Treadmills are versatile fitness machines offering a variety of built-in workout programs to choose from. So many options at your fingertips can be overwhelming, especially for beginners. The best way to overcome this feeling is by getting back to the basics. To get the most out of your treadmill workouts, you can increase the incline of the deck for a more intense workout.
Intensity
Thirty minutes of moderate exercise is equivalent to 15 minutes of vigorous exercise, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. You can achieve a far more intense workout in a shorter amount of time by increasing the incline of your treadmill deck, even a slight increase. When you increase the incline of the treadmill deck, your body will burn more calories, leg muscles will work harder and your heart rate will increase.
Inclined Workouts
You will get the most out of your inclined treadmill work out by starting out a lower incline and working your way up as your fitness level improves. The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences suggests starting at a 6 percent or lower incline and increasing it from there. Because walking or jogging on an incline is so much tougher than exercising on a level treadmill, you may have to use intervals to complete your workout. For instance, exercise at a 5 percent incline for three minutes followed by three minutes of flat-deck exercise; repeat this cycle for up to 30 minutes per workout. Many treadmills offer a built-in program that will automatically adjust the incline for you.
Workout Frequency
Since exercising on an incline exercises your muscles far more than exercising without any incline, you may need at least one day of rest between each workout if you experience muscle soreness post-workout. The CDC's recommendation for adults is at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise per week, or 300 minutes per week for an even greater health benefit. Since incline treadmill training is considered vigorous exercise, you can exercise for 30 minutes per day, five days per week and get the same health benefit you would exercising twice as much using a moderate intensity.
Calories Burned
The calorie burn potential of walking uphill vs. a flat walking surface is significant. This is easy to test out yourself; just compare how you feel after walking on a flat incline for five minutes to how you feel after walking for five minutes at the same speed but at a 10 percent incline. According to International fitness company NutriStrategy, a 155-pound person burns 267 calories per hour walking at 3.5 mph. The same person can burn 422 calories by walking on a moderate incline. The more your increase the speed/incline, the more calories you will burn.
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