USING A TREADMILL CORRECTLY
CARDIO machines like treadmills, Cross trainers and stationary bikes are the heart and soul of a gym's cardiovascular exercise program.
But to benefit fully from these machines, you have to use them properly. Unfortunately, many people do not know the proper form. Correct use of cardio machines will not only prevent injuries but also help you burn more calories.
Treadmills are the most popular cardiovascular machines because they are so user-friendly. You don't need a special skill to walk (though you need to learn how to use a treadmill correctly). Also, treadmills can accommodate out-of-shape users as well as lean and mean runners.
People with back pain, knee problems or weak ankles usually find walking on a treadmill's shock-absorbing surface kinder to their joints than walking on concrete or asphalt.
The first few times you use a treadmill, you may get a little dizzy when you get off the machine. This is normal since your body isn't used to walking on a moving sidewalk. But you will get used to it. Hold on to something while you get your bearings.
In the beginning, it is okay to hold on to the handrails for balance. After you get the hang of it, let go and let your arms swing the way they would if you were walking outside.
Look straight ahead.
Since your feet tend to follow your eyes, look straight ahead so you stay in the middle of the belt. Be aware at all times of where you are on the belt. There is a tendency to move to the sides, front or back of the machine. If you are too close to the front you could stumble over the hood. If you are too far back you could slide off.
Of all the cardio machines, treadmills have the greatest potential for injury because, at high speed, they can throw you off. If you look over your shoulder, you can get disoriented and lose your balance. Do not look back when someone calls you. Do not stoop down to tie your shoelaces or to pick up something.
Always start the treadmill with both your feet on top of the side panels. Put your feet on the belt only when you are sure it is moving slowly. Know where the emergency stop button is and don't hesitate to use it if you feel you are being pulled backward.
Practice speeding up and slowing down, straddling the side panels and pushing the emergency button a few times until you are satisfied you can use the machine safely.
STOP THE MACHINE
Do not put the machine on pause or leave it running while answering a telephone call or going to the restroom. Someone may get on the treadmill and get thrown off.
Even if a treadmill's surface is softer than the pavement outside, wear a good pair of running shoes for serious workout.
Treadmills burn the same number of calories as running or walking outdoors. But you run a little faster uphill on a treadmill than you would up a real hill.
Today's machines have control panels with flashing lights and numbers to give you motivating feedback on how many kilometers you have walked or run, what your current heart rate is, and how many calories you have burned. Many people focus too much on the last item during workout. This leads them to "cheat" to squeeze every single extra calorie.
What is cheating? Holding on to the handrails for dear life with the treadmill inclined to the highest position. The incline makes the machine "think" you are climbing a "hill." The calorie readout will indicate a far higher calorie burn than what you are actually getting.
Better machines ask for your weight to calculate how many calories you are burning. This helps to keep the error rate of 10-30 percent to a minimum because it takes more energy to move a heavier mass than to move a lighter one.
Machines that don't ask for your weight usually base their calculations on a 154-pound male. So if you weigh much less than that, the calorie reading displayed could be way off.
Even if the machine asks for your weight, the calculation could still be off because, no matter how sophisticated and high-tech the machine, it cannot possibly calculate how much is lean mass (muscles and everything else that is not fat) and how much is fat. The more lean body mass you have, the more calories you burn.
Two people could weigh the same, but the leaner one will burn more calories per minute. This is one reason you should increase your lean mass through resistance training (weights, rubber bands and body weight exercises).
DON’T GET STUCK
As you become fitter, try the other programs the treadmill offers. Don't get stuck in the basic program. When you keep doing the same thing, you stop seeing results.
And don't make the treadmill the only cardio machine you use. You burn fewer calories per minute when your body is used to a certain pattern of movements because it becomes more energy-efficient.
In the early '90s when step aerobics was new, a study found that participants burned an average of 8.5 calories per minute. Seven years later, participants burned only 7.5 calories per minute. Researchers said, with several exercise sessions per week, the difference could result in 3 to 4 pounds gained over a year.
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