How to Use a Treadmill

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Running on a treadmill is an incredibly efficient form of exercise, but it is often done improperly, hindering weight loss and fitness. Read this handy guide to maximize your results!

Steps

1. Find a convenient treadmill near you. Not everyone enjoys treadmills, or gets the results they want, so do not buy one until you are sure you want one, as they can be a large investment.
2. Decide why you are using a treadmill. Do you want to burn fat, strengthen your heart, muscles, and lungs,or both?
3. Follow the instructions on the machine to start it. You can choose one of the preset exercises, or you can personalize your workout to your own liking. Manual model allows you to select your own choices of inclination, and speed.
4. Set a realistic yet challenging time limit, and hold yourself to it.
5. To burn fat, jog at little or on incline or walk uphill; if you are out of breath, you are working too hard. To improve your cardiovascular fitness and gain stamina, run on flat ground at a higher speed or really crank up the elevation. This is a deep-breathing
6. To evaluate your progress, most modern treadmills also have Fitness Test options that measures your heart beat and other factors and provides you with a score.

Tips

• Try varying your exercise program (treadmills can get boring).
• Listen to your favorite music or make a deal with yourself that you can only watch your favorite show (DVD box sets work great here) while you are on your treadmill.
• Do not put the treadmill in "that dark back bedroom" that you hate to go into (or--if you must--clean it, paint it and let in some light...and a TV/stereo!
• To burn even more calories and get some variation in your routine, alter the incline settings every 2 minutes to go up 3%. For example 0:00=1%, 2:00=3% 4:00=6%, etc... Keep going until you get to around 12-15% And hold it until you feel ready to come back down. Then repeat the sequence coming down in percentage. presto! Instant hill.
• Do not do it everyday. Youll be sure to lose interest and it wont make working out a fun thing to do. Do it every other day or 3 times a week.

Warnings

• Consult your doctor before beginning any exercise program.If you feel dizzy, lightheaded, or out of breath while exercising, stop immediately.
• Take it slow! Begin with easy exercises 3 times a week, and work your way up. If you try too hard you may strain a muscle or feel otherwise discouraged from "too much too soon".
• Make sure the treadmill is off or moving at a very slow speed before you step on.

Related wikiHows

• How to Do Nordic Walking

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