Using a treadmill can be a quick and simple way of getting fit, whether you use a machine designed for home use or whether you use a machine at a gym. But, the key thing to remember here is that you will only get out what you put in with any treadmill workout. So, how can you maximize your results here?
One of the few drawbacks to using a treadmill is that using one regularly can get downright boring. It doesn’t matter whether your workout involves a long brisk stroll or a short race at double quick speed — a lot of people simply find walking and running boring. And, with a treadmill you don’t have the advantage of passing scenery and other people to distract you unlike when you are jogging in the outside world!
So, the first thing you can do to ensure that your workout on a treadmill works right is to make sure that your head is as occupied as your body. The more bored you get here, the more likely you are to give up. Expert tips include watching the TV while you workout, working out with a friend so that you can chat or simply listening to music.
It is also important to make sure that you start off right with a treadmill. Don’t be tempted to do too much too soon especially if you are new to exercising. So, start off slow and listen to your body. A bit of treadmill ‘burn’ is good but push yourself too hard and you could hurt yourself or feel so bad the next day that you never want to get on the machine again!
On the other hand it is also important not to get complacent. The aim here is to make fitness/health progress and not to sit on a ‘happy medium’ plateau. So, look to increase the time you spend on your workout and/or increase its intensity. If you are using a motorized treadmill with controls then up the resistance/slope or the speed. If you are using a manual treadmill then speed up or stay on longer.
You can also maximize the benefits you get from this kind of workout by altering the exercises that you do on the treadmill itself. So, for example, one day you could do hard road running and the next you could increase the incline to do slow hill walking. Changing the exercises that you do here will simply give you a better range of fitness results for different parts of your body.
As you get more experienced on a treadmill you might also want to add something extra to the mix to increase the fitness benefits. Many people, for example, will use dumbbells at the same time that they are working out on a treadmill. You can do this as you use your treadmill or you can alternate work on the treadmill with work on the weights.
So, remember to start off slow but to keep upping the ante. This will help you get the best results from this kind of workout. And, most of all, try to make your workout an interesting one — the happier you are to be on the treadmill, the better your results will be.
