Getting a Great Treadmill Workout

When the majority of people think about a treadmill, they think that the only things you can do on them are walk and run. However, those with more treadmill knowledge will tell you that there are many other activities you can use them for as well.

Everyone is in agreement that walking is a great way to get in a cardiovascular workout. It is also low impact for feet, legs, and back. If you learn to use your treadmill more creatively though, you’ll be able to turn your walking time into a total body workout.

Adding dumbbells and hand weights to any exercise moves it to a new level of difficulty. Obviously you bought a treadmill because you want to get yourself into better shape. Therefore, if walking is good, adding weights will be even better. You can start slowly and build your routine up to something more rigorous gradually. By walking faster and carrying heavier weights, you’ll be able to build yourself up substantially as time goes by.

Maybe you’ve seen people walking backward on a treadmill and laughed to yourself about how silly they looked. Would you believe that what they were doing was actually good for their bodies? By walking backward, you’re using your leg muscles in an unfamiliar way which will help develop them to the fullest. If you decide to try this, start very slowly. You’ll have to develop a different kind of balance, and you won’t be able to use the handrails. You will also find that you are working new and different muscles, because they are going to be quite sore.

The first thing you need to do before starting any exercise routine is to warm up. By stretching you’ll loosen up your muscles which will help prevent damage. Start by walking or running fast for one minute, then walk slowly for two minutes. You can repeat this sequence up to eight times. By following this routine, you’ll be giving your heart and muscles both a real good workout.

To take advantage of incline intervals, start with warm up exercises. Then change the incline on your treadmill to a steeper one that you still feel comfortable using and walk five minutes. Set the treadmill back to normal, and walk five minutes that way. Then you can repeat the entire process twice more to complete a fantastic workout.

Another series of exercises you can do is called toes and heels. This is a very easy exercise which will greatly benefit your feet and lower legs. Start out the same way you would start any workout. Then, after walking for five minutes, stand on your tiptoes and walk for 30 seconds before returning to another five minutes of normal walking. After this period of walking, you will walk on your heels for 30 seconds. Do two more repetitions of this entire routines, and you’re going to know you’ve done something good.

When walking on your treadmill, you never have to stick to a traditional routine. You’re free to invent any type of moves you want. Just be sure that if you come up with out-of-the-ordinary moves you check with your doctor or fitness trainer to make sure you’ll be safe doing them.

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