Free Article Publishing http://www.8nod.com/rss.php Free Article Collection en-us Wed, 07 Jan 2009 08:58:58 EST Wed, 07 Jan 2009 08:58:58 EST http://www.8nod.com Discover the Power of 3x5 Cards! http://www.8nod.com/postshow.php?pid=9123 <p>The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex, overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one. Mark Twain</p> <p>Do you ever feel overwhelmed by all there is to do and all thats on your brain? Its so important when you feel overwhelmed to STOP and regroup. That feels counterintuitive to us since when we feel stress the logical thing is to try and work harder. But thats not what you should do. Take time to think about all that has to be done.</p> <p>Go out and purchase some really cool colored 3x5 index cards. My favorite color for the cards is neon green! Then when you feel overwhelmed take out the cards and write down one thought on each card. Perhaps one says go to the grocery store, another says call Mary, and another says clean out e-mail inbox. Keep going until you feel like your brain is completely drained. Then look at all the cards and ask yourself What is the most efficient use of my time right now? Take that card and turn it over. Then ask Whats the 2nd most important thing to do? Take that card and turn it over on top of the 1st card. Keep going until all the cards are turned over. Then flip the pile over and you have your thoughts in a logical order and in the priority in which they should be done.</p> <p>If any of the cards is a large project take the project and break it down into small tasks with a card for each task.</p> <p>Other uses:</p> <p>To get the kids to help: Write a chore down one per card, let the kids each pick 1 or 2 cards from the deck (they cant see them) and send them off and watch things get done. Put a reward on the back that they get when they hand the card back in.</p> <p>When youre on the road: Take 12 - 3x5 cards and clip them with a small colored binder clip keep in your purse or pocket. As youre out and about and think of things that you need to do write one item per card. When you get back home or to the office put them in your In basket and you wont have to try and remember all those great things you though of when you were out.</p> <p>Getting organized: Look around the room and write down one area that needs to get organized on each card. Kitchen areas might be refrigerator, pantry, south cupboards, north cupboards, etc. Shuffle the cards around and whatever one ends up on top DO IT!</p> <p>Discover the power of 3x5 cards! They are the most inexpensive and simple way to get control back of your day and your life!</p> <p>Elizabeth Hagen is a dynamic and inspiring productivity expert and speaker who has motivated thousands to take action and get organized. She is President of ElizabethHagen.com and works with overwhelmed people to help them get focused, organized, and more productive. Her latest book Organize Your Life Today! is a 4-cd set and workbook that will change your life! Subscribe to Elizabeth's free ezine "Extraordinary Results" at http://www.organizeyourlifetoday.com and receive the "Family CEO Toolkit: Organizing Your Kitchen for Extraordinary Results" as her gift to you.</p> <p> <br>Rss AD How Can Fat Burning Supplements Be Improved To Attack Obesity More Effectively? http://www.8nod.com/postshow.php?pid=9122 <p>More and more scientists and supplement manufacturers are realizing that weight loss or fat burning supplements are associated with thermogenesis. They have also gathered more knowledge about the causes of obesity. In particular they have studied how brown adipose tissue - which is tissue composed of animal fat - are related to obesity. This knowledge is vital in combating obesity which we have more than enough of in our part of the world. Now, what is thermogenesis? According to The American Heritage Stedman's Medical Dictionary it is</p> <p>"Generation or production of heat, especially by physiological processes"</p> <p>and according to Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary it is</p> <p>"the production of heat especially in the body"</p> <p>So, what has the body's production of heat to do with animal fat and weight loss? Well, our bodies have three types of thermogenic processes;</p> <p><b>Exercise induced heat production</b>. Our muscles create heat as they work because they function much better when warm.</p> <p><b>Body temperature regulation</b>. Shivering when you get cold is an example of this type of thermogenesis.</p> <p>Now, what the manufacturers of weight loss supplements are most interested in is the third type of thermogenesis and this is the thermogenic process <b>induced by diets</b>. How does this process work? When we consume food, the energy it takes to digest the food comes from our brown adipose tissue or fat. This fat is located around blood vessels and major organs, and warms up the blood as it is stimulated. More and more scientists now believe that the activity of adipose tissue is a vital component of obesity. Research has shown that obese people have much less brown fat activity, and thus less energy burned by thermogenesis which in it's turn can cause weight gain problems.