While not exactly a scenic walk in a park, treadmills are a proven way to get fit and walk off unwanted weight. They can be used indoors, out of the wind and rain, and exercisers can get in a workout while watching TV, playing video games or even chatting with their children while they catch up on their homework at a nearby table. However, boredom is often right around the corner, and that can sidetrack the best-laid exercise plans. To bypass that detour, treadmill walkers need a course of action, a roadmap of varied workouts to follow en route to their weight-loss destinations.
Starting Out
For those just beginning treadmill walking workouts, Anna Sidorenko, a personal trainer based in Massachusetts, recommends getting on the machine and determining a personal rate of perceived exertion, referred to as RPE. An RPE of zero is classified as barely moving, while an RPE of 10 means the heart is pumping hard and it's difficult for the exerciser to speak. A person's RPE depends on fitness level. Find a medium range -- starting at an RPE of three, where a light sweat starts to break out, to five, where breathing starts to become harder. Start slow and then pick up the pace to three; hold at that pace for three minutes and then step up the RPE to five. Alternate these paces for 45 minutes, even working in a 3-percent incline every other day or workout.
Picking Up the Pace
Once you've mastered the basic treadmill workout, it's time to step up the pace. This is another 45-minute workout. Start with a five-minute warmup at an RPE of four or five. Then begin two-minute speed intervals at intensity levels of seven to eight, with one-minute recovery periods at a five in between. Repeat this sequence four times, capped with a four-minute recovery session. Next are one-minute race/walk periods at an RPE of nine or 10 interspersed with one-minute recovery periods at a five. Repeat this sequence eight times before ending with a five-minute cool down at an RPE of four or five.
Uphill Journey
Now it's time to tackle some slopes, utilizing the incline adjustments found on most treadmills. Again, start with a five-minute warmup. Next, ramp up the incline to a 4-percent slope and continue for two minutes. Then drop back down to 1 percent for a minute of recovery time. Then it's back to two more minutes uphill -- this time on a 5-percent grade. Repeat the sequence, working up to inclines of 10 to 12 percent, for a total of 45 minutes that includes a five-minute cool-down session at a 1-percent grade. Adjust the speed as needed to keep your RPE between six and 10 during the climbing stretches.
Backtracking
Walking is beneficial, but walking backward on a treadmill -- sometimes called retro walking -- may even be better. Since striding backward is more unnatural, it's a greater test for coordination, requires more cardiovascular exertion and targets different muscle groups. When walking backward, start slow, but avoid holding on to the treadmill's handrails. This negates the beneficial posture of striding in reverse. Increase backward walking speed only after you get used to it. To incorporate it into a workout, start normally -- walking forward for five minutes -- and then work in several two- to three-minute intervals going backward over a 30- or 45-minute walk.
References
- The-Fitness-Walking-Guide.com: Treadmill Walking: Get the Facts Before Getting Started
- "Family Circle"; Beginner Treadmill Walking Workout; Angela Law
- Run the Planet; The Best Walking Treadmill Workouts
- "Fitness"; The Fat-Burning Walking Workout Plan
- The-Fitness-Walking-Guide.com: Walking Backwards on a Treadmill: Advantages, Benefits and More!
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