Any tips for walking on a treadmill?

rmartinjr1984

Hello,

I am new here and just started my journey today. I wanted to spend an hour walking on our home treadmill, but found it rather difficult to push through the first half hour! Not that I was too tired to continue, but rather I was bored with it and the minutes couldn't pass fast enough. I would much rather walk outside, but being in NY in the winter it makes it quite hard with the snow and ice. I know it probably sounds weird, but does anyone have any ideas or tips to make walking on the treadmill more "interesting" that would take my mind off of the time? I set it in front of my television so that I can watch football while walking, but still found myself bored with it. Anyone got anything?

aggiegirl121

Our treadmill is in front of the TV so I personally will put a towel over the time area and watch one of my favorite hour long TV shows on Netflix or hulu.

rduhlir

You can maybe shorten your time on the treadmill by adding incline. Had a coworker do that. He started out at an easy incline and every week he would up the incline until finally now he does 30 minutes at the highest incline, and pretty much speed walks it.

Or you can try and start running. But that is the runner in me telling you that lol.

Or, google and find some kind of walking treadmill routine. There are some on the internet I have seen that increase and decrease both speed and incline to swap up the walks. You can search for some of those.

My0WNinspiration

Don't fall

rmartinjr1984

@aggiegirl121: I guess I could just try to watch an hour long show or something instead of a 3 hour long football game. Maybe that's making unsure of how long it has been which keeps making me look at the time.


@rduhlir: Possibly something to try once I get into it more. I'm just starting out and am in no shape to be running. I'd have a heart attack 5 minute in. lol

I'm just partial to walking outside in nature, which makes the walks interesting. Being able to look around and see the birds, cars, etc. It's just hard to do that when there's 3-5 inches of snow on your road because you live in the middle of the country where snowplows don't come very often.

rduhlir

@aggiegirl121: I guess I could just try to watch an hour long show or something instead of a 3 hour long football game. Maybe that's making unsure of how long it has been which keeps making me look at the time.


@rduhlir: Possibly something to try once I get into it more. I'm just starting out and am in no shape to be running. I'd have a heart attack 5 minute in. lol

I'm just partial to walking outside in nature, which makes the walks interesting. Being able to look around and see the birds, cars, etc. It's just hard to do that when there's 3-5 inches of snow on your road because you live in the middle of the country where snowplows don't come very often.

C25K...that is all I am saying lol

Annie_01

Hello,

I am new here and just started my journey today. I wanted to spend an hour walking on our home treadmill, but found it rather difficult to push through the first half hour! Not that I was too tired to continue, but rather I was bored with it and the minutes couldn't pass fast enough. I would much rather walk outside, but being in NY in the winter it makes it quite hard with the snow and ice. I know it probably sounds weird, but does anyone have any ideas or tips to make walking on the treadmill more "interesting" that would take my mind off of the time? I set it in front of my television so that I can watch football while walking, but still found myself bored with it. Anyone got anything?

Try breaking it up in to smaller segments. I use a rowing machine for forty minutes broken in to 2 twenty minute segments. I get up a walk around or do some chores then come back and finish. I watch tv while I row. If I get bored I tell myself I only have to last through the commercial...then I only have to last until the next commercial...IOW...I play mind games with myself.

However I find that when I truly focus on what I am doing....paying attention to my body and my breathing...I am not nearly as bored.

JTick

Music! If I forget my earbuds, I might as well go home. I actually get really excited to run if I've downloaded new music.

mcanavan05

follow

mardihar

I walk while watching TV, but i do find that music with a solid beat that matches my pace, and something I can hum along to, really helps. My treadmill has some pre-programmed courses. The one I like the best is the "weight-loss" program -- speed is 2 mph, but it changes between two inclines every 2 minutes for 30 minutes,starting and finishing with the lower incline. The default inclines are 8/4, but I had to start considerably lower and work up. If that's not challenging enough for you, you can always up the speed. The incline change every two minutes keeps me interested.

shafstar

Maintaining momentum for an hour on a threadmill is hard work. What made you choose that timeframe ?

I've been on the threadmil for coming up to 3 months and I still find it hard (yes I'm 25% faster but still that's not the point).

