In the running community, the treadmill is often called the “dreadmill” as most runners prefer to run outdoors. But don’t let that put you off from using a treadmill. There are many advantages to having a treadmill or having access to a treadmill, including being able to do a cardio workout regardless or the weather and being able to control your workout. Here are 5.5 ways for you to get the most out of a treadmill.
1 ~ Safety
Safety is the most important thing on a treadmill and being safe on a treadmill will ensure that you get the most out of using it. Make sure you know how to stop the treadmill if anything happens. Most treadmills come with an emergency stop clip. If you are new to using a treadmill, don’t be ashamed to use this clip even if no one else in the gym is using it. It’s better to be safe than sorry. The emergency stop clip is simple to use – just attach the clip to your clothing and make sure that the magnet end of this device is installed correctly on the treadmill. The treadmill will not start if magnet is not connected.
When you start the treadmill, start it at a slow speed and gradually increase it to your desired speed. You may see some treadmill users stand on the footpads on either side of the belt, crank up the speed, and then jump onto the belt. This is not the recommended way to get on a treadmill because it’s not the safest way to get started. With a treadmill, think of safety first.
2 ~ Incline
Increasing the incline on your treadmill is one of the easiest ways to make your workout tougher and more like you’re running or walking outdoors. When you’re indoors, you don’t have to deal with wind resistance. The treadmill also helps you a little bit because the belt is moving beneath your feet and each step doesn’t take as much effort as it would if you were outside. Setting the treadmill’s incline to at least 1% will help compensate for the lack of wind resistance and the moving belt. Once you’re comfortable at 1% for your regular workouts, consider increasing the incline to 1.5% or even 2%.
Changing the treadmill’s incline during your workout will challenge you and keep things interesting. A simple incline workout might look like this – jog for 10 minutes at 1% to warm-up, run for 3 minutes at 5%, jog for 2 minutes at 2% to recover, run for 3 minutes at 5%, jog for 2 minutes at 2% to recover, run for 3 minutes at 5%, jog for 2 minutes at 2% to recover, jog for 5 minutes at 1% to cool-down.
3 ~ Speed
Playing with the speed is another way to get the best out of a treadmill. Some people hop on a treadmill and do the same workout each time. While the consistency is great, your body will get used to a workout if you do the same thing over and over again. To challenge both your body and your mind, incorporate short bursts of speed into your workout. You don’t have to increase the speed by too much or for too long to get a benefit. A simple speed workout to try is 20/40 – after a warm-up, simply increase your speed for 20 seconds, recover for 40 seconds, repeat for as many times as you can, and then return to your normal pace for the rest of the workout.
4 ~ Consistency
Being consistent about using your treadmill will ensure that you get the best results. Bad weather, not enough light, unsafe or unfamiliar neighborhoods – these excuses are no longer relevant if you have a treadmill. Even injury isn’t as much of an excuse because a treadmill offers a softer impact than running or walking outside and most doctors will recommend rehab on a treadmill. So if you have no excuses, your cardio workouts will be more consistent and you will see results.
5 ~ Reading and Movie Lists
The treadmill is a great place to catch up on your reading or your movie watching, things you can’t do if you’re running or walking outside. I don’t recommend actually reading a book or a magazine while you’re on the treadmill because if you do, you will likely be working out at a lower intensity and using the hand rails for support, which detracts from your workout. However, you can listen to audiobooks. If you have a Kindle, there is an audio function that will read your book out loud to you. You can learn another language while you’re on the treadmill by listening to language CDs or MP3s.
If you have an iPad, a tablet, or a smartphone, you can watch videos while you’re on the treadmill. You can set your treadmill up in front of a television and watch while you work out – this could be a great motivational tool if you tell yourself that you can only watch a certain show or movie if you’re using the treadmill. Some treadmills have built-in televisions and most gyms set up their treadmills and other cardio equipment in front of banks of televisions.
5.5 ~ With Apologies to Nike – Just Use It!
The best way to get the best out of a treadmill is to just use it. Hop on your treadmill on a regular basis, use the speed and incline to make your workout interesting, and listen to audiobooks or watch movies to prevent boredom. Just use it!
Happy Running!
Confessions of a Treadmill Runner 