Best for Home Use
Best for Serious Runners
Best for Walkers
Best for Seniors
Benefits of Treadmill Workouts
There are countless ways a person can get in shape. It can be overwhelming with all of the options that are available. The treadmill is one piece of equipment that can be used by people of all workout levels and results can be seen. People who have never worked out before to professional runners will see benefits from using the treadmill. There are four basic categories that can be used to customize any workout done on a treadmill. Walking, running, hills and intervals are variations that make a workout more exciting and more intense. There are many workout programs available that have been premade with a specific goal in mind. Some are for burning fat and others are for increasing running speed. If none of the premade workouts work, it is easy to create one that will get the right results.
Treadmill Walking
Walking is the most basic workout that can be done on a treadmill. Anyone of any shape, size and fitness level can walk on a treadmill. To begin, you set a speed and begin to walk. Starting out slow is the best way to go. For people who have a large amount of weight to lose, walking is their best option. Walking can produce results in a short period of time. Once results are seen, people get motivated to keep going and lose more weight. Walking is also low impact and is good on the joints. Doctors recommend starting out slow, especially for people who are new to walking or who are larger in size. There are many walking programs out there. Most are done in weekly increments. 8 – 12 weeks seems to be the most common time frame used. Each week will build on the last week allowing the muscles to build up and allowing the person to go a little bit further. By sticking with these programs and following through with what is asked, it is easy to see results.
Treadmill Running
Running is not for everyone. People seem to either love running or hate running. There does not seem to be a middle ground. When people decide to become a runner, it is best to build up to the long distances. Not everyone has what it takes to just begin running and go for long distances. There are many running programs that can help people to build up their stamina and build up their speed. There are treadmill programs dedicated to helping a person become a runner and there are programs dedicated to helping people improve their running. The amount of time needed to complete these programs will vary depending on the goal of the program. There are some that only take 20 minutes and a good workout can be done in a short period of time.
Hill Workouts on Treadmills
Hill workouts are for the more advanced walker or runner. Hill workouts are done for a variety of reasons. Some people find the treadmill to be somewhat boring and use hill workouts to add some excitement. Others use hill training to prepare and train for an upcoming event. Many treadmills are preprogrammed with hill workouts and all that is you need to do is press a button to begin the workout. For those who are looking to get specific results, there are many hill training programs out there to meet those needs.
Interval Workouts on the Treadmill
It has been said that interval training is probably the hardest workout to do on the treadmill. This type of workout uses varying speeds and inclines to up the intensity level of the workout. Like hill workouts, many treadmills are preprogrammed with interval programs as well. Also like hill training, if a specific result is needed, there are many interval programs available. Using intervals helps to make a workout more effective. Different muscles are worked and strength is increased in different ways.
Using a treadmill for a workout does not have to be boring. There are many ways to vary the workout and increase or decrease the intensity. The four categories can also be combined to create a unique program and get very specific results. It is easy to create a walking interval program. It is also easy to create a running hill program. Walkers, runners and athletes of all types can use a treadmill to their advantage and get the exact results they are looking for.