Tread Mill - 5k up-hill running?

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mikeyrp
mikeyrp Posts: 1,616 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm working away from home at the moment and that means frequent, short training sessions.

As I've been getting fitter my 5k run time has gotten shorter (aprox 23 minutes) and my weight is lower - net result - I burn fewer calories. I normally have a 0.5 incline.

I'm considering doing a 5k tomorrow with a big incline (I'll build up to as much as 5) in order to increase strength and also calories burned - am I about to do something stupid? Obviously I'll adjust speed to fit so this is going to take me longer too....

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  • drasr
    drasr Posts: 181
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    I read somewhere that the incline should NOT be increased to more than 2% when running long distances at higher speeds. It affects your achilles tendon.
  • mikeyrp
    mikeyrp Posts: 1,616 Member
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    Thank you - let me read up on that quickly...
  • MissAnjy
    MissAnjy Posts: 2,480 Member
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    I can't personally run on an incline because I get extreme shin splints.
  • mikeyrp
    mikeyrp Posts: 1,616 Member
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    *Hmmm* Google you have let me down.

    I'm going to play this safe in the middle ground - I'll set a comfortable pace (12km/h for me) and build the incline to 2% - See how it feels and if I get any pains I'll take it back down.
  • paperbagprincess
    paperbagprincess Posts: 76
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    I've heard in order to get a proper workout running on the treadmill you DO have to have it on some sort of incline, otherwise running on a treadmill is the equivlent to running downhill. This is in comparison to running outside. I would say make sure you stretch properly beforehand and raise ur incline gradually. Also double check to find out if a really high incline is bad for any joints. I've only ran on a 5% incline... no more. To argue it though, a lot of ppl train by running uphill which is pretty tough... so I can't see why I crazy incline would be bad.
  • mikeyrp
    mikeyrp Posts: 1,616 Member
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    paperbagprincess:

    I've done hill training outside but that tends to be more interval based - hill sprints with jog back down type of thing... Do you know anyone who does it steady state?

    I think 0.5 actually feels more comfortable that 0 for the very reason you mentioned - a slight incline naturally reduces the type of heal strike you get on a downhill.
  • mikeyrp
    mikeyrp Posts: 1,616 Member
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    Hmm... Today, 5k at 2% incline took 25 minutes, burned 480 calories. Which is the same as i would have burned if i kept going to 25 minutes at the faster speed i do on the level... And my shins hurt. Conclusion: inconclusive. Next time i'll try 1% and see if that works better.

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