Treadmill exercise is known as cardiovascular exercise. This type of exercise will not build large muscles, but it will definitely burn calories and keep your lower-body muscles toned up. When it comes to using the treadmill, there's more to it than just stepping on and working out. You need to pay attention to certain details to get a more efficient workout and reduce the chances of getting injured.
Step 1
Stretch your body with dynamic stretches before getting on the treadmill. Dynamic stretches are performed in motion to simulate exercising motions and help loosen up your muscles and joints. Arm swings, leg swings, knee highs, walking lunges, lateral lunges, trunk rotations, side bends, shoulder shrugs and alternating toe touches are examples.
Step 2
Step onto the treadmill and get yourself ready to exercise. Place your feet on the sides of the treadmill belt instead of on top of it and grasp the handrails. Look for a kill switch toggle with a cord and clip it to your clothes so that you will not accidentally pull it during your workout. Hit the "Start" button to get the belt moving.
Step 3
Begin your workout with a warm-up. Place your feet on the belt one at a time and start walking, then take your hands off the handrails. The treadmill should start at around 0.5 mph. Increase the speed until you are walking at a fast pace. Continue for two to three minutes, then increase the speed again until you are jogging lightly and go for another three minutes.
Step 4
Increase the speed to your exercise pace. Get to a point at which you are breathing heavily and starting to sweat. Maintain this pace for the entirety of your workout and finish with a light five-minute cool-down the same way you did your warm-up, but gradually decrease your speed until you are doing a slow walk.
Step 5
Execute proper form when you are working out. Leave your hands off the handrails for the whole duration of your workout. Swing your arms smoothly and in an alternating fashion with your legs. Keep your arms in, head up and shoulders slightly back as you work out.
Step 6
Exercise long enough to get benefits. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, 30 minutes of cardio promotes health benefits and 60 to 90 minutes promotes weight loss. Meet the minimum requirement if you are not looking to lose weight and the higher requirement if you are. A 180-pound person burns approximately 940 calories in 60 minutes running at 7 mph. Work out four to five days a week and continue to work out every week to maintain your progress.
Tips and Warnings
- If you are new to exercise, start out with a fast-paced walking routine on the treadmill. Do your warm-up the same way--just walk slowly.
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