walking on a treadmill with an incline.

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kgarsick
kgarsick Posts: 12 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So for the past few days I decided to try walking on the treadmill at a 4.0 pace and a 2.0 incline and slowly work my way up to a 10.0 incline over an hour. By the end of the work out I'm overestimate in sweat and have burnt over 500 calories.

Before I was running on and off for 15 minutes and then walking at a 2.0 incline for the rest of the time and burnt almost 500 calories. To me it seems like walking at a fast past with a higher incline is more affective. Or am I just talking the easy way out?

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  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    You have to make sure you are comparing apples to apples. If you are holding on to the handrails, then the actual calories you are burning is significantly less than the TM display.

    Theoretically, if you can work at a similar aerobic intensity, you will burn an equivalent number of calories. So, if you can work at intensity level "X" while walking at an incline, you should be able to run at the equivalent intensity. (in this case the 4mph/10% equates to a running speed of about 5.6 mph.)

    There is another factor at work. Namely, running is a higher-impact exercise and beats up your legs a little more. So, from a leg fatigue standpoint, one might only be able to run for 20-30 min, but they can walk at incline for an hour. In that case, even if cals/min were the same, one would burn more calories because you could do a longer workout.

    Sometimes walking at a faster speed (e.g. 4.0 mph) is uncomfortable because you have to keep the foot flexed for a longer time durnig the swing phase of your gait and that fatigues the anterior tibialis muscles more quickly.

    I usually recommend that people slow down the speed and walk at a higher incline--a level at which they can walk unsupported.

    But, if someone is not holding on to the handrails, incline walking can be a great low-impact way to increase both fitness and calorie burn.
  • MyOwnSunshine
    MyOwnSunshine Posts: 1,312 Member
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    Good information, Azdak.

    Almost every single person I see walking on the treadmill at a high incline is holding on to the handrails or the front of the machine for dear life. I really, really, really want to tell them that they're not doing quite as much as they think they are while they are holding themselves up with their arms, but I know better and mind my own business.
  • PDXContessa
    PDXContessa Posts: 49 Member
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    I like walking at a slightly slower pace and walking on a high incline. It seems to work my glutes a bit more that walking level.
  • vs_shine
    vs_shine Posts: 1,322 Member
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    Walking slowly on an incline is so good for your butt! :-)

    and what matters is your heart rate so get that sucker up high and go as fast or as slow as you want to!
  • PDXContessa
    PDXContessa Posts: 49 Member
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    And...even if you're holding the handrails, it's really more important to monitor your effort. If your heart-rate if up to a sufficient level, that's what counts. If you have a heart rate monitor, you can calculate your calories burned based on your heart rate - it's more accurate than the calculation on the treadmill anyway.
  • deanadimples
    deanadimples Posts: 419 Member
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    If you are at 0 incline you are basically walking at a slight downhill. I always make sure that I'm at a minum of 2 to simulate flat ground. You can go up from there for challenges or to work out muscles a little different while you are on it.

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