Things to watch out for when using a treadmill regularly
Treadmills are great exercise machines. They can help improve your health in many, many ways. The constant aerobic exercise is great for strengthening the heart and lungs, and with so many speed and incline controls you can work all sorts of different muscles. Treadmills help you build endurance and speed which then helps build a stronger cardiovascular system. A stronger heart and lungs make for better overall health and more energy. With more energy you will be able to do more things and concentrate on the things that matter most to you in life.
A treadmill workout of only twenty minutes a day can make a serious difference in your life. Yes, even something as simple as a treadmill can make you a happier and more productive person. And for those of us who have ever tried to run in the freezing cold of winter, we know that a treadmill can be an absolute necessity. Treadmills have also been found to burn many more calories per hour than similar exercise machines like stationary cycles, cross country skiing machines, and rowing machines. The incline, speed, and heart rate monitor help to develop specific muscles and to insure that you are working out at just the right level. So how could you go wrong with a treadmill? As with most other tools, problems arise when you either do not have the right tool, or when you do not use it properly.
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One thing to be aware of is that running on a treadmill is not the same as running outdoors. This may seem obvious, but there are some important things to consider when running indoors. You do not have the same amount of air resistance, so a run at the same pace on a treadmill will not give you the same workout you would achieve outdoors. Also, because there is less air passing over your body, you will dehydrate much faster. Be sure to drink lots of extra water when working out on a treadmill, and to have a fan blowing on you.
You might think that you can increase your speed indefinitely on a treadmill so that you are running at a very fast pace. This is true, but you should not overestimate your abilities, and especially when you begin. Work up to high speeds, and only do them for short periods. If you try to continue at a very fast pace for a long time you run the risk of falling. Remember that when you get the treadmill up to a very fast pace you cannot just jump of it. You need to be able to stop it and cool down.
Another thing to watch out for with a treadmill is the incline. Realize that a treadmill is naturally on a bit of decline when it is set at zero, so it is more like running down hill than on a flat surface. This means that you will naturally think you are going really fast. The same distance and speed outside create very different conditions, and especially with the wind resistance, so that the workout is much more difficult. Adjust the speed and incline controls to make them a little bit more difficult than what you might generally run outside so that you are at a similar level of difficulty.
Make sure that you have good running shoes. You might be tempted to think that a treadmill does not require the same level of running equipment but this is definitely false. You still need good running shoes, and you need to replace them as soon as they wear out.