</p> <p>What weight loss supplements tries to do is activate the brown fat without any food consumption. This way the brown fat will instead use up calories from white fatty tissue with decreased size of fat cells as a result. The battle against obesity will in many cases be won when the supplements can handle this process perfectly.</p> <p><b>Terje Brooks Ellingsen</b> is a writer and internet marketer who enjoys to write about weight loss and fitness issues like workout and negative calorie food. Check out his website 11-Weight-Loss.net.</p> <p> <br>Rss AD Dont Use Web Audio The Wrong Way http://www.8nod.com/postshow.php?pid=9121 <p>Have you ever wrestled with a set of instructions, but then got so frustrated with it all that you threw them aside in a fluster and tried to figure out how to do it yourself?</p> <p>Resulting inMaking a great big mess of it all?</p> <p>Similarly, if you really want to use Web Audio the right way, the way that WORKS, then you need to know what DOESN'T work.</p> <p>Here's what many people do, pretty systematically to hinder their marketing and audio responses:</p> <p>1. Speaking into the microphone without a care for what they're saying, how they're saying it and, without any regard to who's listening! That's pretty scary. Mumbling along without paying any attention to the small details. It's what could sink the hopes of many FAST!</p> <p>SIMPLE SOLUTION - Write out a little script. Then, rehearse it. After that, record it several times. Finally, choose the best of the lot and use it. See, I told you it was pretty simple.</p> <p>2. Some feel that hiring a 'PROFESSIONAL' or 'DJ', to record the voice audio, is the way to go. Now, for some, that may seem a reasonable way out, but what's likely to happen is that the websites' PERSONALITY loses its authenticity. Somehow, most of us can detect when things seem out of sync. When things seem a little too SLICK!</p> <p>SIMPLE SOLUTION - If you really want to get someone else to do the voice audio for you, then make sure they've got a warm, natural personality that shines through in their voice. It'll win people over.</p> <p>3. Sending the recorded audio message to your website, and then FORGETTING ABOUT IT! Have you ever dialled a phone number, got an answer machine message that was either way out of date or just plain irrelevant? What an unprofessional image to portray. Well, that's why NOT attending to what's on your messages, could cripple you more than you'd know!</p> <p>SIMPLE SOLUTION - Keep your audio updated! I'm not saying that you have to micro-manage it and change it every other day. But, keeping your messages fresh, alive and full of valuable, useful and usable information that addresses the needs of your audience is what'll keep them loyal, attentive and eager to receive your future messages!</p> <p>4. Leaving your audience mentally floating, not knowing what to do next. Have you ever experienced a scenario similar to this one: Whilst waiting on a train platform, an announcement is made to the waiting passengers as follows,</p> <p>"due to a fault on the line, please expect further delays".</p> <p>I'm in no doubt at all that this announcement would have left the passengers feeling concerned, confused and wondering what to do next. What the announcer should have taken the time to add is as follows,</p> <p>"as we have not received any information from our control centre indicating the expected length of delay, you may like to consider hopping on bus number 19, leaving the bus stop adjacent to the station entrance in 7 minutes time. Otherwise, please continue to listen for further announcements, which we will endeavour to make every five minutes. Please also accept our sincere apologies for the delay and any inconvenience this may have caused you".</p> <p>SIMPLE SOLUTION: People are silently begging to be told what to do next. If you can lead them to a specific outcome, they'll be putty in your hands! Whether it's instructions to go to a specific toll free number to get more information, or something they have to activate, like a membership number, whatever it is tell them PRECISELY how to do it.</p> <p>Web Audio, used correctly, will have a dramatic impact on the way in which your customers respond to you. They'll be so 'stuck' on your website and addicted to your audio messages, that you'll soon be sending out birthday cards to them!</p> <p>FLASH AUDIO WIZARD has a simple in-built technology that'll give you the website personality you've always dreamed of. It's simple to use. It's easy to get started. Why not get your website 'speaking', today? Just visit www.FlashAudioWizard.com</p> <p>Copyright 2004 Nick James</p> <p>About The Author</p> <p>Nick James is a UK based direct marketer and product developer. During the last 3 years Nick has sold in excess of ?1 Million of products and services. Subscribe to his Free Tip Of The Week at: www.Nick-James.com New Product: www.FlashAudioWizard.com.