Treadmill workouts for weight loss - interval training, walking and exercise. Walking on a treadmill for weight loss

In conclusion, the basis of weight loss should be noted - healthy habits. In particular, the diet should simply be made healthy: eliminate alcohol and soda and drink mostly water. Training should be done regularly, the load should be increased only according to your own condition. The essence of a healthy habit is to use adequate exercise.

The ideal is to run about five days a week. However, if you choose interval training, then in the beginning you should perform classes 3-4 times a week.

In addition, we note a very significant detail - your the goal is not exhaustion, but competent weight loss. Moreover, if you overly deplete the body, the body will not get rid of fat, but will instead accumulate it. Therefore, set your goal as a developed metabolism that maintains homeostasis in optimal conditions.

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In conclusion, pay attention to our video materials:

That's all. Good luck with your studies!

Walking is perceived by us as something simple and ordinary. Nevertheless, this is a great way to improve your figure, strengthen your cardiovascular system, and increase muscle tone. Walking efficiency will be maximized if you purchase a treadmill for these activities.

What muscles work

First of all, let's look at what muscle groups are involved when walking. This type of physical activity is aerobic, consuming oxygen to obtain energy. Accordingly, during exercise, the ability to absorb oxygen from the air develops, which means the heart muscle strengthens.

The muscles of the thighs also work actively - the quadriceps (responsible for extending the knees and bending the leg at the hip joint), as well as the abs. New generation treadmills allow you to set the incline yourself, which makes it possible to work out the biceps muscles, buttocks, calves and even shoulders.

Benefits and contraindications

Thanks to such training, you can not only lose weight, but also:

• strengthen ligaments and joints;
• increase overall body endurance;
• ensure the prevention of diseases of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems;
• improve the functioning of the nervous system and mood;
• boost immunity.

There are a number of diseases for which such physical activity is prohibited:

• mitral valve stenosis;
• severe hypertension;
• angina pectoris;
• severe damage to the musculoskeletal system;
• complications of varicose veins (thrombophlebitis).

How to walk on a treadmill correctly

First of all, you need to decide on the choice of simulator. Treadmills can be mechanical, magnetic or electric.

• Mechanical ones allow you to select the incline level, read your pulse, and report your workout time, speed and distance traveled.
• Magnetic ones contain an additional braking system for more comfortable activities.
• Electric tracks are good because they can independently change the program based on your performance. In addition, they do not create any noise and are easy to fold.

Important! People with joint problems are advised to choose an electric treadmill. Unlike the mechanical one, it does not create large loads on the legs thanks to the electric motor.

You should also check the coverage before purchasing. It should not be too soft, otherwise it will quickly become unusable. But, at the same time, too hard a coating will cause discomfort.

It is better to give preference to the “golden mean”. Ideally, the surface should have shock absorption. For safety reasons and to prevent injuries, a wide and long blade is suitable for beginners.
Having installed the simulator at home, you should not rush to immediately begin active training. First you need to do a short warm-up lasting 5-10 minutes. It involves stretching the calves and thighs with shallow squats and lunges, as well as gentle exercises to warm up the knees and ankles.

Important! You should always wear sneakers when running on a treadmill. Barefoot training is very harmful to the spine.

The fundamental principle of walking on a treadmill is a constant stride length. You need to maintain the same length and uniform pace. Next, we will study other important parameters that affect the effectiveness of classes.

Tilt angle

Walking along a path with a certain slope will help increase the load, and therefore energy expenditure. Experts recommend alternating walking uphill at a low pace and more intense training, but on a flat surface (a type of interval walking).
For beginners, it is better to set the inclination angle to 3–7 degrees. In different tracks, the maximum angle varies from 6 to 15 degrees.

Did you know? Sometimes this indicator is expressed as a percentage, but this is not the same thing. You need to convert percentages to degrees using mathematical converters.

