Aerobic Exercise
Treadmill Tricks to Get the Most for Your Effort
From eDiets -
working with Howtobefit.com to improve your health and
fitness
Its
by far the most popular piece of equipment in the gym and at home. And studies
have shown that running on the treadmill is one of the highest calorie-burning
workouts out there. But are you really getting the most for your effort?
Consider this: When you go for a walk, you
walk faster on some days than you do on others. Does it make a difference in
the calories you burn? It sure does! When you walk on a treadmill, the speed is
constant, so you feel like you get a better, more consistent workout than you
would walking around your neighborhood. Thats a perk of the treadmill.
On the other hand, when you walk outside,
you might walk uphill and downhill, which acts as interval training.
In a nutshell, the speed of your walk
doesn't matter as much when you walk outdoors or on a track, since you're
propelling your weight with every step. On the treadmill, however, the belt is
moving and helps to bring your foot back. You may have noticed that you feel a
bit more tired after a walk off the treadmill.
We’re not putting down the hottest
piece of fitness equipment out there, but we would like to make it a more
effective workout for you.
To approximate walking outside, a treadmill
requires two-degrees of incline to compensate for the movement of the belt --
so crank it up. Better yet, choose a program that adjusts the incline and
speed. You’ll begin to notice a difference in your program very
quickly!
If you've ever reached a plateau in your
fitness program, where no matter what you do, you seem stuck at a particular
weight or cardio fitness level, this will come in handy here, too. Variety is
the spice of your treadmill workout!
In addition, if you're using a
treadmill during every one of your workouts, it's a good idea to take a step
off the belt from time to time. Get on a bike, an elliptical trainer, a rowing
machine or a stepper.
Muscles adapt to the same routine fairly
quickly, so find two-pieces of equipment that you like and mix up your program.
How can this help? When you're on a treadmill, your body interprets the walking
motion as a linear movement. When you get on a bike, upright or recumbent,
however, the movement becomes rotary.
Muscles don’t have eyes -- they
can’t see. Muscles can only interpret movement. When you go back to the
treadmill after switching things up, the body says, "We’re not doing a
rotary thing, this is linear." The changes are subtle but the results can be
great.
Add variety and mix up your workout.
Don’t become attached to a single piece of equipment. Keep your body
guessing as to what’s coming next!
With six years in the fitness industry
Jeff Dirgo is Fitness Director with Lifestyle Dynamics LLC, his own education,
training, and consulting business in New Jersey. Jeff is reaching out to assist
other fitness professionals. He holds numerous certifications including the
Master Fitness Specialist and Health Promotion Director certifications from the
Cooper Institute for Aerobics Research, and is certified by the American
Council on Exercise, and the American Academy of Health and Post Rehab Fitness
Professionals. |