Build endurance slowly because the first few days will be the hardest, even if you're walking at 4kmph. When I first got on I could only manage 6kph for 30 mins (in fact I felt like I was dying). Slowly slowly build it up I started with small bursts upto a minute on 7

Here's a log I kept.... I actually pushed myself the first time - I should have just done 30 mins @ 6 instead of splitting it 14.4(6) 15.6(7)

10/10/2013 1st time 14.4 15.6
11/10/2013 estimated 12 18
12/10/2013 4,3,3,2,3,3,3,2 (4mins on 7 1 min rests on 6) 7 23
13/10/2013 8,4,4,3,3,3 5 25
14/10/2013 10,10,4,3 (ie 10,1,10,1,4,1,3) 3 27
15/10/2013
16/10/2013 15,1,14 1 29
17/10/2013 19.5,0.5,10 0.5 29.5

My average for walking is now is 8kmph

Austinetc

Before starting, have a plan. Average speed, total distance, etc. Or goals for interval work (example; 2 minutes easy, 2 minutes hard. Repeat.). When you have an end result, reaching it should occupy your mind. That said, I totally endorse a TV.

rgugs13

I download audiobooks from Audible for long drives, and one time I didn't finish my book on my drive, so I listened to the last of it on the treadmill, and I ended up walking 6 miles in just under 2 hours because it was so good I didn't want to stop listening until I finished it! I also watch 45 minute or hour long shows.

I also put my treadmill at a 2% incline. I'm not sure if it is true or not, but I heard walking on a flat treadmill is easier than walking on the ground because you aren't actually pushing against the ground to move forward on a motorized treadmill. The small incline is supposed to help negate that bonus a little. Like I said, not sure if it is true or not, but it can't hurt, right?

DavPul

i won't lie. i came in here to poke fun but i totally get it. when i first started 2 years ago all i was in shape for was walking, and treadmill walking sucked. you've got the right idea tho. put on something you want to see and walk thru it. I used to get up on Sundays and walk for the first half of Bears games. So save a program on your DVR or DVD player that will distract you from the drudgery and do what you gotta do.

BeachIron

Go outside

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parys1

I'm just partial to walking outside in nature, which makes the walks interesting. Being able to look around and see the birds, cars, etc. It's just hard to do that when there's 3-5 inches of snow on your road because you live in the middle of the country where snowplows don't come very often.

Get good footwear, you can get spikes to put over your shoes to help with the ice. I live in Alberta, Canada, in the country, good footwear and appropriate clothing get me out the door when it's -24C.

Kevalicious99

First .. there is nothing wrong with walking on the treadmill. I do it .. and it works just fine.

Second .. try the random / variety program (or whatever it may be called on your treadmill). Basically .. it changes the elevation randomly .. and gives you a better workout. You should never go on the treadmill at the flat position, much better to be at an incline. I never even notice the incline now.

As far as the time .. I too get bored and can only do about 40 min. I agree .. something to get your mind off of looking at the time would be a good thing.

Keep at it .. you will be just fine. The treadmill is a great thing. No one ever got overweight by walking.

Take care.

00NL

get some suggestions on how to walk outside in your area weather
treadmill is

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downsizinghoss

When I first started out, I watched the first 5 seasons of Bones on my iPhone with netflix while using the elliptical machine. Right at 42-43 minutes per episode.

crazybookworm

Hi there!

There are all kinds of HIIT(High intensity interval training) Treadmill works outs floating around the web!

HIIT Definition: High intensity interval training (HIIT) is a type of cardio training in which you alternate short, very high intensity intervals with longer, slower intervals to recover. This type of training has been used by athletes to improve performance, but it's also been shown to benefit the average exerciser. HIIT training not only helps performance, it also improves the ability of the muscles to burn fat.(Source http://exercise.about.com/od/intervaltrainingworkouts/g/highintensityintervaltraining.htm)

You can find or create a program that works best for you.

I love HIIT because when I only have 30-45 minutes to spare for a workout, or even only 20 minutes. HIIT can give me just as good of a workout as a 60-70 minute one.

In the meantime, you could revamp your workout playlist to fun tunes to help pass along the time. Watch a TV show or Movie. Read a magazine or Book(which is what I love to do!) Or even call a family member on the phone(or into the room) and chit chat with them. Your side of the conversation may be a bit winded, but it may help pass the time for you. And like another poster said, I always cover the clock. Really helps make the time go by faster!

