Keeping Your Feet In Sync on the Treadmill

Treadmill Workout

Treadmill Workout

Many people think that getting a great workout on a treadmill is simple.  After all, we all know how to walk, right?  So, what could be so tricky about walking on a treadmill?  Unfortunately, many people don’t realize that they are actually walking incorrectly.  This is because many of us have bad habits when it comes to walking, many of which are the result of misconceptions or simply are the result of years of walking with incorrect form.

Using the Wrong Stride

If you are trying to move quickly on your treadmill, you may think the solution is to take bigger steps.  The reality is that you will actually move faster and give your body a better workout if you shorten your stride.  In fact, many people tend to overstride while walking as well as while working out on a treadmill.

When you overstride, you allow your front heel to contact the ground far in front of your body.  Taking longer steps may seem like a good way to cover more ground, but you get your power and speed from keeping the front heel closer to your body.  This way, your back foot can stay on the ground a bit longer and give your body an extra push.

Not only will you cover more ground more quickly if you use the proper technique, you will also burn more calories and give your muscles a better workout when you use the proper stride.  So, make sure to concentrate on keeping your steps short and using your back foot to push off as you walk.

Failing to Roll Your Feet

Another bad habit many people fall into when working out on a treadmill is failure to roll the feet with each step.  Ideally, the heel of you foot should contact the ground first and you should then roll your foot through to your toe.  As you are getting to your toe on the front foot, you should be moving your back foot forward.  This way, your toe will give you an extra push for each step. In order to help you with rolling through your steps, be sure to wear shoes that allow you the flexibility to roll your feet rather than forcing you to walk or run flatfooted.