</p> <p> <br>Rss AD UFO Spotted Over Overland Park in 2004 http://www.8nod.com/postshow.php?pid=9120 <p>It started out as a tiny star, barely a speck in the sky, at 10:37 p.m. approximately. A reddish colored dot, hardly noticeable until it began to change color as it get bigger, or closer, changing from red to blue to a bright red and finally to a true gold, not yellow, not orange, but a true gold as it became incredibly bright and huge. It was bright enough to cast a shadow, not like a ray or beam of light, but rather from an overall gold glow. Hovering Quietly Not making a sound, not rustling the leaves or making any breeze. It just got bigger, closer, brighter, golder. Much bigger than an airplane. Then, suddenly, it began to dart across the sky, rapidly, like on a straight line. Then, just as rapidly, without stopping, it changed direction and darted back towards its once previous position. Closer. Then it would begin rising and moving further away, only to suddenly become bigger again as it would quickly begin coming closer once again.</p> <p>Two witnesses noticed the red light from their windows and followed it, getting interested enough to go downstairs and outside to gain a better look. Two witnesses, one a woman, one a man, told matching tales of the object, agreeing on every last detail. Twice I tried to trick them by mentioning yellow or green lights but instead they would correct me saying it was red, then blue, then bright red, then an extremely bright glowing gold color, NOT yellow they would insist. No matter how hard I tried to sway them from their statements, they remained consistent and adamant.</p> <p>This writer knows both witnesses well, and knows they are not the type or types to fashion some hairbrained scheme or story. The woman is a teacher of children, dedicated to bettering the life of young children. The man is a responsible businessperson, the manager of a successful business. Neither take drugs. Neither were drinking, not even so much as a thimbleful of cough medicine between them. No, it was not in their heads it was real. Actual visions of something mysterious, frightening, and, perhaps, menacing. Both got spooked and sought shelter. Both continued to watch it behind locked doors. For over twenty minutes it would come, go, dart one direction for several seconds then dart back. Changing colors as it got closer or farther away. Finally, it moved mostly North, slightly West, perhaps NNW as it became only a reddish spark in the sky, until finally it had moved so far that it could no longer be seen, hidden by trees and the many miles with which it was traveling away.</p> <p>Zach F. saw it first. He frequently watches planes come and go at the nearby municipal airport. He knows an airplane or a helicopter when he sees one. He knows where planes land and take off from and the basic locations of all the small airports, and major ones, in the area. Zach knows planes and helicopters. He does not know of objects that can change speed and direction so abruptly and change colors so totally. Certainly not an object as large as this. Trisha M. knows what she saw, the whole experience indelibly imprinted into her memory banks by the importance and significance she felt as she witnessed it. This is not right, was an everpresent thought, so she watched carefully and noted each and every detail, not knowing what might be important.</p> <p>An eerie thirty minute experience that will require some answers for two quite shaken witnesses and this inquisitive writer, who fully believes their identical, corroborated stories, but neither authorities, nor the media are interested in hearing their story. One can only wonder "Why?" Surely there cannot be some vast comspiracy could exist regarding UFOs, can there? More likely is that they saw some new hush-hush experimental military vehicle. Perhaps in ten or twenty years, classified documents can be declassified and made public about a highly maneuverable, extremely fast military vehicle that can change color and direction at will. Only then might we learn the truth.</p> <p>Mark Robert Fisher is a freelance writer/journalist and entrepreneur, a member of the International Press Association and the National Writer's Union. Mark has been published in the US, UK, and Europe. He is available via his website: http://www.excellentkc.com/boatrocker.html</p> <p> <br>Rss AD Muscle Building Supplements - How To Choose The Right Ones http://www.8nod.com/postshow.php?pid=9119 <p>If you just walked into the health store to purchase muscle building supplements, you are probably lost, confused and being pushed a dozen products by the salesman. But, how do you know which supplements are the right products for your goals? There are various levels of muscle building supplements and some may not be right for you. But, there are a handful that are excellent choices for anyone looking to build muscle.</p> <p>Remember, you dont always need these supplements to build muscle, but these will definitely accelerate you towards your goals. They work as a tool to help you increase your potential for muscular development. They help in muscle growth, and quicker recovery times. Some important ingredients of muscle building supplements are:</p> <p>Protein: The protein supplements are full of amino acids which are the building blocks for your muscles. Make sure that you include a supplement that takes into account proteins. You can take up to one to two grams of protein per pound of your weight. If you dont want to take them in a pill form, get the protein through shakes or even bars. Also, look for those that contain eggs, whey, soy or casein.