Why You Shouldn't Waste Your Money On Manual Treadmills

Why You Shouldn't Waste Your Money on Manual Treadmills

Reagan Miers

People purchase exercise equipment to help them with their workouts, not complicate them. When you go shopping for treadmills, the price tags on manual treadmills may seem perfect for your wallet because they're so cheap. However, the stress these machines put on the body, as well as the hassle of operating one, make them a bad investment.

Manual treadmills have no motor. You will have to provide the energy to get the treadmill moving along. While this may sound easy enough, did you know that most manual treadmills are very difficult to maneuver and bring up to speed unless they are in a sharp incline? Once you get the treadmill in motion, there is no lever to push to bring the treadmill's incline back down. Are you prepared to walk or jog uphill your entire workout?

Manual treadmills also lack momentum. Unlike a motorized treadmill, every time you slow down on a manual treadmill, you will have to bring the belt back up to speed again yourself. While this may sound like a good way to burn calories, it doesn't benefit you long term. In addition, your feet, knees, and joints probably won't like the abuse of having to keep the treadmill belt moving.

In regards to momentum, to burn the largest amount of calories that you can, you need to maintain a fluid run or walk. You can't do this on a manual treadmill because they have no push to them. When you ease up and slow down, so will it. A manual treadmill makes it nearly impossible to maintain a consistent and regulated workout. Yes, you will probably burn some extra calories as you continually work to keep the momentum going. However, in the long run, more calories will be burned if you stay at a consistent and regulated pace like you would on motorized treadmills.

Another major drawback to manual treadmills is their inclines cannot be adjusted during a workout. Unlike a motorized treadmill, there is no button to push to bring the incline back down. You have to stop in the middle of your workout, get off the machine, adjust the height, get back on and then bust your tail to get the belt moving again! This is not only a major inconvenience, but it results in a very inefficient workout. They also have no exercise programs to keep your workouts challenging and interesting.

The price of a manual treadmill may make it appear like a good investment, but anyone who is serious about exercise should see why it is not. The good news is you can find used motorized treadmills for just a few hundred dollars more than manual treadmills. Also, there are many budget friendly motorized treadmills like the Smooth 5.25 that won't break the bank.

Taking a few extra months to save your money for a motorized treadmill is well worth the wait. Your joints will not be as stressed on a motorized treadmill, you will have better workouts and your workout time will be anything but boring.