Getting a treadmill in your home or office is a great way to train for competition, lose weight, and/or stay fit. You can work out when you feel like and you don’t have the ongoing gym membership fees. Get rid of the notion that you need to spend 3, 4, 5 thousand dollars or more for a decent treadmill. More and more treadmills are quite good with price tags under $1,000.
Running Space
It’s hard to know how much running space you need until you actually try different lengths. Granted the running surface size at 20″ wide by 55″ long is not ideal – but it’s good enough if you aren’t well over 6 feet tall. In fact the Horizon Fitness T101 is ideal for walkers and joggers. If you are over 6 feet tall you might want a 60″ long running surface. Also, if you’re into doing lunges or any type of walking/running requiring a long gait, then your best bet is a 60″ long running surface. The issue is usually length and not width. The 20 inch wide surface is very common among home treadmills.
Motor Horsepower
Reading about horsepower is different than using horsepower. Unless you try treadmills with different power levels, you won’t know how much power you need. It’s true the Horizon Fitness T101 only has a 2.25 horsepower motor – but then not everyone wants or needs 3.0 horsepower. Now, if you’re a serious runner and so sprints, you might want a larger motor. That said, smaller motors produce less noise and at the end of the day cost more money. Motor size is not the be all and end all – remember you’re buying the best treadmill for you. Experiment with different treadmills to get the right amount of power for you.
Preset Workout Programs
Doing the same old running or walking routine can get boring. Built-in workout programs make it easy to vary your routines. How does the Horizon Fitness T101 shine? The built-in programmed workout programs are many and the workout options are plenty. With 12 workout programs, you’ll find a workout program that suits you. If you don’t want the hassle of coming up with your own workout – just hit a few buttons on the console and the T101 computer will step you through a programmed workout. But, if you like doing your own workout – no problem, you can that as well. Another benefit of built-in workout programs is you can train for specific goals. Let the computer do the work for you.
Cushioning
Treadmill makers are pretty smart. They know a lot of runners have trouble with joint pain running on pavement. If you’re just starting your treadmill research, I bet you didn’t know that some treadmills come with a cushioning feature? And the Horizon Fitness T101 is no exception. Running on the T101 tread deck is softer than running on pavement. Now don’t go looking for treadmill with loads of cushioning, because if you’ve run on sand you know that too much softness makes for a totally different kind of workout altogether. Running on a super soft surface won’t be representative of your true running and walking performance. If you can’t run for prolonged periods of time on pavement, then a treadmill with cushioning could be the answer for you.
Hill Running
One other nice benefit of a treadmill in your home (this may be a curse) is you can run hills any time and for as long as you like with the adjustable incline mechanism. The Horizon T101 is outfitted with a top incline of 10 percent.
Folding Feature
There are far more treadmills that fold than don’t fold. It’s not really a unique feature, but for some people it’s a must-have feature. Are you short on space? Then take advantage of the Horizon T101 folding feature. When you’re done working out, get it out of the way by folding it and storing it in a closet or behind a screen. The Horizon T101 folds which is good if you require a fold up treadmill.
Next, read this in-depth HealthRider H95t Treadmill review at Treadmill Reviews HQ.