Walking on a treadmill is one of the simplest ways to stay fit. You control your speed and incline levels--allowing you to slow down or speed up as your body needs. Adding weights to your walk can add a slight bit to your calorie burn and provides variety. Whenever you do walk on a treadmill with weights, be very cautious in your approach as you greatly increase your risk of injury.
Step 1
Warm up at an easy pace--about 3 mph--for five or 10 minutes. Do not use your weights for the warm up.
Step 2
Pick up a set of weights that total no more than 10 percent of your total body weight, recommends the University of California at Berkley Wellness Newsletter. Begin with dumbbells weighing just 1 or 2 lbs. Going too heavy puts excessive stress on your shoulder joints and throws off your stride.
Step 3
Grasp the weights firmly, but do not clench your fists tightly. Too strong of a grip tightens your shoulders and increases your blood pressure, reports Men's Fitness in a 2003 article.
Step 4
Hold your elbows bent as you walk and gently pump the arms. Stand tall and avoid bowing your head. Strike the belt of the treadmill with the heel of your foot first, followed by the ball and the toes. Keep your speed moderate, no more than about 4 mph to avoid quick arm movements, which may contribute to joint or ligament stress.
Step 5
Hold your elbows bent as you walk and gently pump the arms. Stand tall and avoid bowing your head. Strike the belt of the treadmill with the heel of your foot first, followed by the ball and the toes. Keep your speed moderate, no more than about 4 mph to avoid quick pumping of the arms which may contribute to joint or ligament stress.
Step 6
Finish your treadmill walk without the weights. Increase your speed so you feel slightly breathless. Add in hills using the treadmill's incline feature to further heighten the challenge of your routine. Cool down at a modest pace--go back to 3 mph--for about five minutes. Stretch your upper and lower body.
Tips and Warnings
- Some experts advocate never using hand weights during a walk. They note that the weight you carry is not enough to truly tone the muscles, and only puts excessive stress on the ligaments and tendons. The website "The Walking Site" also points out that you can burn more calories going at a fast pace and weights will slow you down. If you do choose to use weights, never walk with ankle weights as this may cause leg or ankle injury. Do not walk with weights of any kind if you have high blood pressure or heart disease, U.C. Berkley experts warn.
Things You'll Need
- Light hand weights
- Treadmill
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