Any tips for walking on a treadmill?

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rmartinjr1984
rmartinjr1984 Posts: 21 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
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?
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Replies

  • aggiegirl121
    aggiegirl121 Posts: 84 Member
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    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
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
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    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
    My0WNinspiration Posts: 1,146 Member
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    Don't fall
  • rmartinjr1984
    rmartinjr1984 Posts: 21 Member
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    @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
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
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    @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
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
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    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
    JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
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    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
    mcanavan05 Posts: 210 Member
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    follow
  • mardihar
    mardihar Posts: 7 Member
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    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
    shafstar Posts: 36
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    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
    Austinetc Posts: 74 Member
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    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
    rgugs13 Posts: 197 Member
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    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
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    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
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
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    Go outside
  • parys1
    parys1 Posts: 2,070 Member
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    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
    Kevalicious99 Posts: 1,131 Member
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    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
    00NL Posts: 171 Member
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    get some suggestions on how to walk outside in your area weather
    treadmill is
  • downsizinghoss
    downsizinghoss Posts: 1,035 Member
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    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
    crazybookworm Posts: 779 Member
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    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!:smile:

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