How to Run on a Treadmill Incline

Overview

Cardiovascular exercise is characterized by repetitive movements of the major muscle groups. Treadmills are fitness machines that can help increase your cardiovascular strength. When you use the incline on a treadmill, you will get the cardiovascular benefits, but you can also develop more leg power, speed, stride frequency and muscle endurance. To do treadmill incline training, you can do both interval training and simple running on an incline.

Step 1

Learn how to operate the machine. Before you start using the machine, learn how to turn it on, shut it off, increase and decrease your speed and increase and decrease the incline. There will be a "Start" button, "Speed" button and "Incline" button on the control panel. The speed and incline buttons will have up and down arrows.

Step 2

Hook up the safety switch. Treadmills have a safety switch attached to the machine with a cord and clip that gets attached to your clothing. In case you were to accidentally fall off the machine, the cord would get pulled, the machine would turn off and the track would come to a stop. Attach the clip to your clothing in an area where it won't be in your way when you are running.

Step 3

Step on to the machine and get it moving. When you get on the treadmill, place your feet on the rails on the sides of the track. Hit the "Start" button, lift yourself up by holding on to the handrails and lower yourself down on the track until you are walking at a slow pace. Continuously hit the up arrow until you are walking at a fast pace.

Step 4

Adjust your incline. After walking for two minutes, turn your speed up until you are jogging and go for three minutes. Hit the up arrow on the "Incline" button until you feel the intensity increasing. Stop hitting the button when it is about a 3 to 5 grade. The standard incline on treadmills goes from 0 to 10, with 10 being the steepest. Turn your speed down until you are running at an incline. You will find that even though the speed might be low, you will have to run faster when the incline is turned up. Run for 60 seconds, turn your incline back down to 0, increase your speed until you are jogging and go for two minutes. Turn your incline back up, speed back down and run for 60 seconds again. Keep alternating back and forth 10 times, then finish with a light jog for five minutes with the treadmill flat. This is an interval-style workout. You can also simply turn the incline up and run at a steady state for 20 to 30 minutes.

Step 5

Use good form when running. When you are running on the treadmill, keep your head up and look forward. Take long swings with your arms and smooth strides with your legs. Do not lean on the handrails at any time when you are using the treadmill.