Buying a treadmill is no doubt one of the best investments you can make for your overall fitness. It allows you to put in those needed steps and calories burned at the comfort of your home. The best part about treadmills is that there are already more affordable options in the market, now. There are also a lot of models to fit your personal requirements from the treadmill.
Although this exercise equipment looks easy and safe to use, there are still a lot of mistakes that treadmill owners do that result to harm than good. This can be easily overlooked because of how harmless treadmills are compared to other equipment.
If you want to reap the benefits out of your treadmill without compromising your body in the long run.
- Not wearing running shoes
Just because you are at home does not mean that you can wear any footwear when stepping on the treadmill. Put on your trusted running shoes throughout the entire session. This will give your feet the necessary cushion from the impact while running on a treadmill. Pain after using the treadmill is sometimes not a sign that you did work hard enough. It could also be your body’s sign of being unnecessarily stressed due to a lack of support during your exercise.
- Doing the same routine
Treadmill has long been labelled as one of the most boring equipments to use. But, it doesn’t have to be the case. In fact, there are more exercise varieties that you can achieve with this single piece of equipment. Do not limit yourself to the usual 30-minute run. Use your treadmill for other endurance and strength exercise. It’s one of the best ways to achieve that whole-body workout with just a single piece of equipment. You can increase the incline, do interval-run, and even include lunges in your routine.
- Skipping warm-up
If you warm up for all your other exercise, then there is no reason to skip doing it before stepping on the treadmill. Despite it being an assisted run, treadmill exercises can be one of the most high-impact ones, and it is crucial that you prepare your body enough for it. Whether it’s an interval workout or a long run, do not skip warming up first. This will also help you facilitate better blood flow while loosening your joints, thus preventing risks of injury.
- Constantly looking down
We’ve all been there. With or without reason, we look down in the middle of the run and end up dizzy after doing it. This can affect the quality of the rest of the run. You are also at risk of straining your spine, neck, and even hips by constantly doing this. If your treadmill does not have a monitor/screen, you can put it in a strategic position in the house that allows any view to keep you from looking down. Treadmill facing the garden or the road will already give enough distraction. Remember to maintain the upright position recommended for running even if you are only using the treadmill.
- Jumping or stomping on the treadmill
One of the main rules in running is to “run efficiently”. This includes taking longer and light strides instead of taking small, powerful steps. This will make damage your joints, consume too much of your energy, and will simply take more time. The same rule applies to treadmill. It can be difficult to find the right pace during your first few sessions but aim to make your every stride as light as possible while keeping your stride naturally long. This may not have a direct impact in terms of distance, but it will prove to be good training for your next long run.
- Doing artificial strides long-term
You might have seen this being done in the gym. People doing all sorts of strides on the treadmill just because they can. It’s fun to play and explore with treadmills, but doing unnatural strides constantly will not positively contribute to your overall fitness. In fact, it might even be a cause for injury. Simply run as you would on the road.
- Constantly holding on to the rails
Just because it’s there for safety does not mean it should be part of your regular routine. Using the railing way too often will reduce the calories that you should be burning from your exercise. It is also unnatural for the body to run with railing assistance, so this will not help in your training progress. To avoid slipping and accidents, make sure to set the speed of the treadmill at the level you are most comfortable with.
Avoiding these mistakes will help you get the most out of your treadmill, and also contribute to your fitness goals. Treadmills do not have to be boring. You can monitor your progress and help your body be more functional with this single piece of equipment.
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