Treadmill Running Program For Beginners

Participating in regular physical activity is one of the best things you can do to improve your health, reports the Harvard School of Public Health. No matter your age or skill level, you can begin a safe and fun running program on the treadmill to help improve your fitness. Slow, steady-paced workouts and interval training workouts are some ways to begin running workouts on a treadmill.

Interval Training

Interval training workouts can be beneficial to you as you begin to exercise on a treadmill. Mayoclinic.com reports that interval training consists of alternating bursts of more intense activity followed by periods of lighter activity. An example of this would be to walk on the treadmill for a few minutes and then increase your speed to a slow, light jog for between 30 and 60 seconds. Alternating between walking and a slow jog can help improve your fitness, burn more calories and help your body get used to running.

Steady-Paced Workouts

As your fitness improves, you will be able to run for longer periods of time. Finding a running pace that is comfortable but noticeably increases your breathing and heart rate is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Running on a treadmill at your comfortable pace during each exercise session during the week and then gradually increasing your pace each week can help you improve your fitness and improve your running ability.

Benefits

Running on a treadmill, especially as a beginner, can provide you with some benefits that running outdoors cannot. For example, the "Ask the Trainer" program from Indiana.gov reports that running on a treadmill puts less stress on your back, knees and ankles. It also reports that running in a controlled environment, where you do not have to fight wind, extreme heat, cold or rain, can help you focus on just running instead of uncomfortable weather. Also, if you do wish to better simulate elevation changes found in outdoor running, you can adjust the incline level on the treadmill.

Recommendations

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends participating in at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise four or more days each week. It reports that you can achieve the same benefits by doing it all in one session or doing multiple exercise sessions throughout the day as long as they are at least 10 minutes in duration. Running on a treadmill can be a good way to help you control your pace and help you gradually work up to the recommended level of aerobic exercise.

Considerations

If you have been sedentary for some time or have a chronic condition that may limit your ability to start running, consult with your doctor to find out which types of exercise can be safe for you. The University of Maryland Medical Center reports that running is a high-impact exercise and should only be done every other day as you begin. It also recommends using caution when beginning a running program because of a higher risk for injury to your muscles and bones.