jeff@nwfitnessportland.com

Sales Director

We offer a BEST PRICE GUARANTEE! That means if you find a lower price on the exact same product, we will match or beat the price! Plus, the fact that we are local and offer service, you can rest assured that you will have the best ownership experience possible if there is ever a problem with your equipment.

We offer our products at our best price EVERY DAY, and GUARANTEE the BEST PRICE for 30 days after you make your purchase, so you can be sure you are making a great decision!

When you come into our store, we can show you all of the equipment options. We let you try the equipment with a knowledgeable salesperson to assist you in finding the best product for your needs. Once we have found the best product, we are happy to search the internet with you to make sure you are getting the best price!

In the market for a new piece of fitness equipment for your home or business? Visit our store today!

jeff@nwfitnessportland.com

Sales Director

I talk to a lot of customers about how they can BEST set themselves up to succeed in an at home fitness program. There are 5 essential things to consider. Take these factors into consideration, and you increase your chances of sticking with your program incrementally!

1. Product Selection

People ask “What is the ‘best’ piece of equipment to get?” Unfortunately there is no single answer that fits all situations. To get a fully rounded fitness program going, you want to have the ability to work both cardio and strength. Cardio options include treadmills, ellipticals, exercise bikes, and the like. There are advantages and disadvantages to each. In short, get what you like using. It really doesn’t matter if you burn a few more calories on one piece or the other if you don’t use it, so get what you will use! For strength, you can go as simple as a few dumbbells or kettlebells, or as elaborate as a full multi-station home gym. Again, determine the way you like to strength train and get the equipment that you are most likely to enjoy using.

2. In Home Placement

Many people think, “I’ll put it in the garage!” Nothing could be more detrimental to your success. In the winter time, the garage is almost as cold as going outside, in the summer it can be too hot! Since most people workout in the morning or evening due to schedules, the temperature of the garage tends to keep people from going out there to get their workout in. For best results, create a space inside the home that is climate controlled and inviting.

3. Entertainment

Get a television in your workout room! Whether you like watching sports center, the batchelor, or biggest loser, combining your tv time with workout time will give you the best chance of creating a habit. For me – it’s morning sports center while sprint training on the treadmill, followed by strength training on my functional trainer. If you are not a tv person, set yourself up to read or listen to music that motivates you to get moving!

4. Motivation

Track your workouts. There are many ways to do this from keeping your statistics in a journal to great apps that offer tremendous feedback. Monitor your heart rate and push yourself by making improvement a priority. Some of the new cardio equipment consoles have this technology embedded and automatically track your progress for you. If you need this technology to keep track of your progress, spend the extra money to get the features you need to motivate you. Another great thing to do is set up a contest or weekly check in with a friend or family member to review the last week’s workouts. Having someone to answer to will help motivate you to stick with it.

5. Buy Quality Equipment

Many people want to “just get something cheap on craigslist.” Nothing will kill your workout program faster than poor quality equipment. Unfortunately craigslist is full of junk! I study craigslist everyday to find QUALITY used products to sell at our store – 99% of the listings are the low-end products from sears or costco that people bought before reading this article. Low end machines are typically unstable, not smooth, and break down frequently with limited local support to repair them. If you are on a tight budget, it is better to buy a QUALITY used piece from a store like us – who will back it up with a service and labor warranty than guessing about whether something on craigslist is worthwhile.

Hopefully this will help you get set up for success in your at home fitness program. If you are in need of QUALITY equipment, contact us to work with our experienced sales consultants and determine the best products for your specific needs, space constraints, and budget. We will help educate you, allow you to try a wide variety of products, and help you put together a program for at home fitness success with no pressure!

jeff@nwfitnessportland.com

By Jeff Hahn
Sales Director

If you are shopping for a treadmill, you will surely hear how important the motor is to the performance and durability of the product you are going to purchase.  You will commonly hear that you must have a 2.5 or 3.0 “Continuous Duty” motor.  The fact is HORSEPOWER ratings can be misleading.  There is no regulation on how horsepower is rated on treadmills.