Frequency and duration of classes

Usually, all beginners are concerned with the question of how much they need to walk to lose weight. The duration of classes at first should be no more than 10–15 minutes. Gradually increasing the training time and observing how you feel, we arrive at the optimal duration - 60 minutes.

It makes no sense to do less, because the fat burning process begins after 30–40 minutes of physical activity. Longer exercises lead to the process of dissimilation in muscle fibers and are useless for weight loss.

To achieve better results, you should train regularly, but not more than 4-5 times a week. Daily exercise will not bring the expected benefits, but will only lead to overtraining.

Pulse and speed

Heart rate during exercise is certainly related to the effectiveness of exercise for weight loss, although it is not the only factor.
There is a formula that allows you to calculate the optimal heart rate for weight loss during moderate-intensity training. To calculate, it is enough to know your maximum heart rate (subtract your age from 220) and your resting heart rate.

The formula looks like this: ((HR max - resting pulse) * 0.6)) + resting pulse. The resulting heart rate value should be observed throughout your workout, with the exception of the first and last five minutes.

Did you know? The pulse can determine a person's temperament. In melancholic people it averages 83 beats per minute, in choleric people it is 76–83, in sanguine people it is 68–75, and in phlegmatic people it is 67.

At the beginning of the training session, walking speed can be no more than 4 km per hour, and then gradually increases.

Breath

Breathing should occur with the participation of the lower diaphragm (i.e., the abdomen) and be deep, calm and uniform, preferably through the nose.

There are two ways to breathe when walking on a treadmill:

• four-stage (four short inhalations and exhalations)
• two-stage (two short inhalations and exhalations).

Each action is performed in one step.
Shortness of breath should not be allowed to occur. If it does occur, you need to stop, inhale as deeply as possible and exhale just as strongly and quickly. To prevent shortness of breath, you need to gradually increase your speed and not talk during a cardio session.

Treadmill training program for weight loss

In addition to the usual step on a flat surface, there are options for interval patterns. For example, like this:

1. 5-10 minutes of warm-up walking at a speed of 4 km/h.
2. Incline 3–6°, same speed for 5 minutes.
3. Intensive walking at a pace of 7 km/h for 2 minutes.
4. Repeat points 2 and 3 several more times.

1. Walk at a speed of 5–6 km/h for the first 10 minutes.
2. After this, go to a pace of 8–9 km/h and hold it for 4 minutes.
3. Then another 2 minutes of fast walking at a speed of 10 km/h.
4. Repeat all segments 3-4 times.

1. 5 minutes at a speed of 4 and 6 km/h.
2. Then 5 minutes at high speeds of 8 and 10 km/h.
3. Repeat these 2 points 3-4 times.

How to walk on a treadmill correctly: video Walking on a treadmill is a simple and surprisingly effective way to lose weight and improve your health. But all this is subject to compliance with certain rules and regular training.

Or get rid of subcutaneous fat.

Regularly performing fast walking on a treadmill gives results comparable to interval jogging in city parks, long cardio sessions on an elliptical or stepper, but for most amateur athletes it is much easier both physically and psychologically.

What muscles work?

Let's start by understanding which muscles work when walking on a treadmill.

During aerobic exercise, we train, first of all, the heart muscle, on the condition of which the lion's share of our health depends. But also, while walking on a treadmill, the abdominal muscles are also actively involved in the work.

If your gym is equipped with modern treadmills in which you can adjust the angle of the moving surface, then walking uphill on a treadmill will additionally strengthen your calf muscles, hamstrings, gluteal muscles and spinal extensors.

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The benefits of walking on a treadmill

It's no secret that walking on a treadmill is very useful, despite the simplicity of this exercise. In particular, for losing weight, brisk walking on a treadmill is ideal.

The calorie consumption during this type of physical activity is quite high - in an hour of work with average intensity we burn approximately 250-300 calories. This is equivalent to 150 grams of lean boiled beef or a generous portion of buckwheat porridge.

