Using a treadmill can help you maintain your body weight or can help you lose weight, depending on your workout. Treadmills offer the benefits of both power-walking and running, but with the convenience of being indoors. No more jogging in the rain, cold or heat. Once you have established a routine with your treadmill, vary the intensity by adjusting your incline often, and increasing your speed.
Guidelines
Each treadmill workout should include exercises to warm up and prepare your body. Exercise to increase your pulse until your heart rate reaches a target of 60 percent to 90 percent of your maximum heart rate. You should maintain your target heart rate for 20 to 60 minutes during the workout for it to be effective. Cool down properly after your exercise to prevent muscle stiffness. Complete at least three workouts each week for maintenance, and increase to five workouts a week to improve.
Warm Up and Cool Down
Warm up before a treadmill workout to increase circulation, supply oxygen to the muscles, and raise body temperature and heart rate. Spend five to 10 minutes stretching or doing some form of light exercise. Consider including some of the following stretches:
Stand with your knees slightly bent and reach down to touch your toes. Hold the stretch for 15 seconds, and slowly return to your starting position.
Sit with one of your legs extended in front of your body, and bend your other leg until your foot touches the inner thigh of the extended leg. Stretch your arms toward your toes as far as possible and hold for 15 seconds. Slowly release to your starting position and switch legs.
Other stretches include the calf stretch, quadriceps stretch and inner-thigh stretch.
Repeat these stretches to cool down at the end of your workout.
Get Moving
Pick your favorite 30-minute television show. Raise your treadmill elevation 1 percent and begin walking or running at a comfortable pace. You will know if you are at the right pace if you can speak clearly but are unable to sing. Increase your pace during commercial breaks, and return to your original pace during the show. Use this time to work on reaching and maintaining your targeted heart rate.
Intensify
Lower the incline on the treadmill until flat or at 0 percent, and adjust the speed to 3.5 mph. Walk on a flat treadmill for one minute and increase the incline by 1 percent every minute until you reach a 5 percent incline. Walk at 3.5 mph at a 5 percent incline for three minutes. Begin lowering the incline one degree every two minutes until the treadmill is flat once again. Repeat the raising and lowering the incline every two minutes until you complete a 25-minute workout. Increase the intensity of the workout by adding 2- to 5-lb. hand weights to perform bicep curls as you are walking on the treadmill. For variation, you can also perform shoulder presses as you walk.
Member Comments