[Darley]

I'm a 19 year old student with 180 quid to spend on an automatic treadmill( small budget, admittedly).

I've been looking for the last couple weeks for a motorised treadmill that I can jg or slowly run on, but I don't know what treadmill speeds will allow me to do so.

I've found one treadmill inside the price range after two weeks, and it's the one below

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Confidence...item58917b0133

I'd have purchased it already but I want to check whether on not the speed is something that is appropriate for what I want to use it for. I'm not too ashamed to say I'm quite out of shape at just over 14 stone, the result of having most of my friends move away to greener and cleaner pastures.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/REFURBS-BO...item5894e8f8a7

i've seen this also, but I've no clue how it compares to the treadmill.

[c4rv]

anything that gets you out of breath is fine.

If you want most bang for bucks (so to speak) then a rowing machine would offer a better all round workout.

TBH, if I was you, I would not spend any money and begin with brisk walking to start getting into shape.

Then have a google for 0 to 5k or coach to 5k programs which are designed to get unfit people up and moving.

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/c25k/Page...o-5k-plan.aspx


There is actually a treadmill and road version here,
http://www.c25k.com/

[bspace]

at a tangent i know, but a treadmill by itself isn't really giving you a balanced workout
as a student hasn't your college/university got a subsidised gym?

and to be honest, if your looking to lose weight then diet combined with moderate exercise (cycling etc)
will give you results

[Darley]

Originally Posted by c4rv

anything that gets you out of breath is fine.

If you want most bang for bucks (so to speak) then a rowing machine would offer a better all round workout.

TBH, if I was you, I would not spend any money and begin with brisk walking to start getting into shape.

Then have a google for 0 to 5k or coach to 5k programs which are designed to get unfit people up and moving.

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/c25k/Page...o-5k-plan.aspx


There is actually a treadmill and road version here,
http://www.c25k.com/

It may sound to you like an excuse, but do believe me when I say I live in an area I'd rather not have to spend more time than i need to in.

If you Google Nunsthorpe Grimsby, you'll soon see why.

That treadmill guide that you provided looks quite useful, so I'll definitely have that bookmarked for further reading when I can put it into practice

The reason I'm going for a treadmill rather than a rowing machine is space more than anything. A rowing machine can't be folded so that It can fit propped up into a garage containing a car. Space is definitely an issue, but then again, so is power, due to no sockets in the garage meaning it's tied somewhat between them.

Originally Posted by bspace

at a tangent i know, but a treadmill by itself isn't really giving you a balanced workout
as a student hasn't your college/university got a subsidised gym?

and to be honest, if your looking to lose weight then diet combined with moderate exercise (cycling etc)
will give you results

It(my college) does have a gym, yes, but that Gym is exclusive for sports students, if I remember correctly,

[~Minky~]

Personally I think treadmills that small are too small to be useful, they're not comfortable to exercise on every day. I speak from experience!

I'd spend the money on a decent bike.

You may not like your area but you must be able to cycle somewhere that's ok?

[briancbb]

6km/h is about 4 mph, a reasonably fast walk speed. To run, jog, you need 10km/h at least, probably up to 15km/h.

[c4rv]

Originally Posted by briancbb

6km/h is about 4 mph, a reasonably fast walk speed. To run, jog, you need 10km/h at least, probably up to 15km/h.

about 5km/h is brisk walking, 10 would be running for a beginner. 7 to 8 would definitely be enough to break into a job.

As for rowing machines, something like this folds up pretty well,

http://www.amazon.co.uk/York-Fitness...657829&sr=8-15


and you can pick them pretty cheap on ebay. Mine was barely used and under £100.

[LongBallPlease]

I'm 6 foot 2 and 5km/h is the lowest I can jog at, anything below that feels awkward to jog, I was at 7km/h yesterday and it was a steady jog speed (recovering from ACL operation).

I know about that area of Grimsby, I wouldn't jog around it either, lol.

[Darley]

Thanks to you all for the advice. I'm taking it all is gratefully and happily. I think i'm settled on getting a rowing machine, will will allow me to put the rest of the money towards whatever is needed next, since as far my the research I've done indicates, the rowing machine is only slightly less effective as burning calories, but better because of the larger numbers of areas it helps build muscle, with the side affect of burning calories for a longer time after finishing the work out.

and to LongBallPlease, hope your recovery goes perfectly!

[c4rv]

Originally Posted by Darley

Thanks to you all for the advice. I'm taking it all is gratefully and happily. I think i'm settled on getting a rowing machine, will will allow me to put the rest of the money towards whatever is needed next, since as far my the research I've done indicates, the rowing machine is only slightly less effective as burning calories, but better because of the larger numbers of areas it helps build muscle, with the side affect of burning calories for a longer time after finishing the work out.

and to LongBallPlease, hope your recovery goes perfectly!

You are doing something wrong if you are burning less calories on a rowing machine then on a jogging machine. You should be using legs, core and upper body. Most people find they can get breathless easier on a treadmill that rowing machine because you are using more muscle groups on a rowing to spread the load (and spreading the build up of lactic acid), you can actually train harder and longer on a rowing machine.

Also its a low impact exercise which will result in fewer injury risks.

There is some more information about training intensities here. Also interval or HIIT (short bursts of high activity followed by recovery) is now considered to be more effective then going at a continuous pace.

http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/...es.asp?id=1044