Take these two treadmills for example: The Vision Fitness TF-20 vs. the Sole F65.  The Vision motor is rated at 2.75HP while the Sole F65 is rated at 3.25HP.  The Vision motor weighs 4 times what the Sole does and is physically larger by quite a bit.  On top of that, the Vision rating is taken at 3200RPM while the Sole rating is at 7720RPM.  This means that they took the rating on the Sole while working twice as hard as the Vision.

Vision Fitness Drive System

You can make a smaller motor give you more horsepower by winding it up to a higher RPM, but it will pull more power and wear out faster.  Since both companies offer a lifetime motor warranty, you may think this to be irrelevant – except when you look at the parts warranty.  Vision offers 5 years parts, and Sole offers 3.  The part that is most likely to fail due to high power draw on the motor is the lower electronics board – this is the brain of your treadmill.  It takes the power from the wall and supplies the motor with the power to make the treadmill give you the speed you want it to run at.  When it is running high levels of power and surging for your footfalls, it is heating up – and we all know that heat is the enemy of anything electronic.

So with that being said, it is obvious that the Vision Fitness motor is a better quality motor, and will help the other components to last longer as well.  The motor is the most expensive part of your treadmill and the combination of HORSEPOWER and RPM that the reading is taken at will give you a good indication of the quality level.  Other things you can check are the physical size and weight of the motor.  Typically the bigger and heavier, the better the motor.  Don’t be fooled by companies that try to “out-spec” their competition by giving unrealistic Horsepower ratings at high RPM.  Go to a store with a knowledgeable staff that can help you determine your needs, and find the right product to fit. In fitness equipment, as with most things, you get what you pay for – so buy quality for the best ownership experience.

jeff@nwfitnessportland.com

By Jeff Hahn
Sales Director

The Bodyguard T460XC has won the Fitness Professor “Head of Class” any price range for the last 2 years in a row.  Let’s take a look at what makes this treadmill a superior choice to some of the other big names in the industry:

The first things you notice when you walk up to the Bodyguard T460XC are the ergonomics and attention to detail.  This treadmill just sets up a little better than most, and was well thought out for runners especially.  The contact heartrate sensors are put in an ergonomically correct position.  The navigation keys you use the most are right there for you to use – and they are made of more costly and durable silicone keys. The hand rails are set wide so you don’t have to worry about banging the back of your hand when you are running.

The console is easy to read and well lit.  The information is all displayed, and it is intuitive to get to the program you want.  There are several “hot keys” for instant elevation and speed changes and even an “a”/”b” for two customized speeds allowing simple one touch intervals (no more trying to depress the speed down arrow while sprinting at 9 mph!)  My favorite program is the “Turbo Training” which offers an extreme sprint interval.  With this program, it only takes a couple seconds to go from 3.5-9mph.  With most treadmills that takes 20-30 seconds to get up to speed.  “Turbo Training” allows for true intervals with an outdoor running accelleration.

T460XC

The nuts and bolts begin with a solid X-Frame design that reduces torsion and flex coupled with the BDS+ cushioning system.  You will find the most stable, solid feel of any treadmill with this system.  The T460XC is equipped with a premium orthopedic belt and 4 way deck for optimum feel and durablilty.  The oversized 22″x60″ running area allows ample room for even taller runners.  If you are training for outdoor running, the elevation system allows for a -3% to 15% grade for the ultimate range of training more closely mimicking your 5K or 10K course.

The 3.4HP palladrine motor and drive electronics perform great, even for heavy users up to 400lbs.  The ESC (electronic stride control) system keeps the belt moving at exactly the right speed, even when in use at extreme elevations with heavy users.  The best part about the T460XC is their smart AFDS (advanced friction detection system) which monitors the amp draw and lets you know when it is time for maintenance.  That way you won’t burn up your components and it is based on a real monitoring system, not just a time or mileage estimate.  Because of this system, Bodyguard offers the best warranty in the industry – Lifetime Parts, 3 Years Labor!

jeff@nwfitnessportland.com

By Jeff Hahn
Sales Director

You have decided it is time – time to take back your life and get back into shape.  You have decided it’s time for some real fitness equipment at home.  If you are serious about using the products you buy, let me give you the top 5 reasons why you should buy from a specialty dealer near you!

