8 Tips for a Better Treadmill Workout

There are some times when you can’t run outdoors because of weather conditions, travel or other situations. In those instances, a good treadmill workout is the best option for maintaining your training, instead of just sitting idle or relaxing at home. With this type of training, it is possible to make running indoors incredibly effective. Furthermore, when running on a treadmill, you can avoid uneven terrain, scary dark streets, and icy patches on the roads. And, if you happen to be traveling, you can find a treadmill in almost every hotel.

With many benefits, runners can find many ways to improve the effectiveness of a treadmill workout. The following guide contains a few tips that can help runners get more out of their treadmill exercise.

1. Test the treadmill

If you start on treadmill and realize that it is a little shaky or jerky, that is unacceptable and there is something wrong with that machine. The handrails should be sturdy enough to support you and they should be in a good position for you to grip easily, not affecting your arm motion. You should also pay attention to the width and length of the belt, make sure it is long and wide enough for your stride.

2. Preparation

It is recommend to wear a well fitting technical T-shirt and a quality pair of shorts because you’ll most likely sweat a lot, as you are running indoors. You can wear your regular running shoes, but remember to keep them clean. A hand towel is a good idea to wipe your face, hands, or arms if necessary. Additionally, you will also need enough space behind you, in case you can fall back and it is very important to read the instruction carefully.

3. Set a suitable speed

Having the right pace setting on the treadmill is very important, there are few basic rules:

– The speed is fast enough to get your heart racing.

– Consider a treadmill speed in which you are able to talk while running without gasping.

– The first time you run on a treadmill, you should begin with a slow pace until you get to a comfortable speed.

4. Warm up and cold down

Warm Up

Warming up is extremely important for loosening up your muscles and preparing your body for what’s about to come, before getting on the treadmill. Begin with walking about 3 to 5 minutes at an easy pace (around 2.5 mph to 3.5 mph). Every one to two minutes, you can increase the speed slowly to about 3.5 mph.

You can also refer to this video:

Cool Down

When finishing your workout, you will want to bring your heart rate back down and let your breathing recover to a normal rate. if in your warm-up, you increase the speed every one to two minutes, you will do the same at the end by reducing your speed every one to two minutes down to an easy pace ( for 2.5 mph to 3.5 mph), then walk for about 3 to 5 minutes before stopping. Make sure to provide your leg muscles with a good stretch.

Keep in mind you should to mix walking and running to get your heart rate up during the middle of your workout.

5. Change your treadmill workout routine

Keep in mind that besides simply running, the treadmill can be used in other ways. Before or after running, slow the speed down and perform rotational lunges, walking lunges, as well as a squat to alternating lunge series. This routine will build a good foundation for stronger running.

6. Use inclines on treadmill

Incline intervals are a good way to bump up the calorie burn, both when you’re walking or running. Begin by walking or running for about one minute at one percent incline at a comfortable speed. Then, raise the incline up every minute until you achieve a 15 percent incline (at .5 percent/ minute). And then, you should lower it down every minute until you reach one percent incline again, all depending on the length of your workout. This way not only makes you exert a lot more energy than a flat continuous speed for an hour, but it also gets rid of the boredom from treadmill workouts, because you will need to change inclines and speeds continuously.

7. Increase your knee drive

You should not be lazy and let treadmill do all the work. It’s important to activate your legs on each stride. Because the treadmill just carries you forward, you should focus not only on turnover speed or shuffling quickly, but also on increasing the height or amplitude of your stride.

8. Run backwards

Running backwards on a moderate incline is good way to enhance your glutes and hamstrings.

The above tips are very useful for runners to create better treadmill workout. I hope that some of these will work for you to improve your effectiveness with the treadmill.