Good luck!

Pixt

Do you have a smartphone or an iPad/iPod Touch?

If you do, try the "Zombie's Run!" game ... it works on treadmills, you just have to set it to count steps or tell it you're using a constant pace. A bit about it: You make your own music playlist, import it into the game, and then start doing "missions". Each mission furthers the storyline, interspersing in songs from your playlist. The treadmill is infinitely more engaging when you're hauling butt away from a horde of zombies and get some important whatzit back to your home base.

I've got the game and around our house (we live in Minnesota where it's way to cold and/or icy for me to consider walking the dog some days) and at dog walking time I put on a zombie mission, set to play out iPod's speakers, hop on the elliptial and start up the treadmill for the dog to jog along next to me on.

katekross

I make a playlist on my ipod and walk to the pace of the songs playing.

jennifer_417

Smart phone + Netflix. Makes the time fly.

cwolfman13

Personally, anything done on the treadmill or any other cardio machine is pretty boring for me and I avoid it...I prefer to walk outside, run outside, cycle outside, etc. I only use cardio equipment when I absolutely have to and a I pretty much loath it.

You're going to have to find something you enjoy or you'll never stick it out.

cmriverside

Do you have a watch with a timer or a phone with an alarm? Set the beeper to tell you when your hour is up, then watch the football game.

Saramelie

Hello,

I am new here and just started my journey today. I wanted to spend an hour walking on our home treadmill, but found it rather difficult to push through the first half hour! Not that I was too tired to continue, but rather I was bored with it and the minutes couldn't pass fast enough. I would much rather walk outside, but being in NY in the winter it makes it quite hard with the snow and ice. I know it probably sounds weird, but does anyone have any ideas or tips to make walking on the treadmill more "interesting" that would take my mind off of the time? I set it in front of my television so that I can watch football while walking, but still found myself bored with it. Anyone got anything?

Why do THIS if you hate it? I HATE walking on a treadmill... so I don't. I bought an elliptical and use this. I also use the gym at work (you could go to any gym) and do starirmaster, weight training... I do Zumba, I do aerobic. Find something you LIKE! DVD's perhaps? There is a lot of stuff on YouTube also. Go swim? Find a baskeball team, a hockey league? I don't know, but find something else.

mammamaurer

music helps, lol so dose having a tv parked infront of the treadmill, or a book.... my fav tho is the tv with the sound off so you can play "are the subtitles correct" wile listening to music

billsica

Like a bunch of others, I came in here to poke some fun.

Ok here is my little story briefly. I live in Upstate ny. Right now its just wet and nasty out, so here is your big chance to go outside.

I started doing the treadmill at the YMCA an elliptical at home. I would use my phone for internet radio at the gym and at home I had a tablet to play some netflix. I only was really doing up to 30 min.

One I found out about C25K I got myself outside and the elliptial pretty much sits unused. (they don't really help you run, just get better at elliptical). I almost never use the treadmill anymore. Its so boring. being outside is were its at. Last year I did 4 x 10ks in January. I thought I was going to fall and freeze my butt off. Its not so bad and really enjoyable.

I say suck it up buttercup and get though this winter on the treadmill. Start C25K on it and put it at a 1 or 2% incline. This is totally going to suck, big time, I'm not going to sugar coat it. Once the snow melts and its spring, you should be ok to get outside and start more or less were you leave off on the treadmill.

Polda2010

I keep it at a light incline as I first hop on it and then increase it so I cut the time to 30-40 minutes. I have a laptop on top of a shelf that my hubby build and attached to the wall, some nice speakers and I watch you tube free movies. That way I don't look at the timer. My time flies by and I actually enjoy my fitness time. Good luck to you.

ericarfloyd

Our treadmill is in front of the TV so I personally will put a towel over the time area and watch one of my favorite hour long TV shows on Netflix or hulu.

I do the same thing (except the towel). I found a few hour long shows that I really like to watch and it helps the time fly by!!! Plus it is something that I only watch IF I'm on the treadmill!

Good luck on your journey! There are a lot of great people that use MFP with a lot of fantastic ideas! We wish you nothing but the best!!!