Fitness Tip of The Day We bring Fitness to You
Are you one of them who think that treadmill is an overrated cardio machine? It’s just a waste of time or something unpleasant that you need to get over with? Most of them who have hit the gym treat that treadmill with disdain, a machine which must be used for a minimum of 15 minutes or so until you can go on to do more serious stuff (like weight lifting). The fact is that it is one of the most effective cardio machines, if you use it properly, will help you reach your fitness goals. Here are some tips to use the treadmill properly:
Be prepared
Before you hop onto the treadmill machine it is very important that you are dressed properly. You have to wear a proper t-shirt and shorts/track pants, in other words get ready for a sweaty experience. Also make sure you have put on a decent pair of running shoes with a good grip. Do not run barefoot on a treadmill.
Get familiar with the controls
If it is the first time you are using the treadmill machine you better ask someone at the gym to show you how it works. Also figure out the buttons which are used to increase and decrease speed and inclination, the screen indicators like calories burnt, heart rate, speed, time and the emergency stop button.
Watch your step
One important aspect of running and on the treadmill is landing your foot properly. Experts agree that runners should land midsole i.e. neither on your toes nor on your heels. If you have land on your toes, you are most likely to put too much pressure on your calves and also develop shin pain. Landing on your heel means that you are not putting everything into forward momentum and putting unnecessary stress on knees. It is also important to keep your toes pointed straight and avoid keeping them either in or out. This won’t happen the first time you start running for most of the people, so you will have to work on it consciously.
Give it some incline
If you’ve ever run anywhere you’ll know that running uphill is always harder than running on level ground. This is why it’s important to use the incline feature of treadmills to reap the maximum benefits from the machine. Even a 1% incline (most machines 1-15) will help you burn more calories than walking on level ground.
Here’s a chart for an average user (65kg) walking at 6.5 k/h at different inclines:
| Incline | Calories Burnt per hour |
| 0% incline or Level Ground | 362 |
| 1% | 391 |
| 5% | 500 |
| 10% | 660 |
| 15% (Max) | 850 |
Keep on pushing yourself
And the most important tip when it comes to using the treadmill is to not to let yourself get comfortable. Yes! If you are getting comfortable increase the speed or incline, and do longer runs. If you are doing interval training, try and increase the high intensity. This will stop your body from getting used to the exercise and will continue hitting a plateau.
Keep these things in your mind next time you are on the machine and you will realize what a powerful tool it is for weight loss and general fitness levels!