</p> <p>Creatine: The next important ingredient in the supplement you choose should be creatine. It will help to increase muscle mass by decreasing muscle fatigue and improving muscle recovery. It helps to increase something called ATP which is an energy source that will allow you to do more reps of higher weight. It is recommended that this should be taken in cycles e.g. four weeks on it then two weeks off of it.</p> <p>Micro-nutrients multivitamins and multiminerals: Many people mistakenly assume that they are getting enough vitamins and minerals through their normal diet. Unfortunately, this is not the case. We would have to consume extremely large quantities of food to get the recommended daily intake. An easier approach would be to supplement our diet with a good quality multi-vitamin/multi-mineral supplement. If you do not have one specific mineral in your diet, this can slow down your ability to develop muscles or improve your health.</p> <p>Mike Singh is the publisher of http://www.1-stop-fitness.com/ On his website he provides articles about womens health and fitness and adjustable weight benches.</p> <p> <br>Rss AD Read This Article if You Love Sushi http://www.8nod.com/postshow.php?pid=9118 <p>Do you love good Sushi? What is it about raw fish that is so enjoyable to eat? A slab of your favorite Sashimi can truly make your day. You know if I were a shark in the ocean, I think I might be very happy, swimming around eating my favorite sushi. Of course being a Dolphin would be cool too. And just think how much less it would cost to eat rather than cruising into an expensive Japanese Restaurant? Just swim up to your most tasty choice for the day, pick from the menu and take a bite size sample and smile. Sounds good doesnt it.</p> <p>It appears the taste for sushi is an acquired taste to many in the Western World but an innate taste in Asian and other countries. Yet we all know that seafood has been one of mankinds favorite dishes for thousands of years. In fact most of human civilizations live near the water, probably because this is where we have always gotten much of our food.</p> <p>Thus it stands to reason from an evolutionary standpoint that humans would automatically like sushi? Although some say; why would anyone eat raw fish? Well, because it is great and you need to explain this to friends and treat them to sushi so they understand why people love sushi so much. Think on this.</p> <p>"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/</p> <p> <br>Rss AD Who is Customs Broker in Russia http://www.8nod.com/postshow.php?pid=9117 <p>1. A customs broker (agent) is defined as a Russian juridical person included in the Register of Customs Brokers (Proxies). A state entity may not be certified as a customs broker (agent). <br> 2. A customs broker (agent) acts as an agent for a declarant or of another interested person performing a customs operation pursuant to the terms and conditions set forth by Russian Customs Code. <br> 3. A customs broker (agent) has the right to confine the sphere of its activities to customs operations with specific kinds of merchandise as per the Nomenclature of Goods subject to Foreign Trade, or to customs operations with the goods and commodities conveyed across the customs border by specific means of transport, or to individual customs operations, or to the customs operations limited by the framework of a region covered by one (several) customs office (customs offices). <br> 4. The relations between a customs broker (agent), the declarants and other interested persons are established on a contractual basis. A customs broker (agent) is not permitted to refuse to conclude a contract for a service or an operation if it has requisite facilities for providing such service or for carrying out such operation. <br> <br> </p> <p>Terms of Entry onto the Register of Customs Brokers <br> The terms of entry onto the Register of Customs brokers are as follows: <br> 1. Availability in the applicants staff of a minimum of two certified specialists in customs clearance in possession of the respective qualification licences; <br> 2. Availability of complete original authorised (equity) capital, authorised investment fund or of the applicants share therein; <br> 3. Guarantee of dutiable payments; <br> 4. Availability of the applicants civil liability insurance policy, which may occur as a result of damage, caused to the property belonging to represented persons or due to a breach by the customs broker of its agreements with such persons. The minimal insurance premium thereto should amount to 20 million roubles. <br> <br> </p> <p>The Rights of a Customs Broker (agent) <br> 1. In carrying out customs operations a customs broker (agent) shall have the same rights as the juridical person that has empowered the customs broker (agent) to represent its interests in its relations with the customs authorities. <br> 