What Is a Good Treadmill Speed?

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You are the master of your speed and pace when you run/walk outside. But, if you plan on walking/running on a treadmill, you can always preset your rate and abide by it.

Speed is an integral factor if you plan to use the treadmill to achieve weight loss goals or train for a race. We cannot go by generalizations when it comes to the recommended speed for exercising on a treadmill.

What is a good treadmill speed? It depends. 8 mph might be good for me but not suitable for others. Remember never to compare yourself with others—it might be the person working out next to you or some information that you read online that could trigger you to revisit your speed statistics. But forget about any of these and focus solely on achieving your goals.

Is Speed Important?

It’s common to see people race against each other, upping their maximum speed limits while running/walking on a treadmill.

But is speed really important? Truthfully, the speed at which you are exercising is never that important unless you plan to participate in a race or get involved in doing some speed work.

While the fact stands suitable for all, it is especially important in beginners who are just starting to get used to working out on a treadmill.

Start at a comfortable speed and pace until your body becomes well-adapted to the workout routine.

In case you are a beginner, a 20-minute jog is more worthy than a 3-minute run. Your primary focus should be on exercising at a pace that causes heavy breathing—it could be walking, jogging, or running.

Read Also: Run Easier but Slower on a Treadmill? Reasons & Solutions

What Is a Good Treadmill Speed for Walking?

Most of us use the treadmill to walk on it, and hence, it becomes essential to understand the optimal speed at which you could walk on the treadmill.

A good treadmill speed for walking is 2 mph to 4.0 mph.

You could start walking at any speed above 0. The slightest movement of the treadmill is an obvious indication that you are walking on the machine irrespective of the speed.

Source: What Are the Right Walking and Running Speeds – RunnersWorld

Treadmill Speed for Jogging

Jogging is right in between walking and running—the action where you lift the feet off the ground, but you don’t go very fast otherwise, which it would become running. So a good treadmill speed for jogging is between 4 mph and 5 mph (or 6mph is also OK, personally thinking).

You begin with walking, and once you get the hang of the machine and the body becomes used to the training routine, the next step is to move onto jogging.

Jogging is one of the best exercises that’s classified as a vigorous physical activity by the CDC, while brisk walking is classified as moderate physical activity.

Treadmill Speed for Running

Remember, jogging and running are different in the case of different people. For instance, a tall person will have a longer stride. If so, you would still be jogging at six mph, but you would be running rapidly at a speed of 6 mph if you are pretty short.

So, never prioritize speed but focus on what exactly works fine for you. In general, the treadmill speed for running is anything above 5 mph (6 mph is my standard).

If you are a beginner or even an intermediate trainer who only walks or does a light jog on the treadmill, it’s no wonder that you would have always admired the speed and pace with which advanced trainers run on the treadmill.

We feel the adrenaline rush and wait for the day when we could mimic the same speed. Our primary goal is to run as fast as we can on the machine for many of us.

Read Also: Top 5 Best Treadmills for Sprinting & Senior Runners

How to Choose the Right Treadmill Speed?

Surprisingly, we don’t have one defined “ideal” speed, and the right treadmill speed varies between individuals. It depends primarily on the individual’s abilities and goals.

Your age and experience play a significant role in affecting the treadmill speed. You need to choose a speed/pace that feels right for your body and your goals.

Our body comes up with cues when we overdo our workouts. Listen to such signals and adjust your workout routine when something doesn’t seem right.

Instead of simply looking at the treadmill speed, I would recommend each of you to keep track of your breathing rate, heart rate, and your perceived rate of exertion to set yourself at an optimal speed.

What Is a Good Treadmill Speed for Beginners?

It is always exciting when we venture into newer territories, and if you are a beginner trainer, I completely understand your josh to overdo your exercises. But I strongly recommend you to stick to your advisable limits to avoid exerting your body.

If you are a beginner, it is vital to focus more on time spent exercising on the treadmill rather than the speed at which you are exercising.

As a beginner, if your primary purpose is to lose weight, the CDC recommends 30 minutes of brisk walking or 15 minutes of jogging daily, five days a week.

Weight loss or health, whatever your goal is, it is suggested to log more miles/hours on the machine instead of worrying about the speed.

What Is the Best Speed on the Treadmill to Burn Fat?

The greater your exercise duration, the higher the number of calories burned on the treadmill.

If your primary goal is weight loss/fat burn, I suggest that you choose a definite speed that you can stick to and perform the routine regularly for a longer duration—this is a far better way to succeed in your fat-burning endeavor.

For instance, you could set your running speed at five mph and do it for a full 60 minutes, which would ultimately lead to definite fat burning.

Choose a comfortable speed. You must be able to carry on a conversation at the set speed, but it still must cause heavy breathing (you shouldn’t become breathless, though).

It could be brisk walking, jogging, or running at any of the speeds mentioned above but ensure that you carry out the exercise for a longer duration to achieve fat burning.

In Closing

Any speed that you could keep up with is a good treadmill speed. Name it whatever you want—walking, jogging, or running—go that extra mile in increasing your progress every week to achieve your goal.

Don’t worry about the speed, but take care of your regularity and duration while working out on the treadmill. You are sure to reap all benefits, including weight loss, fitness, and good health.

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