Regularly performing such cardio workouts increases the metabolic rate, which allows us to quickly get rid of accumulated excess fat or gain high-quality muscle mass without increasing the subcutaneous fat layer.

The undoubted benefits of walking on a treadmill also manifest itself in increasing endurance, which greatly simplifies the task when doing CrossFit or during classic workouts in the gym. It’s no wonder that cardio on the treadmill is a mandatory part of the training process of any experienced CrossFitter, bodybuilder, mixed martial artist, cyclist or swimmer.

There is a lot of debate online about what exactly is best to include in your training program: walking or running on a treadmill. It should be said that walking is no less effective in terms of developing endurance and getting rid of excess fat, and is certainly healthier. The fact is that the treadmill is designed in such a way that we do not run along it - we catch up with it. This places unwanted stress on the knee joints and over time can lead to meniscus or hamstring injuries.

• Walking on a treadmill is recommended for those people who have knee problems. It will help maintain physical fitness and avoid worsening injuries;
• This is a great exercise for those who are just starting to exercise. By walking on a treadmill from the first days of training, you will gain excellent endurance and save your knees;
• Interval walking on a treadmill is perfect for athletes suffering from hypertension. It allows us to work at a comfortable heart rate (115-130 beats per minute), while running increases the heart rate to 140-170 beats per minute, which is too much for a hypertensive cardiovascular system;
• Also, measured walking on a treadmill is good for those people who have only recently quit smoking and started leading a healthy lifestyle, and their respiratory system is not yet ready for serious strength or cardio exercise. After a month of regular walking on a treadmill, their shortness of breath will decrease or completely disappear, the functioning of the cardiovascular system will normalize, their lungs will get used to delivering more oxygen to the muscle cells, and only after that can they begin full-fledged exercise in the gym.

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Rules for effective walking

To get the most out of this type of cardio workout, follow these simple rules:

1. Always start your workouts with a thorough warm-up. Particular attention should be paid to the knees and ankle joints, and the quadriceps and calf muscles should also be well warmed up.
2. Consume enough. By drinking at least a liter of still mineral water in small sips, you will protect yourself from disturbances in the layer balance in the body.
3. Don't change the length of your steps. Try to take steps of the same length throughout the entire workout - this will allow you to maintain a uniform walking pace and increase the effectiveness of your cardio exercise;
4. Finish your workout with a cool-down. When you are already exhausted and cannot walk at a brisk pace, do another 10-20 minutes of walking at a leisurely pace. Due to the increase in heart rate when walking quickly, during a cool-down, fat burning and metabolic processes in your body will not weaken.
5. Decide on the optimal workout duration. Scientists believe that lipolysis processes during physical activity begin to occur at full capacity only after 35-40 minutes, but at the same time, too long cardio (more than 80 minutes) can lead to the breakdown of muscle tissue. Therefore, the optimal duration of walking on a treadmill is about 60 minutes.

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How to lose weight by walking?

In order to enhance lipolysis processes during cardio training in the form of walking on a treadmill, there are several technical subtleties. Here are some of them:

Correct training time

The optimal time to perform cardio workouts for weight loss is in the morning on an empty stomach. At this time, processes dominate in our body, glycogen reserves in the liver and muscles are minimal, and the only source of energy is subcutaneous or visceral fat, which our body begins to actively consume. If you are concerned that fasted cardio will negatively affect your muscle mass, consume a portion of complex amino acids before training.

Combination with other exercises

Walking on a treadmill after strength or functional training is no less effective. Walking at a moderate intensity will increase the fat-burning effect of your workout, as you will burn even more calories.

Regularity

Regularity of exercise is the key to progress. If, in addition to walking, you exercise with weights, then two hours of walking training on a treadmill per week will be quite enough. If for one reason or another, exercise in the gym is contraindicated for you, walk on the treadmill 4-5 times a week.

