You may be one. You may plod next to one. Your whole gym may be doing it; but it ain’t doing them any good.
I’m talking about jacking your treadmill up to its max, then holding on for dear life. Sure the sweat starts flowing and those shoulders and biceps are pumped. But the fact is that you’re probably burning less calories than if you were at half the incline and pumping your arms by your side.
Treadmill Hill Climb
If you’re able to hold that high incline and pump without holding on you are indeed burning calories at a marathon rate. However, most people hold on, and as soon as you grab the monitor you are taking the resistance off your legs, the giant muscle group that is so successful at burning calories. Your arms and shoulders are holding you in place, while the treadmill glides underneath.
Think About It
The benefit you get on the treadmill comes as a result of you having to keep your pace at exactly that of the treadmill, or fall off. Too low a speed is no challenge. High speed is great. Speed that causes you to hold on or fall if may look cool, but you’re not using this machine to best of its ability.
Treadmill Hill Climbing
Interval training works best at burning calories, whether running or on the treadmill, trade off fast sprints for a easier fast-walk or jog. While running is hands-down a great calorie burner, once you hit 40 your knees don’t need the impact of uphill climbing. Outdoors and setting your own pace is more exhilarating, but you need to pace and push yourself. A running track is best. If you only have uneven pavement to run on, get a treadmill for home or join a gym. What you spend will easily pay you back in better knees and a thinner waist line.
Creative Walking
The lower body has the most muscles that work in synergy, so they burn the most calories when walking, running or climbing. The thing is, we weren’t meant to live into our 50s and still want to ski, skateboard, bicycle and otherwise beat up on our knees. So the smart person would intersperse some other lower body activities, along with walking, running and climbing.
I know this may sound silly, but skipping is not a bad workout and it’s easy on the knees. If you want silly, look to those folks who think Pilates is going shape the perfect body. Try walking with different gaits, walking while lunging, or performing some sprint work with jumping jacks and skipping rope on a grassy or other easy-give surface. Dust off those old roller blades—it’s great exercise. And don’t be afraid to bring along a pole. Just buy a 4-5 ft. piece of closet rod, put one-inch plastic caps on each end and you have a balance pole, extra brake and emergency pivot point.
Work that lower body, but work it different ways, and make it – not your upper body – do the work.
By Laura Dayton
