Treadmill Tips

I see a lot of things go down in commercial gyms.. some of it hurts my soul to its core because I just want to help everyone, BUT I know most people just don't know any better. So today I am coming at you with some treadmill info that you may find helpful. Lately I’ve noticed two extreme ends of the treadmill spectrum. On one end some people are moving slower on the treadmill than they did when they walked into the gym from their car OR some people are moving so fast or have the incline so high they are holding on for DEAR LIFE.

To my slow walkers first…

I am all for walking.. walking is always going to be better than nothing, BUT if you are on the treadmill and you are walking slower than you would down the street or around your house… please reassess and think about upping the speed at least a smidge. I see so many people walking slower than they were when they walked up to the treadmill to get on to it. Do you need to be speed walking like an Olympic athlete?.. NO, but do your heart some justice and get it pumping a bit. Afterall, that is the whole point of cardio. If you want to go slow, think about increasing the incline. If you don’t like incline walking or running then just walk at a decent brisk pace… not in slow mo.

Now to the people who hold on for dear life….

On the opposite side, I see gym goers hauling ass while HOLDING ON FOR DEAR LIFE on the treadmill. Sometimes I see people walking so fast they hold on to keep up while not wanting to actually run. Or others have the incline set so high they can’t keep up or some have a fast walk and too high of an incline combo going. You should not have to hold on for dear life on the treadmill. This is again another scenario where you will want to check yourself and reassess. Remember, sometimes ya gotta let that ego go.

One way to think about it:

if you were walking up a hill would you be holding onto something aka the treadmill like this and leaning backwards?.. the answer is no.. you would not be leaning backward holding on walking up a hill outside. Walking with an incline hits your glutes and hammies, works your core, and cranks up that heart rate. Holding on for dear life and leaning back in order to hold on and keep up throws all of that out of the window.

Holding on = making it easier.

This ends up being ironic because it defeats the whole purpose of choosing a challenging speed or incline. Holding on also eliminates the use of your arms in your natural gait swing and just throws off all your natural biomechanics of how you would be moving in real life.

Now, obviously it goes without saying that sometimes you have to hold on to catch your balance or adjust yourself if you are not used to it, or if you get super tired etc. that is all fine. Just try to be reasonable with yourself.

TLDR (too long didnt read): Be safe, but don’t be afraid to push yourself.. especially if your pace on the tread is slower than your normal walking pace. If you are holding on for dear life… you may want to think about lowering the incline or decreasing the speed.

Treadmill Tips

Set the treadmill to at least 1 percent incline – this can help mimic outside running/walking better than no incline. Being on a treadmill you don’t have wind resistance and you are not pushing yourself forward off the ground the same as you would be with regular outside walking/running. The belt on the tread could be helping you move more than you realize so the 1 percent incline just kind of adds back in the real life aspects of outdoor walking/running.

I always forget about this, but it’s such a great surprise when I remember and find it. A lot of cardio machines have fans built into them. Just look for a little fan button – it may be a tiny life saver for you like it feels to me. I know most planet fitness treadmills have them these days.

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Remember: this video is for informational purposes only and may not be the best fit for you and your personal situation. It shall not be construed as medical advice. The information and education provided here is not intended or implied to supplement or replace professional medical treatment, advice, and/or diagnosis. Always check with your own physician or medical professional before trying or implementing any information seen here.