Variety in training

Add variety to your training process. Do brisk walking more often, almost turning into running, so you will achieve an even greater increase in endurance and reserves of the respiratory system. Also an excellent way to lose weight is interval walking on a treadmill, in which you alternate between walking at a fast pace and walking at a leisurely pace. Interval walking will be especially effective if you have a fitness bracelet or heart rate monitor - this way you can track your calorie consumption and heart rate at different walking paces and, based on this, make adjustments to your training schedule and try to increase the intensity of your cardio workouts day after day. .

Training program

Below are several interval walking patterns for beginner and intermediate athletes:

First level

Average level

Each scheme should be repeated 3-4 times within one workout. To increase energy expenditure, you can vary the inclination angle of the moving surface of the treadmill, making it larger for low-intensity walking and smaller for high-speed walking.

The article describes in detail how to lose weight using a treadmill: how to exercise, eat properly, choose a running speed, and what mistakes to avoid.

Mistakes that prevent you from losing weight

Many women face the problem that after regular training, the weight remains the same and the centimeters do not go away. Thus, you should reconsider your lifestyle.

Weight may not come off for two reasons:

• The first and main reason is poor nutrition. If, after working out on the treadmill, you go to the refrigerator, then all the calories will immediately return to their places and weight loss will not occur. It is recommended not to eat one and a half hours before training and two hours after it. It is also worth reconsidering your diet in the evening. If possible, avoid eating before bed.
• Another reason for lack of weight loss is improper regularity of exercise. Walking or running is necessary at least three times a week for more than 30 minutes. You shouldn’t expect to lose weight by running once a week for five minutes.

What speed should you be during training?

The canvas moves at different speeds. Depending on this factor, the intensity of the workout changes. The higher the speed, the faster the person must perform the movement.

Rules for the training:

1. You should start training at the lowest speed, more precisely, with easy walking. Once the muscles are warmed up, you can gradually increase the pace. Warm-up can last about 1 minute.
2. After the muscles have warmed up, you need to do a light jog for three minutes. The canvas should be at an angle of 2 degrees. The speed should be increased by one notch.
3. After a five-minute warm-up, you can move on to the main set of exercises, jogging or brisk walking, as desired by the consumer. The resistance angle should also be 2 degrees, while the speed should be increased as much as is comfortable. If the exercises are performed with the aim of improving health, then it is enough to stop at an average speed, if for weight loss, then at the maximum possible for the consumer. You should also monitor your pulse (you can do this with a special one), it should be within 130 beats per minute.
4. To avoid pain in the joint area, After the main workout, you should run for five minutes at the slowest pace until your breathing is restored.
5. After completing your workout You need to walk at an easy pace.

Nutrition during exercise for weight loss

If the goal of exercising on the treadmill is to lose weight, then you should change. To burn fat, carbohydrate intake should be limited. Proteins, on the contrary, are necessary to restore strength.

Basic principles of nutrition:

• During intense training, you need to eat meat and fish several times a week. It is advisable to use low-fat varieties. These products are famous for their protein content.
• It is worth consuming low-fat dairy products, which include yogurt or cottage cheese containing calcium.
• You need to carefully study what you eat in your diet every day. All fats found in foods should be replaced with plant ingredients.
• To achieve a positive result, on the day of classes you need to limit yourself in consuming sweets and sugar.
• Blood pressure may increase during exercise, if this is observed, then salt up to three grams per day should be excluded from the diet.
• You should use ballast substances, which are found in fresh vegetables, fruits and leaves.
• During exercise, there is also a loss of fluid in the body, Therefore, on the day of training you need to drink about three liters of water.

Why do you need to know your heart rate and how to apply this knowledge?

While exercising on a treadmill, you should also pay attention to your heart rate, namely your pulse.

The outcome of the training depends on this factor.

• There is a maximum heart rate value. During warm-up, this figure should be no more than 60 percent of it.
• During training, the heart should beat faster; if you want to achieve weight loss, then the pulse should be 70-80 percent of this value.
• The treadmill may have a red line showing your maximum heart rate. This means you should slow down. Otherwise, you may harm your health.

