The treadmill is a classic exercise tool to help those who want to lose weight without being out in public. Unfortunately, there are those who don’t use the treadmill often because they’re worried that it’s not burning up enough calories.
Photo: Pexels / Andrea Piacquadio
Chances are you’re using your treadmill wrong if this is your issue. Here are some tips on how to maximize your treadmill use and burn more calories in the process!
Let the Handles Go
To get rid of those love handles, make sure you’re not holding on to the handles of the treadmill. The whole point of this exercise is to simulate walking outside and when outside, you’re not really holding on to anything. That being said, let go of the handles and allow your core to maintain the balance. This way, you’ll also exercise your core muscles and speed the process towards a flatter and solid tummy.
HIIT It Up
High intensity interval training has been proven to help burn calories faster and in larger amounts. You can apply this in treadmill workouts by switching from fast to slow and then back again. For example, you can start with a sedate 3km/h for 2 minutes and then switch it to 9km/h for 60 seconds and then back again. This creates a state of after burn which essentially means that your body continues to burn up the calories even after you’re done with the exercises.
Inclines are great for cardio and muscles – allowing you to hit two birds with one stone. Obviously though, inclines can be hard on the knees, which is why it’s important to go slow with inclines. In here, your goal is not speed but precision as you slowly trudge your body through a steeper and steeper incline. By building your muscle tone – particularly along the legs and core muscles, you should be able to burn more calories even while at rest. Remember: muscles burn calories faster so building them up make it easier for you to burn fat. Once you get used to the process, you can now speed up the treadmill even as you get a steep incline.
Take Longer Runs
Take longer runs measures not in minutes but in kilometers. Set a challenge to yourself by seeing how many minutes you spend to run one kilometer. The goal is to make it as little as possible which means that you’ll be kicking up the treadmill speed one by one. Doing this, you’ll be able to give your body a good workout and promote excessive sweating which is just the result you want when it comes to burning calories.
Distract Yourself
A common problem for those who use treadmill is the fact that the exercise can be quite boring. A good way of keeping yourself distracted is by turning on the TV or listening to some music while running. This way, you won’t find yourself getting bored which can cut your treadmill time by half.
Those are just few of the tips you should keep in mind. Remember: treadmills should be mixed with targeted exercises for a more thorough burn!
