The Power of Adding Incline - More Calories Burned

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  • kjf1982
    kjf1982 Posts: 102 Member
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    The treadmills at the gym I go to have a "Fat Burn" option. You set the speed and then at various intervals it increases or decreases the incline. Kind of feels like you're walking over a hilly terrain. But VERY effective. I noticed the difference in muscle burn instantly!
  • ColleenHollis
    ColleenHollis Posts: 53
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    I recommend this all the time--for people who need a higher training stimulus, but cannot or don't like to run.

    I also recommend that people go with a pattern of lower speed/higher incline. It's a lot easier to walk, say 2.6 mph and 12%, than it is to walk 4 mph and 6%. grade--both will burn roughly the same calories.

    One caveat, however--you cannot hold on to the handrails. If you do, you negate a lot of the benefits and calorie-burning effects, especially as the incline increases.

    A study once showed that, walking at 4mph/15% incline, holding on reduced the work intensity (and calorie burn) by 67%.

    If you can't handle the speed/incline without holding on, then lower one of the two until you can.

    Thank you for talking about not holding on. It drives me crazy seeing people at the gym with huge inclines and death grips on the bars so they can keep moving. If these people could see the angles that they are at as well as realize that when you're holding on it's negating so much of the benefit of the incline, I'd bet they'd stop. One girl in front me last week was leaning so far back while on the treadmill her ponytail was hanging straight out off the back of her head instead of flipping down her back. I even watched one guy get on a treadmill and strap on weight-lifting gloves to grab the bar when he cranked up the incline to a crazy amount.

    LOL! That's funny! I was wondering why I've been seeing some folks do this at my gym as well :o)
  • garciabnm
    garciabnm Posts: 138
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    sometimes i hold on to see what my heart rate is..you have to grab on for a bit it to register
  • happycauseIride
    happycauseIride Posts: 536 Member
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    Bump...
  • Julie_Donahue
    Julie_Donahue Posts: 394 Member
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    Thanks for the tip! I've been walking at about 3 MPH with 0 incline for 3 weeks. In 2 miles, I usually burn about 300 calories.
    This morning, I dropped speed to 2.5 and increased incline to 2. In 2 miles, I burned about 400 calories.
    And, I kept my hands off the treadmill except every few minutes when I let it read my heart rate.
  • Shambree813
    Shambree813 Posts: 37 Member
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    bump...
  • likeschocolate
    likeschocolate Posts: 368 Member
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    Incline is a great way to add resistance and burn calories. :happy:


    You can also try walking backwards. :noway:
  • kimosabe1
    kimosabe1 Posts: 2,467 Member
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    Just put the treadmill on the "HILL" option and the incline goes up and down. I just LOVE it and burn over 600 calories an hour!
  • ottermotorcycle
    ottermotorcycle Posts: 654 Member
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    Very useful thread everyone, thanks!

    I like to use the incline because I am NOT fond of running and honestly I usually avoid the treadmill altogether... I'll start taking some brisk treadmill "hikes"!
  • hbm616
    hbm616 Posts: 377 Member
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    I love inclines! And I've always felt that holding on wasn't a great idea..but seeing that it reduces my work by 67% is enough motivation to let go hahaa
  • Asavitzk
    Asavitzk Posts: 66
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    Not a stupid question at all. I was going to point this out as well - verify what the numbers on your particular treadmill actually mean! *Usually* the speed is in MPH but most "home gym treadmills" use some arbitrary incline number that has nothing to do with a true degree incline. The "15" setting on my home treadmill isn't even as high as the 5% incline at my gym.

    And as the OP and others have said, incline does SO much for your heartrate which is the key to burning calories. One of my standard quick cardio workouts is 2 minutes at 5MPH at 5% incline, 2 minutes of jogging/running at 3% incline, 2 minutes of hiking around 3.5MPH at 12-14% incline, and then just repeat the cycle a few times.
    stupid question: does an incline of 2.0 = 2% incline?? not sure how this works... normally i start at 3.0 and work my way up but still unsure of what exactly the 3.0 stands for
  • Bella1273
    Bella1273 Posts: 2
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    I've been inclining on the treadmill on and off for about seven years. I first started inclining after my last child was born and I had gained a serious amount of weight having children. In four months I went from a size 10 to a size 0. Here's how I did it. Five days a week at the gym. Mon, Wed, Fri treadmill. Tues and Thurs machines. I don't like to run so I walked at an incline on the treadmill. I started at around 10% for a few weeks changing my speed to match whatever song I was listening to at the time. After a few weeks I went to 12%. I stayed at 12% for a couple months then slowly starting going up to 15%. I remained at 15% and continued changing my speed from 1.7 up to 2.8 max. I have a couple key points I want to share with you that I've learned along the way. First, as everyone else has said you cannot hold on. Second, to be able to not hold on you have to work out your leg muscles either with HIIT, machines, or Pilates on your off days. Building up your leg muscles not only will help with your calorie burn but will allow you to balance yourself while your inclining. Third, your cardio sessions need to last around hour to an hour and a half. Slow, long, and balanced wins the race! I burned around 700 to 1000 calories a session on the treadmill doing this. I also watched my diet intently but never deprived myself of any food. I limited my caloric intake to around 700 calories a day, once a week did a fast, and never ate after 7pm. I now have just started back on the treadmill after a long break and already can tell a difference. I've done every workout imaginable and nothing has been better than inclining!
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
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    It works outdoors too!
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
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    Holding on the treadmill negates the benefits of the treadmill??? Now I heard everything on MFP. :huh: :noway:
  • jim9097
    jim9097 Posts: 341 Member
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    stupid question: does an incline of 2.0 = 2% incline?? not sure how this works... normally i start at 3.0 and work my way up but still unsure of what exactly the 3.0 stands for

    Just in case you didn't get your answer...Yes
  • RunHardBeStrong
    RunHardBeStrong Posts: 33,069 Member
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    I skimmed through responses so I may have missed it if someone has mentioned this but just to add incline also engages the abs and glutes more! :wink:
  • FearAnLoathingJ
    FearAnLoathingJ Posts: 337 Member
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    Holding on the treadmill negates the benefits of the treadmill??? Now I heard everything on MFP. :huh: :noway:

    it negates the benefits of using the incline,when you are not holding on to the handrails on an incline you lean forward,when you hold on you keep your posture straight which is the same as walking on it flat.
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
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    Holding on the treadmill negates the benefits of the treadmill??? Now I heard everything on MFP. :huh: :noway:

    it negates the benefits of using the incline,when you are not holding on to the handrails on an incline you lean forward,when you hold on you keep your posture straight which is the same as walking on it flat.

    Wrong.... I do a big incline and hold on and feel more benefits than if it were flat.
  • lstroth1
    lstroth1 Posts: 80 Member
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    I enjoy using the incline function on my treadmill too. (but at lower levels usually alternating between 3 and 6%). One thing to note, if you have back issues using inclines can aggravate that. (Info from Dr when discussing using the treadmill.) The lower inclines shouldn't be too much of a problem. Personally I think if a person starts with using some of the lower inclines and builds up the core muscles they should be able to safely go higher as time goes on.
  • sabified
    sabified Posts: 1,051 Member
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    great reminder :) Thanks :)

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