2. A customs broker (agent) has the right to warrant of the customs authorities, on behalf of the person it represents, fulfilment of the obligations assumed by said person with regard to guaranteed payment of customs duties and taxes if provisions of Russian Customs Code require a guarantee for such payments. <br> 3. A customs broker (agent) has the right to demand that the person he represents furnish the documents and the information that may be required for fulfilling customs clearance procedures including the documents containing sensitive information constituting commercial, banking and other secrets protected by law or any other requisite confidential information and to obtain such documents and such information within the prescribed time limits ensuring observance of the provisions of Russian Customs Code. <br> 4. At the instance of signing a contract with the person to be represented the customs broker (agent) has the right: <br> - to offer various discounts with regard to remuneration of its services and provide privileges for specific categories of persons it represents; <br> - to demand, as a precondition for concluding a contract with said person, that the latter abide by its commitments in accordance with the Civil Code of the Russian Federation. <br> <br> Obligations and Responsibilities of a Customs Broker (agent) <br> 1. In the process of customs registration/clearance procedures, obligations of a customs broker (agent) are predicated on the terms and conditions set forth by Russian Customs Code with regard to the customs operations, which may be required for subjecting goods to one or another customs control procedure. The fact of fulfilment of such operations by a customs broker (agent) does not oblige the latter to carry out any other operations, such as completion of a customs procedure. <br> 2. A customs broker (agent) shall pay requisite customs duties and taxes for the declared goods if the terms of the goods customs procedure requires such payment. At the instance of declaring goods, the customs broker (agent) in accordance with Russian Customs Code bears the same responsibility for the disbursement of customs duties and taxes as the declarant. <br> 3. Any information obtained by a customs broker (agent) from the persons he represents constituting commercial, banking and other secrets protected by law or any other requisite confidential information may not be made public, or used by the customs broker (agent) and/or its employees for their personal goals, or revealed to other persons except for the cases stipulated by federal law. <br> 4. A customs broker (agent) shall be obliged to keep a record of the goods subjected to customs operations and submit reports thereof to customs authorities. <br> 5. The customs brokers (agent) obligations and accountability before the customs authorities shall prevail over his contract with the person he represents. <br> </p> <p>Copyright 2005 Germes LLC Germes Manufacturer Directory</p> <p> <br>Rss AD How to Do 360s and Other BMX Tricks http://www.8nod.com/postshow.php?pid=9116 <p>180 to tire Trap</p> <p>(it is best to learn this on a mini ramp until you can do it on the ground). Get average speed going up the ramp. Hit the lip and do a fly out and 180 by kicking the rear end around as youre about to land. Lean back slightly and lock back brakes. (David the Jesus)</p> <p>360</p> <p>know what foot you go to the ramp into) If you go with your right foot, spin to the right and vice versa. When you get to about one foot before the end of the ramp, jerk your front tire to right and follow through with your body. Master this motion and soon you will get a 360. (Matt)</p> <p>Curtain Call</p> <p>Go as fast as you can and hit the ramp. Once you are five feet in the air, put your left foot on left front peg and hold on with just your left hand. Take your right leg and arm off the bike while holding on with just you left arm and leg.</p> <p>Flatland Bar Spin</p> <p>Start with your left foot on the left back peg. Keep right foot on pedal. Slow down to a walking pace Put your left or right hand on the front of the seat. Pedal quickly with the right foot and pull up with your hand that is on the seat.</p> <p>Try balancing with your front tire up and spin your handlebars around. Grab the handlebars and put everything back on. (Once you get good at this, you will be able to do 3, 4, or 5 bar spins).</p> <p>Superman</p> <p>Get a lot of air, and keep on trying. It'll take a little (okay, A LOT) of pain to get it right, but it's well worth it.</p> <p>Turndown 360s</p> <p>The key to doing a 360 is to turn your head and upper body in the direction you plan to spin throughout the rotation; where the head leads, the body will follow hopefully.</p> <p>Double tail whips</p> <p>To do a tail whip, swing your right foot over the frame, and when at a fast walking pace, jam it in between the front forks and the tire. With your left foot still on the pedal, push the frame around in a counterclockwise direction.</p> <p>Keep your left foot in the air and use it for balance. Make sure to hold the front brakes. When the frame gets all of the way around, use your left foot to stop it, by placing it on the seat post.