Treadmill Programmes Explained

Through this article I would like to share some of the different exercises which may be performed using a treadmill. Many people think that exercise treadmill programmes are boring and just limited to the normal walking or running. Training on a treadmill becomes interesting and challenging depending on your creativity.

Speed Intervals, Incline Intervals and using weights are three types of exercise routines which from my personal experience create an element of challenge whilst using the treadmill.

Speed Interval training on a treadmill is one of my favourite cardiovascular routines when I want to loose some weight. This type of exercise pushes the body system to the limit, boosts the blood supply to your muscles, enhances muscle strength and improves the heart’s stroke rate. It is of utmost importance that before starting the speed interval training you warm up for 10 minutes through normal or fast walking. Then you should start jogging at a regular comfortable pace. Keep jogging for three minutes and then increase the speed of the treadmill to the maximum you can go and keep it this way for a minute. After this minute, reduce the speed again to the jogging mode. Jog for another three minutes and repeat the one minute of high speed running and persist in this routine for 30 minutes. I assure you that after this routine you will be all sweaty and would need a shower .

Another recommended workout which may be performed on a treadmill is the inclined intervals routine. The only limitation of this exercise is that one must have a treadmill with the facility to incline the running base. With such facility the exercise focuses on varying the running inclination by adjusting different angles of the treadmill base. Similar to the speed interval training, you must first warm up through a 10 minute normal walk on a flat base (without inclining the base). After these ten minutes, incline the base slightly as though you are going up a slope and increase the speed slightly. This will simulate when you are jogging up a slope. Jog for 5 minutes and then increase the inclination further and do another 5 minutes of jogging. Lower the treadmill base to the flat position and continue jogging for another five minutes. This routine may be repeated for as long as your energy permits. The recommended time for this exercise is one hour. From my past gym experiences, I also saw professional runners who combine the speed and inclination interval training together. This is however recommended for the very professional runners who want to simulate fast running in a marathon scenario.

If you are restrained on time and want to exercise some upper body whilst you perform cardio exercise on a treadmill, you can opt for the ‘Treadmill Weight Workout’. This involves holding a set of dumbbells in your hands and using them to train biceps, triceps and shoulders. Holding the dumbbells is already an added effort, as you will be increasing the total body weight whilst walking or slow jogging. This is a very good exercise however before staring, be sure that you are confident with walking and jogging on treadmills as losing your balance may have very undesirable effects.

Other exercises which I saw being performed in gyms are ‘Running/Walking Backwards’ and ‘Walking on Toes or Heels’. These two exercise may spice a workout and may seem very challenging, however from my personal experience I do not recommend them. As they are difficult and complicated to perform, they must be performed slowly and thus provide no cardiovascular benefit on the body. If you decide to try them out be careful not to sustain any injuries, as I saw many people falling off the treadmill and getting hurt.

This article is an excerpt from a series of informative guides appearing on Physical-Fitness-Instructor.com under the Treadmills section of the site at http://www.physical-fitness-instructor.com/treadmills.html