Treadmillology

There is no doubt about it that the treadmill is the number one stationary running machine. Some are even equipped with devices that monitor your heart rate, a beautiful invention. Some even have trainers built right into them. On certain training modes you can go on a decline power walk or you can go on an incline power walk. That's beautiful right?! Think about it, you can walk down a hill on a treadmill without being on a hill. You can walk up a hill on a treadmill without being on a hill as well, beautiful!

Can you imagine walking up a steep hill; the strain on your legs from your knee joints being bent at an angle which causes your quadriceps to constantly stay engaged and lower back on fire because of muscles constantly resisting gravity to support your torso. The intensity makes your heart race even when walking at a
slow pace. Each step makes your feel as if your are pulling them out of mud as you persistently trudge along. That is indeed a great way to burn calories and get the blood pumping. You have nothing to hold on to when you are walking up a hill. It's just you and gravity fighting your every step.

Here is the big question: Why would you hold on to the bars when you raise the incline on the treadmill?! C-mon people, you are defeating the entire purpose of the imaginary hill. Sure if you had something to hold on to as you walked up a hill it would easier, but that's not as much of a challenge as having no rope on a hill or in this case, not holding on to a bar on a treadmill. The purpose of cranking up the incline on a treadmill is to increase-the-intensity.

If you feel as if you are going to fall back, you may have the incline entirely too high or the speed is too fast. Either way, decrease your incline intensity to about 8.5 or lower and lower your speed Roadrunner. A formula that I like to use for my long legs on an incline walk is 3.5 speed and 8.5 to 9 incline. After four minutes, sweat starts to drip from my pores. If you have short legs, try a lower speed and incline.

Here's a bit of what I like to call, Treadmillology:
1. If you are on a high incline and feel as if you need to hold on to the bars in an effort to stay on the treadmill, decrease your incline or lower your speed.
2. You are not in competition with the person beside you on a treadmill. Keep your numbers (speed/incline) within your limits.
3. Use the training modes to get a great workout. Enter your weight, age, etc., and let the machine take over.
4. The treadmill is a great way to train your pace, especially if you are a Triathlete or a long distance runner. Use it for that purpose.
5. When you finish an intense run on a treadmill, be sure to use the cool down mode. It is necessary to gradually decrease your heart rate to avoid the shock to your cardiovascular system.

As always, thank you for your time and putting your health first.