</p> <p>Take your right foot off of the tire and put it onto the right pedal, then swing the left foot over the frame and onto the left pedal, then pedal away. Youve done it!</p> <p>720s</p> <p>Bigger spins take more windup with the upper body (throwing your body into it), and more time to come around. Entering a spin slightly on edge can help get the bike turning, but wait until youve left the ground to really start the rotation (spinning too early may cause you to catch an edge).</p> <p>Turn your head and upper body in the direction of the spin as you leave the lip of the jump. Continue to look that wayover your lead shoulderuntil you spot the landing. Fixing your sights on the landing and extending your body will stop the rotation, allowing you to set er down real nice.</p> <p>Daniel J Lesser is the creator of BikeChoices.com Assembled by BMX and mountain bike experts, youll find every bit of information you could ever need about BMX and Mountain Bikes. Find out how to best enjoy your next ride at http://www.bikechoices.com</p> <p> <br>Rss AD Read This Article If You Are In Serious Debt http://www.8nod.com/postshow.php?pid=9115 <p>Are you worried about your current debt situation, which is now getting seriously out of control? Are you thinking that it is possible that you may never be able to pay off all those loans? Are you worried about your home being foreclosed on or your credit cards being shut off for late payments? Have you even once or twice contemplating simply killing yourself to get out of debt? Well you are not alone often people jokingly talk about just killing themselves to get out of all their monthly payments and accrued debt.</p> <p>Although all this may sound funny in a way your serious debt load is not simply going to go away anytime soon. And it surely is not a laughing matter, as eventually perhaps in 2020 you will have to pay off all those loans even if you only make the minimum payments on your credit card bills, which will effectively extend those payments until well into 2036. Which indeed, makes one wonder if the International Terrorists will finally get you by then or if you will make it to a ripe old age and actually be debt free?</p> <p>You need to take control of your personal finances now and pay down those credit card bills and pay off those car loans and start investing and saving for the future. You cannot go on this way in perpetual debt and end up living a comfortable life style. Think on this.</p> <p>"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/</p> <p> <br>Rss AD The History And Features Of Home Treadmills http://www.8nod.com/postshow.php?pid=9114 <p>Home treadmills are very popular fitness machines that have improved dramatically over the last 20 years. They come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and price ranges, so most people can find a suitable home treadmill regardless of their budget.</p> <p>The history of treadmills, though, goes back farther than you might think. Would you believe that the first treadmills appeared in 1875? Its true, and they have been evolving and changing ever since.</p> <p><b>The Beginnings of Home Treadmills</b></p> <p>The first home treadmills were invented for use by animals, not people. They came about as farmers found themselves needing agricultural equipment that was portable enough to be used in different locations around their land and powerful enough to perform the job for which they were intended.</p> <p>The solution was a machine powered by the motion of an animal walking. Treadmills were constructed for many different purposes and in many different sizes, depending on the animal that was going to provide the power. For example, there were butter churners that functioned with a sheep (or even a dog) providing the power via a treadmill. Other larger machines included threshing machines used in the fields and powered by horses or mules.</p> <p>So how did treadmills get from the farm to the family room? The first inklings of this transformation occurred in 1952 when a doctor at the University of Washington, located in Seattle, invented a treadmill that could be used for medical purposes. Specifically, the medical treadmill was used to test patients for heart and lung disease, and evaluate the severity of their conditions.</p> <p>In the 1960s the fitness equipment industry began to blossom, and home treadmills were among the first machines developed and promoted by several manufacturers. Each promoted themselves as having the best treadmill on the market, but the reality was that each different machine inevitably had its own strengths and weaknesses. Some of the earliest manufacturers included Finlands Tunturi as well as Aerobics, Inc. in the United States. Interestingly, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) contributed a great deal to the technology and mechanics of treadmills because they saw treadmills as an excellent way for astronauts to stay fit while in space for extended periods of time. NASA developed several versions that were used aboard the orbiting Skylab station in the 1970s.