Tips for Treadmill Workouts: Avoid these Common Mistakes

We've put together some tips to make the most of your treadmill workouts. Treadmills are great for getting back into shape, improving your health and cardiovascular fitness, but you have to learn how to use the treadmill properly to get the most benefits from your daily workout routine. Incorrectly done, your efforts might be in vain or even cause injuries such as sprained ankles and backaches from bad posture.nnIn addition to having proper posture and knowing how to use your treadmill correctly, it is also important to choose treadmill workout routines that continue to challenge you but without overworking yourself or doing too much too soon. Here are some tips for treadmill workouts to help you use your treadmill to its full capacity. Whether you are looking to get in shape, lose some weight or just have fun, you can make the treadmill work for you. nnTips for Planning Your Treadmill Workout ProgramnnWhen planning a workout program, one of the first things you need to consider is your experience level with the treadmill and how much time you have for a particular workout. You also need to know as much about your treadmill and its controls and settings as possible as well as the emergency shut-off. nnYour treadmill program should include a warm up, the main workout and the cool down. It also benefits you to vary your workout regime throughout the week so you are not doing the exact same thing each day. Begin your treadmill routine with a slow and steady 5 minute walk and warm up. nnAfter this, you can slowly increase the speed but don’t overwork yourself when you are not used to it. Faster does not equal better and will do more harm than it will help. For a good aerobic workout, you need to walk at a pace that brings your heart rate up to 70-80% of your maximum heart rate (MHR). Now you can do a 5 minute cool down, slowly bringing the speed of the treadmill back down. These tips for treadmill workouts will help you get the maximum benefit each time you use your treadmill. nnAvoid Common MistakesnnOur tips for treadmill workouts include a list and explanation of many of the common mistakes that people make which can hinder your workout progress. Your treadmill exercise program will benefit more once you learn to avoid these common mistakes. nn

• Not getting onto the treadmill correctly. You should not get on your treadmill when it is moving at full speed. Start at a slow speed and gradually progress to the higher speed.
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• Holding onto the handrail or console. Many people use the treadmill by holding onto the railings. It’s a natural assumption that this is what they are there for when in fact, they are there to help you safely get onto and off of the treadmill. When walking or running on the treadmill, you should keep your hands and arms the way they would naturally fall while walking or running.
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• Bad posture. Another common mistake during a treadmill workout program is to lean forward or hunch your shoulders while walking and running. This can damage your back muscles and create other problems.
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• Overstriding and leaning forward. These go back to the same point on posture and not holding the railings. When you use the treadmill, it should be in the same motions with which you would naturally walk or run.

nnWhen you avoid these common treadmill workout mistakes, you can get the full benefit from your workout routine. These tips for treadmill workouts will keep your heart healthy and your body benefiting from the treadmill.