Treadmill Walking
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Walking on the treadmill can be effective in a short period.
If you like to use the treadmill, but don’t like to run, then you can use it to effectively walk on and get a good cardio workout in. In fact, you can do a short 20 minute workout on the treadmill and be absolutely gassed without having to run at all. Simply set your incline up and get walking as fast as you can. If you have never done this workout before, then be prepared to be exhausted by the end of it.
Walking and running on a treadmill can be both boring and difficult. It’s often hard to run in the same place without moving anywhere for a long period of time. You’re going to get bored doing the same thing over and over and over. While some people have the ability to do it, it gets old really fast. If you have a television or tablet to watch, it can be more bearable to run, but it is also a bit dangerous as well as your focus is no longer on the treadmill itself but rather something else.
Staying safe on a treadmill is important - you don’t want to step off the side or fall off the back of the treadmill (unlikely if you’re trying to watch something on a tablet). Stepping off the side of a treadmill is more common as you’ve got a natural sway in your running motion, and if the TV isn’t directly in front of you, then you’ll naturally move to one side. Ultimately, it can be quite dangerous to have the treadmill running at a high speed while focused on something else. All of this ignores the fact that you may be at home as well and you may have little kids around which makes a fast moving treadmill all the more dangerous as well.
If you want to avoid running on the treadmill but still want to get a good workout in, then all you need to do is put the incline up to the maximum and set your pace for a brisk walk. You’ll find yourself out of breath within a few minutes, and by 20 minutes you’ll likely be exhausted. Adding a large incline to the treadmill is easy to do and allows you to slow the treadmill itself way down. This makes it much safer for you even if you do have a misstep or if a child comes near.
Walking on an incline can be a good way to increase your overall aerobic fitness. Most treadmills will go up to 15 for their incline, but there are treadmills that will go even higher than that. The higher you set the incline, the slower you’ll set your pace. Walking at 3.5 mph at 15% incline for 30 minutes will have your legs and lungs burning. Setting the incline even higher than that is a great way to really increase your intensity.
If you don’t have a treadmill at home, you can always use stairs or find a hill to get a similar experience. Of course you will have the luxury of going back down the hill or stairs in between whereas a treadmill is a constant climb up - there is no going back down. Stairs will really get your legs burning though and are a great way to increase your muscular endurance - we highly recommend stairs as a great way to increase your workout intensity.
Another option on a treadmill is to incorporate a backpack with weights or books. Incline of 15% with a backpack on behind you will help you train for any type of hiking that you’re looking to do, and it will get you a good sweat going as well. If you have less time but still want to get an intense workout in, then a backpack is a great addition.
Make your treadmill workouts count - increase the incline and walk as fast as you can. You’ll feel the burn quickly and be exhausted by the end, exactly how the workout should be.
