Whether you have been working out for years or you just started, walking on the treadmill is the most preferred way to begin your workout routine. This is because most people can comfortably walk on the treadmill, also because you can regulate the intensity level at which you can exercise.
However, as friendly and safe a treadmill is, there is certain Treadmill Walking Mistakes To Avoid to prevent injuries and to ensure that you reap out the most out of every session.
Treadmill Walking Mistakes to Avoid
1. Poor Grooming
It is essential to wear the appropriate work out an outfit every time you use the treadmill. Make sure that you are wearing the right shoes. Get a pair of footwear that has extra padding in the sole to protect your heel from the high impact that comes with every stride. Also, make sure that the shoelaces are tied properly, and your clothes are not too big or loose to prevent them from getting stuck in the treadmill, which could result in serious injuries. You can know the best treadmill with tv screen reviews.
2. You Are Not Walking at an Incline
In order for you to maximize the benefits of walking on a treadmill, you need to incline it. Inclined walking helps to tone the legs and glut muscles. By doing this, you actively engage the thighs and calves muscles required for that desired toned back.
3. You Are Not Moving Your Arms
Move your arms as well as you walk on the treadmill. Do not hold or support yourself on the handrails. Moving your arms will give you a full-body workout. Resist the need to support your weight on the handrail and instead make use of your arms and legs to balance out the weight to ensure maximum calories burn. If you just started using the treadmill and you feel afraid of letting you could start with the slowest pace and increase gradually as you get comfortable
4. You Are at Your Feet
Looking at your feet as you are walking on the treadmill could cause you to feel dizzy, making you lose your balance and fall over. Looking down or at your feet while walking can also strain the back of your neck. Over time, this can misalign the rest of your body and, as a result, cause the hips to poke out. Always look straight ahead and ensure that your shoulders are level with your chest open.
5. You Are Not Tightening Your Core
Whether you are walking or running, it is essential always to tighten your core. When you tighten your core, you increase your chances of burning more calories, thus lose more weight.
6. You Overdo it
Sometimes doing less is more. You might think that you will get more results but doing more, however, when you overwork your muscles, you become too sore, you will not be able to perform effectively during the session. In some cases, you could even be forced to miss some sessions because our whole body hurts. For maximum results, you should only incorporate intense work out about two to three times a week.
7. Your Strides Are Too Long
You might want to make big strides in an attempt to cover more ground. However, this does not work while using a treadmill. Long stride will make you use more energy and, as a result, only work out at short intervals. You also increase the risk of getting injured because you could hit the front of the treadmill frame, causing you to fall. The most effective way to walk on the treadmill is to make your steps short, firm, and stable; your feet should barely leave the ground. If you find it challenging to keep your feet on the ground, you should try to reduce the pace on the treadmill.
8. Skipping Your Warm-up
Just like any other workout routine, you need to warm up first before you increase the intensity of your routine. Don’t just get on the treadmill and shoot to maximum speed. Use the first 5 minutes to warm up as you increase the pace gradually. Warming allows your muscles to loosen up properly such that you will not experience sudden discomforts such as a muscle pull when the routine intensifies.
Finally I’d like to recommend to invest in a good quality treadmill for better service. If you already have a good one, that’s awesome, just move on it. But if you are thinking to buy a new one, that’s a good idea too. Buy a high quality running machine might be pretty expensive, but you can save some bucks investing in a inexpensive treadmill for running. Give a trial if its possible to your nearest gym or shop if possible otherwise read the product description, reviews, warranty & terms etc properly
It is time to do things right from now, henceforth!