Treadmill Buying Guide


Treadmill Header

As home gyms become increasingly popular, it is important to know what considerations to take when searching for home treadmills. The most important benefits of having access to a treadmill at your own home are that you can have an increased activity level and also increase your overall health. With that said, you will need to consider what features are important to you when buying a new treadmill. The majority of people pay attention to the size, incline levels, and maximum speed of the treadmill. These are all important factors to consider; however, you'll also want to pay close attention to the treadmill motor and the included technology as well. Through this treadmill buying guide, our experts will walk you through several key considerations, with the hope that you know what to look for when buying a treadmill.

Understanding Treadmill Terminology

Treadmill Parts

Before explaining the different features that make up a treadmill, there are a few commonly used treadmill terms to understand. A diagram with labels is shown to give you a visual representation of a treadmill. As you can see, the treadmill is comprised of four main portions. 


  1. The deck of the treadmill is where you do your walking or running. 
  2. The motor of the treadmill is where the power is created to rotate the treadmill’s belt. 
  3. The platform cushion of the treadmill helps absorb shock when you are running or walking. 
  4. The display of the treadmill presents workout information and allows you to increase or decrease speed and incline. 


Treadmill Size

Treadmill Size

A treadmill’s size is comprised of its height, width, length, and weight. Two frequently asked questions that you need to determine are: How much space do I have for a treadmill? and How much treadmill deck space do I need? Most treadmills have a standard width of 35-inches or more, so you'll want to make sure that you have plenty of space. As for the deck length, it depends if you're wanting to use your home treadmill for walking or running. Many people enjoy the capability to hop on their treadmill and walk for miles while others enjoy going for a quick run. With that said, when you run, you have a longer stride length so you'll need a treadmill with a longer surface area. 

We recommend: 


  • A deck length of 50-inches or longer for someone doing a majority of walking on their treadmill. 
  • A deck length of 55-inches or longer for someone that will be participating in walking and running on a regular basis. 
  • A deck length of 60-inches or longer for individuals that are 6-feet 2-inches or taller and will also be doing a majority of running.

Treadmill Motor CHP & Shock Absorption

Treadmill Motor CHP

The mechanical side of the treadmill can seem intimidating but we hope to simplify it for you. Most treadmill motors are measured in continuous duty horsepower (CHP). The higher the CHP of the motor, the more efficient and durable the treadmill’s motor will be. To measure CHP, manufacturers will measure the ability of the motor to maintain the horsepower it is rated for without lagging or slowing down for a continuous amount of time. In the case of a treadmill, the motor’s main responsibility is turning the belt. 

In a similar way, the shock absorption system will also improve your experience on a treadmill by minimizing the impact on your ankles, knees, and hips. The “pounding” nature of the feet hitting the treadmill can cause a variety of overuse injuries. Higher-quality treadmills will have softer landing decks for less impact on the joints. 

We recommend:


  • A motor CHP of 2.5 or higher if you will only be walking on your treadmill.
  • A motor CHP of 2.75 or higher if you will be running and walking on your treadmill. 


Note: We do recommend getting a 2.75 CHP or higher treadmill motor regardless of your activity level just in case you or someone else wants to use the treadmill for running.

Treadmill Speed and Incline

Treadmill Speed and Incline

All treadmills give you an option to increase or decrease your speed and incline to best fit your workout regimen. The standard maximum speeds of most treadmills fall between 10-12 MPH. Treadmills that support top speeds of 10 MPH are adequate for most people, but runners who are training for a 5-minute mile will want machines with higher top speeds. In addition, most treadmill decks have a max incline of 10-12 percent. Top-of-the-line treadmills can be inclined to 15% or 20%. Knowing this information will be key when deciding what top speed and incline are necessary for you.

Treadmill Extra Features

Treadmill additional features

The majority of all treadmills have common features like fans, audio auxiliary, speakers, and storage compartments. We will go over some additional treadmill features that may be different depending on the treadmill you are looking at. We will explain automated treadmill workouts, iFit, JRNY, and Heart Rate Monitoring.

Automated Treadmill Workouts

Plenty of people can hop on a treadmill and only use the manual function to control their speed and incline. However, an increasing amount of treadmills have touchscreen displays that have built-in workout programs that control the speed and incline of the treadmill for you. These displays have preloaded workout options that you can choose to enhance your experience with the treadmill. 

iFit & JRNY Virtual Programs

Beyond the preloaded workouts, there are apps like iFit from ICON that sync with ProForm treadmills. iFit gives you a virtual experience with a personal trainer to help keep you active. It is a paid app that offers you access to virtual courses around the world with its partnership with Google Maps. In addition, Bowflex treadmills also offer a paid workout app called JRNY that gives you the option of 50+ stunning HD destinations that you can explore at your own pace. You can also stream Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, and more while you work out with JRNY.

Treadmill Heart Rate Monitoring

Most of all treadmills have EKG heart rate monitoring handlebar grips to track your heart rate. Higher-quality treadmills offer wireless heart rate monitoring pairing capabilities. This feature allows you to pair a heart rate monitoring arm strap with your treadmill through Bluetooth in order to display your continuous heart rate. Industry-leading treadmills will include the heart rate monitoring arm strap with the treadmill.

At ERLEBNISWELT-FLIEGENFISCHEN, we want you to find the treadmill that fits your lifestyle so you can be active and live a healthier lifestyle from the comfort of your home. The main treadmill considerations that we covered and want you to think about are treadmill size, motor CHP, shock absorption, maximum speed, maximum incline, and optional additional features. If you have additional questions about our treadmill selection, please contact your nearest ERLEBNISWELT-FLIEGENFISCHEN to speak with a fitness expert today.