You don’t need to run on a treadmill for effective workout sessions. On the contrary, you can choose one of the many treadmill walking workouts for similar results.
Did you know that you can even lose weight from brisk walking? It is an effective way of burning extra calories and shedding off that excess weight.
However, you need to know how to go about it if you want your efforts to pay off.
Otherwise, you may not notice any or much difference despite spending a substantial amount of time on a treadmill.
So, which treadmill walking workouts should you consider? Some of your effective options are as follows:
Table of Contents
Treadmill Walking Workouts for Speed
If you want to improve your speed, choosing one of the best treadmill walking workouts designed for that can make a huge difference.
Some workouts come preprogrammed, but you can always customize yours to fit your needs.
Did you know that walking on a treadmill at an incline of 0 to 1 percent is enough to improve your speed?
Try this one out, and thank me later.
- Warm up for up to 5 minutes at a speed of 2 mph.
- Increase the walking speed to 4 or 5 mph and maintain the pace for about 5 minutes.
- Increase the walking pace even further, but ensure it is safe and speed-walk at it for 5 minutes.
- Reduce the speed back to 4 to 5 mph and walk for 5 minutes
- Increase this speed and maintain it for 5 minutes
- Slow it down again and walk for another 5 minutes
- Finally, cool down by walking at 2 mph for 5 minutes
The secret to improving your walking speed is to work as hard as possible until you can feel it. Maintain an 80 to 90 percent of your maximum heart rate.
Sometimes, you may need to consider sprinting or jogging instead of walking for excellent results.
HIIT Treadmill Walking Workouts
If you don’t have enough time to burn calories or reduce body fat, such treadmill workouts can yield these results. After all, they are effective enough to reduce the time you need to see the results by half.
Remember, these walking workouts revolve around indulging in high-intensity exercise before resting. Exercising and resting should occur in alternating periods for results.
Consider the following steps if you want to try out one of these treadmill walking workouts.
- Warm up for about 5 minutes, ensuring the pace is easy while avoiding the incline.
- Since you aren’t looking for a running workout, speed walk as much and safely as possible for 30 seconds.
- Switch to a moderate pace and walk for a minute.
- Repeat the above steps for 5 to 10 minutes, depending on how good your body feels after each round.
- Finally, cool down by walking slowly for 5 minutes without an incline.
For a more challenging experience, add the time you spend on the high-intensity exercise. Alternatively, increase your treadmill incline.
Nevertheless, rest twice as much as you engage on every HIIT interval. You will be surprised by how effective treadmill walking can be.
Treadmill Walking Workouts for Beginners
It is crucial to start slow if you don’t want your body to suffer and dread future treadmill walking workouts. Fortunately, even the sessions that seem simple could lead to great results.
You are probably wondering which these simple beginner workouts could be. Let’s discuss an excellent example that only requires 30 minutes yet has great effects.
- The first interval takes 5 minutes; the incline should be 0 to 1 percent. Equally important, the walking speed within this period should be 1 to 3 mph.
- Increase the incline to 1 to 2 percent, depending on the previous setting. Under these circumstances, walk at 2 to 6 mph for another 5 minutes.
- Since only 10 minutes have lapsed, you have up to 20 minutes to complete this 30-minute treadmill walking workout. So, repeat the two steps above until that period is over.
You can increase its intensity by increasing the incline or the speed.
Treadmill Walking Workouts for Muscles
For strong muscles, your treadmill walking workouts require an incline for effectiveness. You can try out such a routine.
- Warm up for 5 minutes while maintaining a slow pace and a 0 percent incline.
- Speed walk for a minute, but the incline should still be 0 percent
- Start increasing the incline by 1 percent after every minute of speed walking.
- Continue increasing the incline until it reaches 8 to 10 percent.
- If your body can handle it, you can increase the incline further.
- Once you reach the highest you can get without neglecting your safety, start decreasing it by 1 percent after every minute.
- You can repeat the decrease until the incline is 0 to 1 percent.
- Walk at an easy pace for 5 minutes to cool off.
If it becomes too challenging, you can decrease the incline by half after each minute. Remember, overexerting yourself often does more harm than good.
Treadmill Walking Workouts for Weight Loss
Whereas most people assume you need complicated routines to lose weight, some treadmill walking workouts can help you shed weight. Its effectiveness depends on the accuracy of the fat-burning heart rate you settle for.
After all, the rate should be where your body burns the most calories in a minute. Remember to monitor your heart rate using a smartwatch or heart rate monitor.
Once you do so, try out this routine;
- Warm up for 5 minutes by maintaining a low pace and an incline of 0 percent.
- Increase the incline to 2 percent before walking at a moderate speed for a minute.
- Start working at a pat that drives your body to its fat-burning point for 15 to 30 minutes.
- Go back to the moderate speed and walk for a minute.
- Finally, slow your walking pace to cool down for another 5 minutes.
It is worth mentioning that various people have different fat-burning zones.
So you have to ensure you choose one suitable for you.
It is usually 50 to 80 percent of one’s maximum heart rate. To be certain, consult a personal trainer for recommendations.
Benefits of Treadmill Walking Workouts
Treadmill walking workouts have various benefits, including the following;
Improving Your Mood
If you walk regularly, even on a treadmill, this routine will boost your mood.
Increasing Muscle Strength
Walking, you work on your arms, legs, and core muscles. Walking on the incline, you work on various muscles, including calves, glutes, hamstrings, quads, and hips.
Improving Your Joint Health
Besides improving joint health, treadmill walking workouts also prevent arthritis. They strengthen muscles responsible for supporting joints and lubricate the ones at the knees and ankles.
Burning Calories
Walking on a treadmill is enough to burn calories. Consider it if you want to lose weight.
Boosting Your Health
As you walk on the treadmill, your heart rate rises. That will strengthen its muscles, lower your blood pressure, and reduce the chances of heart disease.
Conclusion
From this discussion, there are various treadmill walking workouts you can try. Since they have different purposes, ensure you choose one that aligns with your goals.
You should also adhere to routine for effectiveness. There are also ways of increasing or decreasing their intensities. If you do so, you will undoubtedly reap several benefits.