</p> <p><b>Construction and Technology Changes</b></p> <p>Early home treadmills were large and required quite a bit of space in the home. They were manually operated and controlled, meaning that the users own motion was the driving force that kept the treadmill in motion. As technology advanced throughout the 1980s and 1990s, more advanced home treadmills began to appear on the market. These machines included advancements such as motorized tracks, motorized incline adjustment, electronic controls, programmable workouts, and most importantly to many people, compact versions that fit into smaller spaces. Now you can even get a wide width treadmill that allows you to walk your dog right alongside you while you exercise!</p> <p><b>Basic Components</b></p> <p>The basic components of home treadmills are important to understand and consider before you decide which brand and model to purchase. These basics are the foundation for the durability, reliability, and usability of your treadmill.</p> <p><b>Motor</b> The size of the treadmills motor is important because it will affect overall performance of the machine. A motor that is too small will not provide sufficient power and will breakdown more quickly than a motor that is the correct size for the type of use your treadmill will receive. Most experts agree that the motor should be rated at minimum of 1.5 horsepower under continuous operation if you intend to use your treadmill for walking. If you plan to run, though, or if you weigh more than 180 pounds you should look for a motor that is 2.0 horsepower or more.</p> <p><b>Belt</b> The belt should be durable and not prone to excessive wear. A two-ply or greater belt is best, because a single ply belt will simply wear out and need replacement too quickly. The belt should also be large enough to accommodate the length and width of your stride. The American Council on Exercise recommends a belt length of at least 49 inches, with 50 inches or more being even better, and a width of 18 inches or more.</p> <p><b>Deck</b> The deck is important because it flexes when your foot strikes it, cushioning the impact and helping to prevent injuries like shin splints, back strain, and foot problems. Look for a deck that is at least -inch think and provide the lowest impact possible.</p> <p><b>Display panel and controls</b> The display panel and controls should be easy to read and operate. Push button controls are best because they are easiest to use while you are in motion. The display should have large numbers and be able to show critical information like your speed, the incline you are using, the amount of time you have been on the treadmill, and the equivalent distance you have covered.</p> <p><b>Advanced Features</b></p> <p>Many modern home treadmills are available with features that are more advanced and may (or may not) contribute to the usability and convenience of the machine. Some advanced features are indeed useful, but many fall in the category of luxuries that do not add a lot to the machine, other than to the cost, of course.</p> <p><b>Incline</b> The maximum incline on many home treadmills is 10%, which is sufficient for walkers and runners of low or average fitness levels. More serious users, though, who want a more intense workout, should opt for a maximum incline of 15%. Regardless of the maximum incline you choose, though, you should always test the machine at that maximum level to assess its stability.</p> <p><b>Programmable controls</b> These advanced features can be very useful. It allows you to program your workouts so that speed, incline, and time can vary over the course of your exercise period. You can program several different workout profiles to add variety to your activity, or if there are multiple users of the machine, each person can program and store their own favorite workout profile(s).</p> <p><b>Pre-programmed workouts</b> Many home treadmills come with workout profiles pre-programmed into the machine. They are typically labeled for different fitness levels and can be a very effective way for inexperience users to get started on their machine.</p> <p><b>Built-in fan</b> Because the treadmill is used indoors, sweating and temperature control can be important. Some home treadmills come with built in fans, but a better option for many people is to purchase an inexpensive box or oscillating fan instead of paying extra for the built in feature.</p> <p><b>Summary</b></p> <p>Remember, the best treadmill is the one that you will actually use, so pay attention to the basics to ensure your machine will meet your needs. Invest in a machine that is durable enough to withstand the level of use you will give it, and you will be rewarded with reliable operation for many years to come.</p> <p><b>About the Author:</b> Julie-Ann Amos is a freelance writer for Treadmill-Ratings-N-Reviews.net, providing the best treadmill ratings and reviews on the 100 best treadmill models. She has researched expert treadmill reviews and contributed articles on a variety of fitness equipment. <br> <br> Copyright 2005 Treadmill-Ratings-n-Reviews.net</p> <p><b>Permission is granted to publish this article on your site providing links are included and clickable.</b></p> <p> <br>Rss AD