If you just bought a treadmill, here is how to use a treadmill for beginners like you. To live longer you need to run longer. Studies have shown that people who run have longer a lifespan than those who don’t. There is a close relationship between running, cardiovascular health, and mortality. If you want a healthier heart, run.
There are two options. You can run outdoors or on a treadmill. Treadmills are getting more popular with the increased fitness campaigns. It is one gadget you will not miss in a public gym. There are many more in people’s households.
Some people know little about how to use a treadmill. IAre you wondering, how do you use a treadmill for the first time? Read this article to the end. There is valuable information for you.
How to Use a Treadmill for Beginners
On the first session, begin with a walk at a pace of between 4 and 6 km / h. This will help you to get acquainted with the mat. After that, you can slowly raise the speed. If running is what makes your heart happy, then always remember to increase paces towards the front of the mat while setting the speed on your movement and not the opposite. Experts advise that you do some stretching & leg curls (calves, quadriceps, hamstrings) as a warm.
Consider having 40-60 minute sessions during your first weeks. This is how you will use the 40-60 minutes:
- Use 10-15 minutes to warm up in light or fast running
- Use 25-35 minutes to sitting body at a steady pace with a 70% (highest) heart rate
- Use 5-10 minutes to get back to calm in light running or fast walking
As you keep using a treadmill, you will slowly find a satisfactory pace and sufficient strength. How do you use a treadmill for the first time? That’s how you do.
Before we go further, let’s answer the question; do you really need to run or work out on a treadmill?
Why Use a Treadmill
There is no debate that both outdoor and treadmill workouts will help you keep fit. However, a treadmill is a better choice for a number of reasons.
Firstly the treadmill, generally, has a softer even surface unlike most outdoor surfaces like hard pavements or uneven rocky grounds. Running on hard surfaces or stepping on rocks hard may cause you painful injuries that can last a lifetime. You can avoid this by using the soft and even-surface treadmill platform for your runs.
Secondly, running on a treadmill gives you control of the speed, the type of exercise, and the intensity of your workout. You can decide when to warm up or cool down when to jog or sprint or just walk by simply using the settings on the panel.
The other reason to use a treadmill is that it is convenient and private. You can use it right in your living room at any time of the day or night. If you are a shy person, running outdoors may seem awkward and embarrassing. This is exactly why you need a treadmill. To meet your regular running needs at the utmost convenience.
Perhaps the greatest advantage of the treadmill over outdoor running is the heartbeat tracking as you work out. It keeps you in check so that you don’t exceed your ability limit. This way you avoid any health problems that may come up due to overstretching your abilities like heart attacks.
The First Settings to Adjust When You Step On the Treadmill
Treadmills differ from one another and may have a variety of settings. However, the common and basic settings you will find on any treadmill are the speed and incline settings.
These adjustments are necessary to ensure you burn a lot of calories and engage many muscles for a worthy workout. Before making the adjustments, ensure your feet are on the sides. Do not step on the belt yet.
Adjust the incline using the button on the panel. The best incline for a beginner should be about 1.5%. At 0% the strain will be minimum thus few muscles will be involved. An incline of above 1.5% on the other hand may be too steep to start from. You can use steeper gradients gradually as you get fitter.
The speed setting is easy to make. Once you press the start button the speed will be at the lowest then you will adjust it upward accordingly. Remember to set a pace that emulates your outdoor jog or run pace. It should start low for a warm-up and can be steadily increased according to your needs. Remember do not strain too much. It can be harmful to your health. And that’s how to use a treadmill for beginners like you.
Simple Pre-Set Workouts to Try
As a beginner, you may be wondering what workouts are best to try. The good news is that most treadmills can allow you to try simple pre-set workouts. The most common settings on treadmills are either distance-based or speed-based. You can plan your workouts depending on your choice.
There are several plans that you can try out. They range from interval plans to goal plans. The interval workout plans involve periods of intense workouts followed by light exercise. This is repeated for a set period of time. On the other hand, the goal plans involve covering a set distance within a specified period. You can also set a low speed to return to as a reward for every goal achieved
Be creative with these plans. There is no limitation to what you can try, just be careful not to overstretch your body limit.
What is The Use of the Red Clip Found on Treadmills?
Every treadmill has a red clip. Maybe you are wondering what it is and how it works. Simply, put, the clip is a safety clip. It is meant to be attached to your clothes (preferably your shorts or trousers). Attaching the clip to your shirt can help but some shirts may be buggy or easy to come off. They may not give the best protection as needed.
When you move too far backward, the string stretches to full length, prompting the treadmill to stop immediately. Some people tend to ignore it but it is a necessary precaution to take. You may trip and fall. The clip will keep you from injury.
What is the Right Time to use the Heart Rate Monitor Hand Panels?
In some treadmills, the heart rate monitors are in-built in the handlebars. This means that; to measure your heart rate while exercising, you have to grip the handlebars. It is however not advisable to run while gripping the handlebars throughout the workout period. The position will be abnormal and may cause harm to your body.
For this reason, you have to have specific periods when you can grip the sidebars to monitor your heart rate. For example, you can measure your heart rate before and after every treadmill session. During the session, you can use wrist, chest, or forearm monitors.
It is important to monitor your heart rate in every session and try to reach your correct heart rate zone. This way you will have your body working correctly depending on your ultimate goal.
How to Enjoy Your Treadmill Session
Having answered all the questions on How to Use a Treadmill for Beginners, here is more. The treadmill workout may turn out to be boring especially if you are on it for long. However, it doesn’t have to be. There are several creative ways you can use to make it less boring.
One of the best ways to get you excited on the treadmill is to set goals. Celebrate yourself as you hit every target to make your treadmill runs enjoyable. Simple goals like covering a given distance or meeting a specific time goal can be very exciting. Keep varying the targets and this will keep you engaged in your workout with minimum boredom.
Wise use of entertainment can also kill treadmill boredom. You may choose to watch your favorite TV program as you run on the treadmill or listen to music. Just be careful not to be distracted completely or you may injure yourself. When using TV, for example, do light activities during the program and the intense ones during commercials.
Another option is to make the treadmill face a place with a pleasant view, for example, natural scenery. The view will boost your excitement and make your treadmill session exciting.
Does Running On a Treadmill Differ From Running Outside?
Is running on a treadmill different from outdoor running? The answer is Yes, and no.
Yes because when running on the treadmill, you undergo less physical strain than you would outdoors. The treadmill gives you a uniform pace and an even surface with no turns. It also reduces the impact on your body thus you work out in a safe environment.
On the other hand outdoor running involves interruptions like turns and uneven ground. It is difficult to maintain the pace and hard to measure your progress. When running outdoor you may also be more exposed to injuries than on the treadmill.
While the treadmill gives a less strenuous workout, it may be both advantageous and disadvantageous. Whereas it keeps you safe from most injuries, it may be denying you the extra strain to build your muscles appropriately.
No, because whether you run on the treadmill or outside, you still get the same outcome. You get to burn calories, keep fit and healthy. There are risks in both treadmill and outside running. If you fail to follow the right procedures you may end up hurt at the treadmill. The bottom line is care and caution.
Conclusion
After reading all the way, you must have realized that a treadmill is a great gadget that is easy to use. The benefits of the treadmill cannot be overemphasized. The fact that; you can easily control your walks or runs, track your progress, monitor your heart rates, and help you work out in a safe environment makes it a necessary tool.
The varieties of workouts for beginners that can be pre-set are of great value. You can try out as many as you can to avoid boredom and get maximum work out in one place.
Try out the suggestions above and your experience with the treadmill will be super exciting.