12 Mar Getting the Most from Your Treadmill Workout

In order to get the most effective treadmill workout possible, it is important for you to know how to push yourself just enough without overdoing it.  Since treadmills come with a variety of different speed settings, you need to understand how to use these speeds and when to change up your routine in order to make certain you are getting the most benefits possible.

Making Sure You Aren’t Pushing it Too Hard

When starting out with a treadmill routine, some people push themselves too hard too quickly.  This can result in injury or burnout, which may cause you to give up on your routine before you really get started.  If you find yourself having to hang onto the side rails or maintaining poor posture in order to keep up with the treadmill belt, you are probably going too quickly and need to slow it down a bit.  Similarly, if you are overly exhausted following your workout, it is probably best for you to bring the speed down a notch.

Making Sure You are Pushing Hard Enough

On the flip side, it is easy to get yourself caught up in a routine that doesn’t provide enough of a challenge.  If you fail to challenge yourself, you won’t improve your health or the shape of your body.  Therefore, if your routine is starting to become too easy or if you have hit a plateau, try making some changes in your routine.  For example, you may increase the duration of your workout, the speed or possibly even how often you workout each week. 

In addition to increasing the speed, making changes to the incline of your treadmill can help you increase the intensity.  But, you may need to increase the amount of time you spend on the treadmill during each session.  Not only will this change help make your workout more effective, it will also help keep it more interesting and fun!