With the advent of winter many people are starting to consider alternatives to exercising outdoors. One option, that is growing in popularity, is having your own home gym. And the most popular fitness equipment for your home is a treadmill. With your own treadmill you have the following benefits:

Avoid Adverse Weather - With a treadmill you are in a controlled environment, no matter how miserable the weather is outdoors. And exercising in the comfort of your home gives you one less excuse not to exercise.

Avoid Pollution - Running or walking outdoors on a high ozone day can make you feel like you've been beat up. With your own treadmill you avoid the dangerous conditions of pollution.

Injury Prevention - Most quality treadmills have shock absorbing designs. In addition, the belts and cushion your impact and the deck absorbs shock. Even more important is the fact that the surface of a treadmill is very stable. There are no cracks or obstructions for you to twist an ankle.

Challenging Programs - Treadmills offer a variety of challenging programs that can make your workout a pleasure and will encourage your to lose weight, burn calories and get into shape. With interval training you can maximize your exercising by simulating hills running or walking.

If we agree that a treadmill makes sense, the challenge is selecting the right brand that will give you the best value. There are countless models ranging in price from $200 to $7,000. Some are built to self destruct in a short period of time, while others are built like tanks to withstand commercial use.

In regards to home treadmills, it is important to look at not only the product, but the company that backs it up. One company you may want to consider is Smooth Fitness. They were one of the first to sell fitness equipment online, including treadmills. They not only sell treadmills, but they are also responsible for servicing them. There are number of online retailers that simply sell the treadmill and then turn over the customer service to the manufacturer. Getting repairs can be a nightmare.

It is important to consider the entire package and not just the lowest price. Because if you have a problem or issue with your treadmill, you want to make sure that you purchase from a company that stands behind their product.

Smooth Fitness has a good service record. In addition to having a 30 day return policy, if your treadmill has a service problem within a year they will send a repair professional to your home.

Their models start at $1,000, which includes delivery. For some that may seem expensive, but the reality is anything below that price and you start getting questionable quality. In fact, we recommend for a walking treadmill you spend a minimum of $1,000 to ensure that you get a machine that will hold up.

Currently Smooth sells their 5.25 for $999. This is a folding treadmill with a 20" wide belt and a powerful 2.5 HP continuous duty motor. It has decent electronics and is a sturdy 195 lbs. Their other treadmills include the 7.1, which was designated a "Best Buy" from Treadmill Doctor. And at the top end they have the 9.25 models, built for serious runners.

The Smooth Fitness treadmills have received numerous ratings and reviews. Below is a partial list of independent groups and businesses that have reviewed Smooth Treadmills.