Exercise can improve your physical and mental well-being and is proven to be an excellent stress reliever. Anything that gets you moving will be extremely beneficial to your physical and mental health. But there’s something quite special about running on a treadmill that makes the process of exercising that much easier and far more relaxing.
If you want to begin treadmill running but don’t know where to start, this article has got you covered.
1. Make Sure To Warm Up
It might be tempting to simply jump onto your treadmill and begin your workout. However, much like running outdoors, you must warm up your body before you begin exercising.
Warm-ups raise your heart rate, send oxygen to your muscles, and also prime your body to perform more efficiently. If you’re a little bit concerned about where to begin, you can start with an easy jog or a 5-minute walk on the treadmill before you start increasing the incline or picking up the pace of your run.
If you are looking to purchase a new machine, you should take a look at the barbend review of the sole treadmill.
2. Familiarize Yourself With Your Treadmill
Knowing the purpose of each function of the treadmill is a vital way of increasing the efficiency of your workout. If you’re using a machine in a public gym, then it’s best to seek the advice of a trainer and get them to show you all of its functions before beginning.
The majority of treadmills will have the following generic functions:
Calorie Burning Calculator
This highlights the things that you are getting from your run. These generally aren’t very accurate as they don’t take personal details into account including your age, sex, and weight. If you are consistent, then you’ll likely see the number of calories burned go up quite dramatically.
Heart Rate Monitor
This function will read your heart rate when you put your hands onto a pulse sensor, usually located on the handles of the treadmill. A heart rate monitor does not control your workout, nor should it have the power to do so. It’s most useful in gauging the overall intensity of your running workout and understanding the benefits it provides.
Speed Display
A speed display will highlight how fast you are running and is usually measured in miles per hour. It will also help you to keep track of how far you are going and is especially useful if you are training for a specific event.
3. Listen To Music
Though it’s not typically recommended to use headphones while running outside, as it can be unsafe at times, listening to music while on the treadmill can be a great motivator. Not only that, but it can also cure any boredom you might be feeling. One of the best ways to do this is to select songs and curate a playlist to keep you feeling entertained for the duration of your workout.
If you would prefer to watch a movie or your favorite TV show as you run on a treadmill, you should be a little more cautious. Remain aware of the placement of your head and neck and make sure not to bend over or crane your neck to view a screen.
If the screen on your treadmill is proving to be bad for your posture, you might be better off skipping all videos and simply listening to a podcast or music.
4. Don’t Make It Steep
Setting a challenging route can often be a good idea to improve your running ability, but you should never push yourself to unrealistic levels.
One simple way of challenging yourself would be making sure the incline is slight instead of steep. Setting a steep incline (above seven percent) could place lots of additional stress on your ankles, hips, and back, so it’s best to keep things even.
Only run on a steep incline for a couple of minutes at a time. If you alternate between using incline and not during your run, you will get a more effective (and much safer) workout.
5. Cool Down
Like the warm-up, the cool-down session is a vital part of any treadmill running workout. If you find yourself feeling dizzy or as if you are still moving on the treadmill even after stepping off the machine, this means that you have not cooled down properly.
You might feel like stepping off the treadmill when the timer hits your goal, but this should never be the case. Suddenly stopping mid-exercise could make your blood pressure and heart rate drop significantly, but gradually winding down will help them to naturally fall.
Try slow jogging or a fast-paced walk for around 5 or 10 minutes after finishing your workout. You can also follow up with post-workout stretches if you need them.
Are you a treadmill runner and do you follow these tips? Tell us below!
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