Training intensity

How to train for a beginner

A person who has just purchased a treadmill should begin training on it by walking. It is enough to set the speed on the equipment within six kilometers per hour. The slope of the canvas should be minimal or the track should be level.

A beginner needs to practice in the following order:

1. Warm-up performed with the canvas level for five minutes.
2. Main part Also performed with the blade positioned evenly, the speed should be increased by one notch. For the first time, the training can last for 20 minutes.
3. Next, a cool down is performed, which will be 5 minutes at the slowest pace.

How to train as a professional?

Advanced users can begin a more intense workout on the treadmill as their body is already able to withstand greater stress. They can already set the angle of inclination of the canvas.

The workout should proceed at the following pace:

1. Warm-up performs at medium speed, while the blade should be in a level position.
2. Next, you should complete the preparatory part, This might be a brisk walk or a light jog. It is enough to move at this pace for four minutes.
3. The main stage of training is a fast run or the most intense walking, while you should pay attention to your pulse. The duration of the workout can be about 30 minutes.
4. Finish your workout follows with an easy step, performing it for five minutes.

How to train to lose weight?

If you need to reduce body weight, then you need to train at an advanced pace, and the following conditions must be met:

• Hands must be on the handrail. In this position, they will not help the body move. This way, fat will be burned as much as possible.
• Every workout should be about 40 minutes.
• In one lesson You need to burn between 300 and 700 calories.
• You should exercise with a frequency of 2–3 times a week.
• Need to pay attention on the diet.

Interval training

Every athlete is familiar with the concept of interval training. It involves alternating classes at a maximum and minimum pace. If we are talking about a treadmill, then you first need to run at an intense pace, and then change this action to a fast step.

There are several reasons why you should give preference to interval training:

• maximum fat breakdown occurs;
• good heart function;
• excellent blood circulation.

Interval training should be performed at the following pace:

1. 3 minutes warm-up at a speed of 6 kilometers per hour;
2. 3 minutes of running, at the same pace;
3. 2 minutes of running, at a speed of 8 kilometers per hour.

When not to run on a treadmill

Contraindications:

1. Even if you feel well, you should not exercise in late pregnancy.
2. People who have any diseases in the legs, joints and lower back should not run on the treadmill.
3. People who have problems with blood pressure can exercise at a slow pace.
4. People with varicose veins should not exercise.
5. If during training a person feels overworked, the training must be stopped.

Should you choose running or walking?

When choosing whether running or walking is better, you need to pay attention to the purpose of the training. The speed of a fast step is up to 6 kilometers per hour, everything above that is running. If its goal is to create tone, strengthen muscles and improve health, then it is better to stop at walking. In the case when you need to reduce body weight, you need to run intensely.

Pros and cons of training on a treadmill

Benefits of running on a treadmill:

1. You don't need to leave home to exercise. You can do this while watching your favorite TV series in any weather conditions.
2. Treadmill for home workouts- this is a great way to get your figure in order without spending money on purchasing a ticket to a sports club.
3. There are several modes which allows the user to choose a pace that is convenient for them.
4. The treadmill improves your health person at any age.
5. The display shows all the necessary information about how long a person has been running, how many calories he has lost, his heart rate, speed and distance traveled.
6. The treadmill has several programs with varying levels of difficulty. The user can start with the most gentle workout, gradually increasing the load.
7. Comfortable on the treadmill exercise at the correct angle.

There are some disadvantages of a treadmill:

1. Not everyone is comfortable running on a small surface, since each step is shorter than when training on the track.
2. The absence may be confusing natural road irregularities.
3. If you don't know the safety rules there is a possibility of injury.

What muscles are involved?

During a workout on a treadmill, a whole group of muscles is used to achieve a positive result, namely:

• leg muscles;
• buttock muscles;
• calf muscles;

Less involved:

• back muscles:
• shoulder joint.