Brisk walking on the treadmill? does it help?

frozentrace · May 2014

So I've been trying to exercise. But I think I am just looking for the easy way out, to exercise leisurely.

I brisk walk 6km, at 6kph at 6% incline for an hour every weekday. I literally have an iPad infront of me and I'm watching my favourite TV shows, but when I tried to do a 5km run last month, it took me 55minutes and I was soooo exhausted, it was so much more tiring to do it without an iPad infront of me to distract my mind. I could even brisk walk for 70 minutes if my iPad had battery. I wouldn't mind the extra distance and my body wouldn't feel the stress.

I am 160cm, 77kg, and I have tried running at like 8kph but I stop after 0.5km because of shortness of breath.

The upside to this, is that it has slowly helped me to lose weight, I weigh myself before and after the walk at the gym and I usually lose between 0.3-0.4kg.

The thing is that, as I have lost weight, I know I should bark up and increase the intensity of my exercise. What I am struggling with, is I doubt I can keep brisk walking at this pace forever.

sloseph · May 2014

have you thought about doing the C25k program? giving that you have already started with brisk walking is a great start but it sounds like you need to build up your running slowly until your body is ready to run 5k

coulsoncg · May 2014

Brisk walking is EXCELLENT for fat burning. Make sure your heart rate is between 115 and 130. If it means you will actually do the exercise then carry on. Add in some resistance (weights) training and you have a perfect work out routine.

NJGmywholewrld · May 2014

Anything that gets you up and moving, while elevating your heart rate, helps.

Nedra19455 · May 2014

have you thought about doing the C25k program? giving that you have already started with brisk walking is a great start but it sounds like you need to build up your running slowly until your body is ready to run 5k

This! Brisk walking at an incline was my workout of choice. I still use walking as my primary method of cardio, but I am trying to transition myself to becoming a jogger/runner by doing the c25k program.

I do it on the treadmill and watch stuff on my phone too!

KarenJanine · May 2014

So I've been trying to exercise. But I think I am just looking for the easy way out, to exercise leisurely.

I brisk walk 6km, at 6kph at 6% incline for an hour every weekday. I literally have an iPad infront of me and I'm watching my favourite TV shows, but when I tried to do a 5km run last month, it took me 55minutes and I was soooo exhausted, it was so much more tiring to do it without an iPad infront of me to distract my mind. I could even brisk walk for 70 minutes if my iPad had battery. I wouldn't mind the extra distance and my body wouldn't feel the stress.

I am 160cm, 77kg, and I have tried running at like 8kph but I stop after 0.5km because of shortness of breath.

The upside to this, is that it has slowly helped me to lose weight, I weigh myself before and after the walk at the gym and I usually lose between 0.3-0.4kg.

The thing is that, as I have lost weight, I know I should bark up and increase the intensity of my exercise. What I am struggling with, is I doubt I can keep brisk walking at this pace forever.

Weighing yourself before and after a workout does nothing more than show how much water you've lost during that workout. This is only really useful for endurance athletes in order for them to know how much water they need to drink back to ensure they remain hydrated.

That being said, walking is steady state cardio, which burns calories. Provided you are eating in a calorie deficit this can help you lose weight. As another poster has already said, it would be advisable to incorporate some form of strength training into your regime in order to preserve muscle mass as you lose weight.

SonicDeathMonkey80 · May 2014

So I've been trying to exercise. But I think I am just looking for the easy way out, to exercise leisurely.

I brisk walk 6km, at 6kph at 6% incline for an hour every weekday. I literally have an iPad infront of me and I'm watching my favourite TV shows, but when I tried to do a 5km run last month, it took me 55minutes and I was soooo exhausted, it was so much more tiring to do it without an iPad infront of me to distract my mind. I could even brisk walk for 70 minutes if my iPad had battery. I wouldn't mind the extra distance and my body wouldn't feel the stress.

I am 160cm, 77kg, and I have tried running at like 8kph but I stop after 0.5km because of shortness of breath.

The upside to this, is that it has slowly helped me to lose weight, I weigh myself before and after the walk at the gym and I usually lose between 0.3-0.4kg.

The thing is that, as I have lost weight, I know I should bark up and increase the intensity of my exercise. What I am struggling with, is I doubt I can keep brisk walking at this pace forever.

You get out of this what you put in, and I agree - you are looking for an easy way out and instant results.

Unplug all the crap, put on your shoes, and go outside. Sounds like the treadmill is making you lazy.

ahamm002 · May 2014

Brisk walking is great exercise. It won't give you the same benefits of more intense exercise, but it's infinitely better than being sedentary. And it's great for burning a lot of calories.

likitisplit · May 2014

30 minutes a day/5 days a week of activity. You are checking the box.

The next time you try to run, do it on 4. 8 is WAY too fast.

moiramac68 · May 2014

I used the treadmill in the gym last winter and it did make me lazier. Now I'm back on the roads I'm running farther and faster. I listen to the radio as I go. I also find that I do interval sessions now whereas I just stuck to the same pace in the gym. Ii don't think I'll bother renewing my gym membership.

runner475 · May 2014

What I am struggling with, is I doubt I can keep brisk walking at this pace forever.

If you go with a plan and a goal you should see a change. Else it ain't happening.

Try to understand why you are doing whatever you are doing and what you want to achieve.

ponycyndi · May 2014

The human body was designed to walk. love walking. Some days, it's all I can do. Other days, it's just a warm up. You can still push yourself, and try others things, too.

LazSommer · May 2014

No, you wont see the results you want taking the easy route.

stephanne13 · May 2014

So, what is considered brisk walking? I've been doing 4mph on the treadmill and logging about 4.25 mi in an hour.
Should it be faster? I think 4.3 is about as fast as I could go and still be walking.

shambler101 · May 2014

I work on a mine site so i dont really have access to the open road. i walk at 6.2kph on the hill program for an hour and that gets my heart rate at 65% for weight loss. so i am pretty happy with that.
i sometimes run just to mix it up.

whatever works for you is pretty much the concensus here.

keep it up

frozentrace · June 2014

thanks everyone for your comments

for now.. i'll stick to brisk walking in the gym since I do it during lunch time at the office, and pick up something else outside of work hours.

Tanya949 · June 2014

Brisk walking can be a huge cardio benefit if you do it properly. I do it once a week at the end of my strength training workout... 8 min at top incline at highest speed you can tolerate. First few times I was at max HR the entire time. Over a few months my endurance has soared and I can only get my HR up to 164 (as opposed to 180). That gave me great endurance to start c25k and finish it in 5 weeks.

Brisk walking on the treadmill? does it help?

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