Treadmill Basics
A treadmill is a stationary machine designed to simulate walking or running and can improve overall aerobic and muscular fitness. Treadmills are large machines composed of a moving belt with two rollers underneath that are powered by an electric motor. The belt is essentially a conveyor belt that moves in a continuous circular motion, driven at a speed the user selects. Walking or running on this rubber belt simulates moving forward on a road.
Body Positioning
When using a treadmill, body positioning is important for safety and effectiveness. After stepping onto the machine, users must hold a straight posture and look forward to maintain balance. Body weight should be evenly distributed on both feet, and knees and toes should face forward. The handles or side rails are there for balance, but are not intended to be used during the workout. Holding the rails will result in the arms supporting some of the body's weight and not allow the lower body to do 100 percent of the work as intended.
Conditioning
By challenging the user to keep up with the moving belt, a treadmill increases breathing, heart rate and aerobic capacity. It also strengthens the gluteal muscles, hamstrings, quadriceps and calf muscles as they are forced to continually move and work against the belt. When set on a hill or incline setting, the treadmill will work the back of the legs more, and when set on a faster setting to simulate sprints, it will work the front of the legs more.
Programs
Most treadmills have display monitors that allow users to view their speed, incline, difficulty level and length of workout. Some machines will also ask for weight to calculate and display your approximate heart rate and number of calories burned. With preset programs that automatically vary the speed and incline, or the ability to manually change these settings, users can customize a workout and make it different each time they step on the machine.
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