1. Your specialty dealer offers a wide variety of equipment that you can try before you buy!  That’s right – bring your shoes and come ready to put the equipment through the paces to make sure the machine(s) you select are right for you.
2. Your specialty dealer offers knowledgeable sales staff to answer your questions.  Unlike many big box shopping experiences, you will have someone who really knows their stuff help you with any questions you have about the equipment you are trying out.  That way, you are sure to get the right machine for your needs!
3. Your specialty dealer offers delivery and installation options.  These are things that are typically not offered or outsourced to a third party delivery company.  At your specialty dealer you are getting installation by true professionals who have done it many times before.  That way you know the equipment will be set up right!
4. Your specialty dealer offers quality brands that are not just disposables.  The brands sold at specialty fitness stores are much higher quality that the products found at mass merchants.  They perform more like gym quality equipment and the manufacturers support the products with replacement parts long after the warranty has expired.
5. Your specialty dealer offers service after the sale.  If  you do have a problem with your equipment, you simply call the store and talk to someone who is knowledgeable about your machine.  Then a trained technician can come to your house and perform any needed adjustments or repairs.

Wide selection of equipment to try before you buy!

While most shoppers never think about the long term, it is probably the most important part of your buying experience.  At Northwest Fitness we strive to offer the best products, best value, a welcoming try before you buy atmosphere, and the highest level of customer service during and after the sale.  Those are things you will NEVER find at a big box store or on the internet!  Come see us today…

jeff@nwfitnessportland.com

By Jeff Hahn
Sales Director

Buying fitness equipment is not like buying a TV. If you think the best deal means heading to Costco, Best Buy, or even your big box sporting goods store, I suggest you read this post. Here are four key things (often overlooked) to consider when deciding where to buy your fitness equipment.

The first thing to consider when buying fitness equipment is if the equipment is right for you.  At many “Big Box Retailers”, you will find a display of an assembled machine (normally not plugged in or ready for use) and a stack of the machines in boxes that you can load onto your cart. You may find a sales associate, but it is rare that you find one that knows much about the fitness equipment.

At your local fitness dealer, you will find knowledgeable employees who can help you find the piece of equipment that best suits your needs. They also have the equipment plugged in and ready to test out. You can TRY BEFORE YOU BUY to make sure you are getting the right machine!

Try before you buy from a large selection!

The second thing to consider when buying fitness equipment is who will install your equipment.  At the “Big Box Retailers”, you will be expected to take the machine home (hope you have a pickup truck), be able to take the machine up or downstairs (wherever you decide to place the equipment in your home), and assemble the machine correctly (assuming you have the right tools and are a fairly handy person). For an additional fee, they may hire out to a third party delivery company who delivers everything from tv’s to furniture (not exactly fitness equipment experts).

At your local fitness dealer, you will find experienced professionals who deliver and assemble fitness equipment properly every day. They know the best way to get your machine up or down your stairs without damaging your home. They also know how to assemble the machine and make the needed adjustments to ensure that your equipment will operate properly for a long time.

The third thing to consider when buying fitness equipment is who will service your equipment in the future.  At the “Big Box Retailers”, most don’t offer in-home service. Most don’t even have a service department. The best you can hope for is getting a nice person to answer the 1-800 number for the manufacturer. The nice person will hopefully refer you to a third party locally who offers repairs and maintenance on your brand of machine.

At your local fitness dealer, you will find experienced professionals who will come to your home and are trained to diagnose and repair any problems you come across. All you do is call the friendly face you bought the machine from.

The fourth thing to consider when buying fitness equipment is who will move your equipment should you ever move.  At the “Big Box Retailers”, you will not find a moving service. You will call a moving company and they will show up the day of the move and tell you that they do not know how to disassemble or move your equipment. This will put you into a panic because you have to be out in 2 days and now you are stuck trying to do it yourself because there is no time to find someone else.

Your Local Fitness Experts!

At your local fitness dealer, you make one phone call to the friendly face you bought the machine from. For a reasonable price, the same experienced professionals who delivered your equipment will disassemble your machine, move it to your new place, and reassemble it for you there. If you are moving far away, they will disassemble and pack it, then help you find a local dealer to reassemble your equipment in your new town.

As you can see, there is a lot more to buying fitness equipment than you might think.  When you look at what really matters, service is the key.  From helping you find the right equipment, to delivery, repairs and moves – your local Northwest Fitness Store is the best place to buy!