Treadmill Tips: how to maximize your workout

If you are at the beginner level, prefer to walk or have mobility issues that limit you from running, you should certainly try walking on the treadmill. The great thing about a treadmill is that you can set the pace and adjust according to how your body responds. Check-in with your body by checking your breathing and heart rate. You can get a great workout on a treadmill without running, and here are some tips:

 As per our previous post on incline training, studies show that by increasing the incline, you engage more leg and glute muscles than in flat road training. This means increases in your heart rate, calorie burn and muscle strength. Using the incline feature or preprogrammed hill climbing workouts can provide variety and strength. Letting go of the handrails will also engage more core muscles for balance and increase the intensity. More muscles used means more calories burned.

Slowing down the speed to take wider steps and lunging will tone both your legs and your bum.

Letting go of the handles and pumping your arms as if you were lifting a dumbbell towards your shoulder will work your arms and also work your core because you need to use your body to stabilize yourself instead of relying on the handles to keep you in place.

Just because you are walking doesn’t mean you can’t make it a quick walk. Gradually increase the pace throughout your workout, and from week to week, aspire to start at a higher pace. Many treadmills include consoles with programs that will increase the pace for you…try a few of them out and see which ones you like.

You should aim to complete a 20-30 minute walk on the treadmill. Doing this three times a week in conjunction with weights will allow you to improve your upper body and lower body strength.

Running is a great source of cardio and certainly increases caloric burn. Here are some ways to maximize your running workout.

Interval training increases your overall endurance and caloric burn and will help you become a better runner overall.  You will want to intersperse at a steady pace with fast outbursts or even sprints.

 To mimic the true terrain of the great outdoors, you should include higher incline periods in your run. This will create more resistance and thus increase your energy expenditure.

 Most runners want to run faster, and tempo work is a great way to get there. Find your comfortable pace, the one you are used to doing and then up the tempo slightly. Set this pace on the treadmill and continue to run at that pace. You will want to continue to increase your pace over time, always pushing yourself a little further.

 You don’t want to start at the highest pace you can possibly do. Give your muscles time to warm up. Start with a brisk walk (a pace around four mph), and every few minutes, increase the speed until you are running between 5-8mph.

And, of course, have fun! Listen to music, de-stress and enjoy your me time!