Treadmill

Used sensibly, a treadmill provides an excellent form of cardio workout and is great for burning calories and losing weight. To choose the correct treadmill for your health and diet needs, do some online research or speak to a certified personal trainer.

As with all exercise, you have to weigh up the pros and cons of using a treadmill. Walking on a treadmill shouldn't do any damage but long-term jogging or running on a treadmill can put a strain on your knee joints. If you're new to treadmill use, build up gradually and take a breather if your joints start to complain. On the plus side, using a treadmill is a great form of high-impact exercise, necessary for building and maintaining bone density.

In 1911, Claude Lauraine Hagen patented a 'training-machine' in the USA featuring a treadmill belt. It wasn't until 1952, however, that the first motorised treadmill was invented by Dr Robert A Bruce (an expert in Exercise Cardiology) as a diagnostic tool. The home treadmill as we know it today was created in the late 1960s by William Staub, a mechanical engineer. The basic technology has changed little since then.

To burn fat on a treadmill you need to reach and exercise at your fat-burning heart rate. This is when you use up most calories per minute. Generally, this fat-burning zone is 70% of your maximum heart rate. Your treadmill instructions should guide you through the calculations for this.

If you're not sure whether a treadmill is for you or you don't have the budget for the upfront costs, then treadmill hire can be arranged through reputable sports equipment rental companies such as HomeGym, Hire Fitness or Fitness For Hire.