Investing in a gym membership or piece of home exercise equipment can put the pressure on to really use it. The American Council on Exercise puts treadmills at the top of the popularity list over other machines that offer cardiovascular training, such as elliptical machines and stationary bicycles. Treadmill walking can be an way to start your new exercise program; however, fitness newbies should know how much exercise is too much.
Exercise Recommendations
Frequency, duration and intensity will determine the success of your treadmill workout program. The American Heart Association reports that you can achieve fitness benefits by getting 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderately intense aerobic exercise every week -- around 30 minutes five days out of the week -- and twice-weekly strength training sessions. Following these minimum recommendations will strengthen your cardiovascular system; reduce risk of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and other diseases; boost your mood; and prevent weight gain. If you're exercising to lose weight, you may need a brisk walk on the treadmill every day for between 30 and 60 minutes.
New to Exercise
MayoClinic.com breaks aerobic exercise into three levels of intensity: light, moderate and intense. If it's your first time on the treadmill, you might want to keep it light. Walk at a casual to moderate pace that doesn't make your rate of respiration to increase or cause you to break a sweat (around 2 to 3 miles per hour for most people with an average stride). Light-intensity exercise has you working out so that your heart rate is between only 40 and 50 percent of it's maximum, which you can roughly estimate by subtracting your age from 220. MayoClinic.com also suggests that if you're new to exercise, you shouldn't aspire to log an hour on your first treadmill workout. Walk at a pace that you can maintain for 5 to 10 minutes without feeling exhausted. Gradually increase the duration and intensity of your walking plan until you're walking at a brisk pace of around 3.5 to 4 mph for 30 to 60 minutes almost every day. Walking at a more rapid clip makes your walk on the treadmill aerobic. Your rate of respiration increases, but you're not gasping for breath. You break a sweat after around 10 minutes of walking. You can talk in complete sentences, but you're too winded to sing.
Other Tips
Make sure to factor in your warmup and cooldown into your treadmill workout by walking at a slower pace. The Franklin Institute reports that a 3- to 5-minute warmup gradually increases your body temperature, circulation and breathing, making it easier for you to segue into the fitness portion of your workout. Once your level of physical endurance is such that you can walk on the treadmill at a pace of 4 mph for an hour, start by walking at a more casual pace before adjusting the speed setting. Similarly, during your cooldown, decrease your pace and walk casually for another 3 to 5 minutes.
Too Much Treadmill
More time on the treadmill is better if you're exercising to lose weight. However, putting in too much time on the treadmill can lead to overtraining if the intensity, frequency and duration of your workouts are so exhaustive they leave you no time to recover. Overtraining is more prevalent among competitive athletes. The exercise program that you could complete easily is suddenly taxing. Other symptoms of overtraining may include persistent fatigue, insomnia, decreased appetite, anxiety and difficulty concentrating.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Fitness Programs: 5 Tips to Get Started
- MayoClinic.com; Exercise intensity: How it's measured, why it matters
- American Heart Association; Losing Weight
- The Franklin Institute; Beginner's Guide to Exercise
- American Council on Exercise; Physical Activity Calorie Counter
- American Council on Exercise; Top 10 Signs You're Overtraining
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