Top 5 Treadmill Walking Exercises to Boost Your Fitness Regime
Cranking up the pace on that trusty treadmill isn't just a passtime for indoor athletes; it's a legitimate workout that torchers calories, tones muscles, and boosts both physical and mental well-being. Even if cruising through marathons isn't your thing, you can still reap the rewards while catching up on your favorite TV shows. Here are a handful of strategies to help you make the most of your treadmill session.
Is walking on the treadmill a solid workout?
When you push yourself to your physical limits while strolling the treadmill, it can be as beneficial to your heart as pounding the pavement during a run, as indicated by a 2013 study. Believe it or not, participants who matched the cardio exertion of their running contemporaries while strolling saw similar decreases in risk for hypertension and diabetes. Burning calories, melting away fat, and muscle sculpting are all parts of the package deal.
The perfect workout for beginners
When it comes to treadmill routines, less is often more – simplicity breeds results.
Start with this easy-peasy 30-minute regimen:
- 5 minutes. Begin with a 0-1% incline and a walking speed that feels comfortable enough for a chat (1-3 mph).
- 5 minutes. Increase the incline to 1-2% and pick up the pace so conversation becomes a struggle (2-6 mph).
- 20 minutes. Cycle between these speeds and inclines.
Feeling peppy? Turbocharge your routine by increasing the speed or incline as needed.
A calorie-crushing workout for weight loss
If shedding pounds is your goal, discovering your fat-burning heart rate can help you optimize your treadmill sessions. This zone, where you torch the most calories per minute, can even be accessed during a walk.
Here's how to find your ideal fat-burning zone heart rate:
Step 1: Calculate your max heart rate. This is your heart's maximum number of beats per minute during exercise and is roughly 220 minus your age. For instance, if you're 30, your max heart rate would be 190.
Step 2: Find your fat-burning sweet spot. This zone is approximately 70% of your max heart rate. So, if your max heart rate is 190 beats per minute, your fat-burning zone would be 133 beats per minute.
Step 3: Monitor your heart rate using a heart rate monitor (or a smartwatch) and follow these steps:
- 5 mins. Warm up at a low speed with zero incline.
- 1 min. Bring the incline to 2%. Walk at a moderate speed.
- 15-30 mins. Walk at a pace that brings your heart rate into the fat-burning zone. (It might require some arm pumping!)
- 1 min. Lower the speed and incline to walk at a moderate pace.
- 5 mins. Gradually cool down by slowing your pace.
Every individual is different, so you might find yourself in the fat-burning zone anywhere between 50-80% of your max heart rate. If you're uncertain, consult a personal trainer for assistance.
Fire up your metabolism with HIIT
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a training style that involves alternating high-intensity and low-intensity exercise periods. A 2017 review classified HIIT workouts as an effective method for reducing body fat and calorie burn in almost half the time required for continuous exercise.
Ready to HIIT it?
- 5 mins. Warm up at a low pace with no incline.
- 30 secs. Run like the wind or speed-walk like your life depends on it.
- 1 min. Walk at a comfortable pace.
- Repeat 5-10 times. Flexibility is key here. On some days, 5 rounds might feel like enough, but on other days, you might find yourself yearning to do more.
- 5 mins. Cool down by walking at a gentle pace with no incline. Mission accomplished!
Feeling ambitious? Add more minutes to each high-intensity session or crank up the speed or incline. Just be sure your rest intervals are around twice as long as your HIIT intervals.
Build muscle with incline workouts
Whether you're scaling mountains or the treadmill, nothing fuels the burn in your glutes more than an incline. If you're prepared to focus on muscle development, brace yourself for this routine:
- 5 mins. Start with a warm-up at zero incline and a slow pace.
- 1 min. Speed-walk with no incline.
- Increase the incline by 1% each minute. Keep going until you reach an 8-10% incline (or as high as your machine permits).
- Decrease the incline by 1% each minute. Gradually work your way back down to zero incline.
- 5 mins. Bring the pace back down to a leisurely walk to cool down.
Ready to ramp it up? Only increase the incline by half a percentage point each minute, climb up to a 4-5% incline, and then descend.
Ignite your need for speed
Got some pace in your step?
Many modern treadmills come equipped with preconfigured speed interval workouts. Give one a whirl if you're aiming to elevate your walking speed.
Alternatively, try the following routine at a 0-1% incline:
- 5 mins. Warm up at 2 mph.
- 5 mins. Pick up the pace – target 4-5 mph.
- 5 mins. Time to speed-walk with all the force you can muster.
- 5 mins. Slow it back down to 4-5 mph.
- 5 mins. Turbocharge again.
- 5 mins. Slow it back down…again.
- 5 mins. Bring it home with a gentle cool-down at 2 mph.
Remember, if you want to enhance your walking speed, you should feel as though you're working at 80-90% of your max heart rate during the speedy segments.
In summary, walking on the treadmill isn't just a cardio pastime – it's a legitimate workout that can torch calories, sculpt muscles, and boost overall well-being. To maximize the impact on weight loss, consider diving into HIIT routines, finding your fat-burning heart rate zone, or tackling an incline challenge. Maximize the benefits of your treadmill sessions while catching up on your fave TV shows!
- Walking on a treadmill can provide a solid workout, as a 2013 study indicates walking at the same cardio exertion as runners can lead to similar decreases in risk for hypertension and diabetes.
- When it comes to treadmill routines, simplicity can breed results. A simple 30-minute regimen includes walking at different speeds and inclines for 5 minutes each, followed by 20 minutes of cycling between those speeds and inclines.
- For those looking to lose weight, discovering one's fat-burning heart rate and incorporating high-intensity interval training (HIIT) can optimize the calorie-burning potential of treadmill sessions.
- High-intensity interval training (HIIT) involves alternating high-intensity and low-intensity exercise periods, making it an effective method for reducing body fat and calorie burn in less time than continuous exercise.
