weight 325 pounds you do not want a machine that has a user weight of only 300 pounds.

What is assembly like? People tell me all the time that assembling their treadmill took three days. I tell people that unless they put machines together for a living pay the extra money if it's available and have someone else put the machine together.Although if you purchased used, these would be more likey to be already assembled.

Sources
Countless sites and articles were read to determine the best treadmills on the market. The best treadmills in various categories were culled by the sources below: Treadmilldoctor, TreadmillAdvisor.com, Consumer Reports, February 2008, RunnersWorld, Treadmill-online, Exercise-equiptment-Review.com and Precor. I have also used my experience in the fitness industry to compile these guides.

USED SECOND HAND CROSS TRAINER

If you'd like toned and supple limbs but don't like the high-impact, muscle-building effects of lifting weights, look into an elliptical cross trainer. Perhaps you’ve seen them in a gym: those two-handed and two-footed pieces of equipment that mimic the actions of ski-ing. Cross trainers are ideal if you want to lose some weight, become more flexible, or increase your everyday fitness.

Lose weight

Cross trainers are a very effective way to burn calories without stressing your body. They work arms and legs at the same time, in addition to flexing your stomach and sides with gentle twisting movements. This leads to an all-over workout and burns calories more effectively than exercising arms or legs only. So cross trainers are an ideal way to lose weight.

Become more flexible
Staying flexible helps maintain muscle tone, keeping all your muscles active - which means fewer mobility problems as you age. The range of movements on a cross trainer - side to side, up and down, and forwards and backwards at the same time - are called ellipticals, because they move your body in ovals. As well as burning calories, elliptical movements build flexibility without risk.

Increase everyday fitness

A few sessions a week on a cross trainer will improve your aerobic fitness - the basic conditioning that lets you walk, run, or swim without getting out of breath too quickly. Better aerobic fitness means more energy and enthusiasm for everyday life.

Features to look for in a cross trainer

There are two types of cross trainer. Choose a belt cross trainer if you want a basic workout and don't expect to vary your fitness routine much; they’re excellent value for money and don’t take up much space. However, they usually offer just one level of resistance (the amount of effort it takes to move the pedals and levers).

For more variety, consider a magnetic cross trainer. These use magnets to create resistance to your pushing and pulling, so usually have a range of training levels you can build up to as you get fitter. They also tend to be quieter than belt cross trainers. Use this list of features to recognise the parts of a cross trainer.

The levers are the vertical 'handlebars' where you hold the machine while cross training. The grips move backwards and forwards in oval shapes as you use the machine; this range of movements helps build flexible limbs.

The pedals are where you put your feet when using a cross trainer. They're usually large pads with a non-slip surface like rubber.

The flywheel is inside the cross trainer. As you push and pull it creates momentum so you can build up pace smoothly without overstressing your muscles.

A heart rate monitor detects your pulse, usually through touching the grips, so you can see how hard your heart’s working. Remember, the most effective heart rate for most people while exercising is 70-80% of maximum.

A display is useful if you want to record your performance, to make sure you're reaching your fitness goals. It's an LCD digital readout giving information such as speed and distance covered (as if you’d been ski-ing), calories burned, time and so on. The controls, usually surrounding the display, let you switch the display to the numbers you’re most interested in and enter or change the programme.

The display?

Some of the numbers on a cross trainer’s display can be confusing. Here a key to what they mean.

WHAT THE DISPLAY SAYS	WHAT IT MEANS
Speed	The speed you’d be travelling at if you were cross country ski-ing
Time	The time since your workout started or the time left before you finish on a workout programme
Calories	Estimated number of calories you’ve burnt off since starting
Distance	Total distance travelled or distance left to go on a programme
Pulse/heartrate	Your current heartrate in beats per minute, measured through hand grips, a chest strap, or earlobe clip
Motivation	Encouraging messages displayed to keep you going
Power output/watts	The total power (energy per unit of time) you’re developing – 100 means you could power a 100W lightbulb and so on. 200W is a good level to maintain for a 30minute workout; a powerful man can produce a maximum of about 800W for short periods.

Programmes

Programmes or 'progs' give you a planned workout based on total distance you want to reach or total time you want to work out for. Different programmes may include varying speeds or inclines to add variety. Example programmes include downhill and cross country.

All cross trainers are different, so check you know which features to look for.

Fitness goals?

Decide what you want from your decision to buy a cross trainer. Are you looking to lose weight, or make yourself more flexible, or build strength? Bear in mind few people use a cross trainer and nothing else, even though it’s one of the best all-round workout machines – most people use it to increase their fitness for other activities, such as swimming, running, or cycling.

What different cross trainers will do

IF YOU WANT TO...	TAKE A LOOK AT...
Lose weight	Any cross trainer capable of taking your body weight
Get fit	Any cross trainer, but a heart rate monitor will help you train
Become stronger	Cross trainer with different functions and programmes to build strength and endurance
Become more flexible	Any cross trainer, but start with an easy programme and build up
Have fun	Cross trainer with a variety of functions and programmes
Train for an event	Any cross trainer, but combine cross training with other exercise

How big ?

Cross trainers are quite compact - since you’re standing up, they use less floor area than a home gym or rowing machine. In general, allow the same space as a small sofa – but with half a metre or so on each side to allow for your elliptical movements!

Why cross training ?

People usually use cross trainers to improve their performance at other sports – unlike cycling (exercise bikes) running (treadmills) or rowing (rowing machines), cross-country ski-ing isn’t something you can just do anytime! What makes it different is that on a cross trainer, you’re building strength and flexibility as well as cardiovascular fitness.

Costs?

Low-cost cross trainers tend to be very flimsy and shake quite a bit, if you’re training seriously buy a commercial used machine you will get a very high-end model, while 3-4 times as much as you would pay on the high street you will get much more use and the used machine will have many more features. Also consider that you will not have to put a commercial machine together at all, no bits to screw, no bits missing etc.

Where to buy from ?

First of all ask your friends, read reviews and look around and compare prices. I have guided lots of people that I have trained over the years and if your located in the UK and Europe have a good look at http://www.healthclubsathome.com

If your in the USA I would start with www.gymcor.com if have supplied various items of used gym equipment to some of my clients.

Or read the full reviews at http://www.usedtreadmill.co.uk

Good luck and get fit.