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The more you want to use it, the more we would recommend that you go for high quality treadmills.

When you understand the basics of a quality treadmill, then it will be easy to find one that is perfect for your home and budget.

Long or short workouts determine the quality of motor you need for your treadmill.

I usually end my treadmill routine with about 15 minutes of quality stretching.

Researches have shown, that during exercising most people forget to breath deeply or they are unable to integrate their breathing pattern with the exercises causing them muscle pain and fatigue after the workout.

Exercise Challenge of the Week - Find Your Focus
The other day I was working out at the gym and I caught myself doing about 10 things to distract myself from my boring treadmill workout. Not only was I listening to my iPod, I was watching TV, monitoring a woman in the weight room (had to make sure she was doing all her reps) and watching the guy in front of me as he methodically and endlessly flipped through 100 or so channels on his little treadmill TV. There's never anything good on, is there?

If you've caught yourself zoning out the same way, maybe you're ready for a new challenge: Focusing on your workouts. I know, it's a crazy idea, but stay with me here.

Zoning out isn't always a bad thing. If you're doing a steady, rhythmic workout, you let your body go through the motions while your mind roams free. You can solve problems, make mental to-do lists or list all the things you would say to your boss if only you didn't have to worry about getting fired.

But there are times when distraction can actually keep you from getting an effective workout. You see, the body is awfully sneaky and it will cheat if given a chance. During squats, your body will think, "Gee, these squats make my butt burn. I wonder how I can make them less painful?" Next thing you know, you're only squatting a few inches, your shoulders are rounded forward and we won't even discuss what your knees are probably doing.

Bringing a little focus to your form and exercises can make them more effective. Yes, it's harder to do the exercises correctly but, in the long run, that good form is what you need to get a strong, fit body.

With that in mind, your challenge this week, should you choose to accept it, is to find focus during each of your workouts:

• Focus on Cardio: If you usually zone out during cardio, your challenge is to turn off the music or shut the magazine for at least 5 minutes during your workout. Focus on what you're doing - how your body is moving, how hard your heart is beating and how you feel. Are you using good posture or are your shoulders rounded forward? Is your stride smooth or jerky? Pay attention to these things and make corrections if you find your form is sloppy.
• Focus on Strength: During your strength workout, plant yourself in front of a mirror during at least 3 of your exercises. Watch yourself go through each motion with slow, controlled reps and pay attention to your form while thinking about the muscles you're working. Do each and every rep with perfect form. Shout, "Dang, you look good!" whenever the mood strikes.
• Focus on Flexibility: Instead of blowing through your stretches (or skipping them), give yourself plenty of time to stretch all your muscles. Spend at least 15 seconds on each stretch and concentrate on gently lengthening your muscles. This is your chance to enjoy the effects of your workout.

Vote in this week's poll: How do you feel about exercise?
Trying to convince someone of the importance of exercise is probably a lot like trying to teach kids the importance of learning things math and English. Some day, they appreciate those things but, until then, they usually think it's a big waste of time.

Exercise is sort of the same way. Until you feel the benefits for yourself, you may understand intellectually why it's important but that does nothing to motivate you to actually do it. I've had clients who claim to hate exercise and I can talk about how great it is until I'm blue in the face, but no one likes a blue-faced trainer who talks too much.

The truth is, you have to exercise for awhile before you experience the many, many perks - More energy, better sleep, a sense of self-satisfaction and, of course, losing weight. Many people give up before get to that point. Maybe it's frustration, maybe it's confusion, maybe they really do hate to exercise - or, it's all of the above.

I'm curious about you? How do you really feel about exercise? Do you have a love/hate affair or perhaps there's no love there at all? Maybe you're on the other side, someone who loves physical movement and couldn't imagine your life without it. Vote in this week's poll and tell us about it.

Vote in this week's poll: How do you feel about exercise? originally appeared on About.com Exercise on Monday, July 26th, 2010 at 05:00:49.

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