The treadmill is one of the most popular exercise machines in the gym and for home use. Use a treadmill to walk, jog or run indoors, regardless of the weather or time of day. Treadmills appeal to beginners because they are easy to use and require no special skills.
Treadmill Features
Treadmills consist of a moving belt that revolves along a deck. Commercial treadmills will go from 1/2 mph to as fast as 15 mph. Most models also feature an incline function that raises the height of the deck from a zero percent grade to 25 percent. Some super incline trainers feature inclines as high as 30 percent. The treadmills you find in a gym will likely have a console that offers various readings, such as speed, distance traveled, calories burned and heart rate. Some specialized treadmills offer pre-programmed routines that automatically vary the height or speed according to information you input.
Benefits for Beginners
The treadmill may help beginners who are intimidated by starting their exercise routine outdoors. Beginners may be unsure about mapping an outdoor route or exercising with more experienced walkers or runners. You can get on a treadmill and not have to worry about going out too far and becoming too tired to get back home. For an aspiring runner, the treadmill offers the ability to precisely time walking and running intervals to safely build endurance and fitness. The treadmill also provides a softer surface, says Rick Morris--author of Treadmill Training for Runners--that can help prevent shin splints, plantar fasciitis and general soreness that might occur from running on concrete or asphalt.
Considerations
People who suffer from joint problems may not enjoy the impact of working out on a treadmill. If you are overweight, the treadmill may be uncomfortable because you have to endure carrying extra pounds with every step. Treadmill workouts can be boring, especially if you are beginning with a moderately paced walk. Combat boredom by reading and watching television, but your movement on the treadmill may make these activities challenging.
First Steps
Before getting onto the treadmill, play around with the controls a bit to familiarize yourself with the placement and function of the speed, incline and emergency stop buttons. When you are ready to start, warm up at an easy pace--between a 2 and 3 mph pace--for about five to 10 minutes. For your first few sessions, simply walk at a pace that feels strong but manageable for 10 to 20 minutes and then cool down with an easy pace for five minutes. Try to relax your upper body and make your strides as natural as possible. Over the course of several weeks, begin to challenge yourself to work at a speed that raises your heart rate into an aerobic zone. Avoid holding onto the handrails of the treadmill. Pump your arms to better simulate real life walking.
Advancing
After you feel comfortable with 30 minutes of strong walking at a pace of 3.5 mph or faster, you can begin to add inclines or speed work. If you never intend to run, use the incline function to increase the intensity of your workout and to build strength in the buttocks and hamstrings in the back of the thighs. To work toward running, add in short running intervals--lasting 30 seconds to one minute. Try doing one short run and then returning to your walk for five minutes for a total of 30 to 40 minutes. After a week or two, increase your run time to two minutes and your walk to four minutes. Continue to increase the length of your running intervals until you are able to consistently go for 30 minutes straight.
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