It is no secret that one of your body parts that benefit from treadmill workout sessions is your legs. That’s regardless of whether you walk or run on the treadmill.
Whereas that is often obvious, most people don’t understand the details well. So, what do treadmills do to your legs?
One notable benefit of walking or running on the treadmill is building your leg muscles. Regarding leg muscles, one must admit that goals differ from one individual to another.
For instance, the muscles a runner seeks are not what a bodybuilder is looking for. So, let’s look into details to ensure you meet your goals perfectly.
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What do treadmills do to your legs when walking on a treadmill?
The quadriceps, usually on your thigh’s front, feel the effect of walking on a treadmill. After all, they are important when moving forward since they lift your legs at this crucial moment.
Equally important, the hamstrings at the back of your thighs must also work for the backward movement. As you stride, these leg muscles are quite involved.
There are also the gluteal muscles at the buttocks that complement the hamstrings during the backward movement.
It is also worth noting that your buttocks also ensure you won’t topple over when working out as they offer the necessary support.
Gastrocnemius muscles in your calves are also functional when walking on a treadmill. Their role revolves around stretching your ankle, thus enhancing your speed.
Muscles at the front of the calves are also helpful when landing your feet on the heels when walking. As these leg muscles work together when walking on a treadmill, they strengthen for obvious reasons.
Walking on an Incline on a Treadmill
The leg muscles you use when walking are useful, even on an incline. Therefore, walking on an incline will also impact your quadriceps and hamstrings.
The same applies to the gluteal and gastrocnemius muscles. However, unlike regular work, these muscles and the calves experience a more intense workout.
Running on a Treadmill
You will engage the same muscles involved in walking when running on a treadmill. However, we all know that running is more intense than walking.
Besides, the back and front muscles get even more involved when running on a treadmill. You will need the front ones when lifting your legs and propelling your stride upward and forward.
On the other hand, the back ones will help you accelerate. After all, running requires more speed than walking, hence the need for acceleration.
Also, you form strides by moving your legs backward when running. When running on a treadmill, all these demands help you work out your leg muscles.
Running on an Incline on a Treadmill
First, you can’t insist enough on avoiding running on an incline on a treadmill for long periods. The ideal period is doing it for a few minutes during a workout.
Otherwise, your knee joints may eventually suffer due to the tough workout. Since it is safe yet effective, you can avoid it and run faster without an incline.
So, running on an incline on a treadmill may do more harm than good to your legs.
What Treadmill Workouts Will Build Your Leg Muscles
If building your leg muscles motivates you to get on the treadmill, the following workouts can be of great help. However, they work differently, hence being ideal for different targets.
Endurance Workout
It is ideal for building your legs’ stamina and revolves around jogging. Besides toning your legs, the workout has the same effect on the rest of your body.
After all, it is quite effective in burning more calories. Although it takes several weeks, it will be comfortable to jog for more than 30 minutes.
Some of its characteristics are as follows;
- The speed should be between 4 and 6 miles per hour
- Don’t use an incline
- Let the session last for at least 30 minutes
Consider walking for 5 minutes briskly before and after the workout to warm up and cool down, respectively.
Sprint Workout
It is similar to high-intensity interval training. The sprint workout involves alternating sprint cycles for a short period, resting for another short period, and so on.
You keep changing your speed, given the different cycles. The periods that are more effective for your legs are when you sprint.
Despite being challenging, you will enjoy it a lot.
Some of its characteristics are as follows;
- The sprinting speed should be at least 7 miles per hour
- The recovery speed should be between 4 and 6 miles per hour
- Don’t use an incline
- Let the session last for about 20 minutes
For instance, sprint for a minute, then recover for another minute and repeat this cycle 10 times. Remember to warm up before the workout and cool down after; a 5-minute brisk walk is adequate.
Incline Workout
It only involves walking throughout the workout session. Otherwise, running on a treadmill with an incline won’t benefit your knee joints.
Ensure that the incline you use puts enough stress on your legs for the sake of the muscles.
Some of its characteristics are as follows;
- The speed should be between 2 and 5 miles per hour
- Use an incline of 5% to 15%
- Let the session last for about 30 minutes
Only use an incline on which you can comfortably complete the 30-minute workout session. It is okay to adjust the incline depending on how your body feels.
