Ideas for TreadMills

Check out Couch to 5K
http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml (not sure how to actually make it link)

I never used my treadmill for much until I started a Couch 2 5k program recently. We have a great thread of people doing it if you choose that route.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/157757-new-couch-to-5k-c25k-thread-anyone-out-there-in-week-1

I agree with Couch 2 5K! I am doing in now! Beginning my 4th week tomorrow. Interval training is good and I hear it ups metabolism.

Hi there!

The treadmill is my thing and I've been burning up that conveyor belt for over a year now. Anyway, I started out pretty slow. Pace at 3.0 and gradually increased the speed. Doing bursts of speed is a really good way to increase your heart rate and to increase your stamina.
After you develope a nice routine it's a good idea to keep things mixed up. Otherwise your body will adapt to what you are doing. For instance: Start out at a moderate speed/incline to where you are comfortable and are breathing normal. Then jump the speed up for 15 seconds to where your HR increases. Then back it off again. Do the same with the incline option. Once in a while slow it way down and turn sideways, holding onto the front and side bar, do side-steps. Keeping things mixed up in your routine makes your body work out better.
Before you know it, you'll be jogging and or running. I know...this is what I did. I'm up to 6.0 with bursts of 7 - 8. Putting 3.5 - 4.5 miles in a day. I'm down 40 lbs and have basically changed my life. I love it!
Last bit of advice...if you odn't have one, get an Ipod or MP3 player and get yourself some rockin music. It really makes the treadmill a lot more fun. :bigsmile:
Good luck!!!
:drinker:

I do intervals on my treadmill - lots of walking with short jogging intervals. I learned to jog VERY slowly - My previous trainer taught LSD (long slow distance) - And, once I figured out how slow I should jog I really started seeing progress - When I pushed myself beyond my physical limits I ended up with aches or injuries that prevented me from working out regularly. So, I walked at @ 2.5mph & usually jogged @ 3mph for 5 minute intervals. This is much slower than I was "able" to run - But, I found this to be a good endurance speed for me. As time passes, you get stronger & your speed increases easily. I now do 60min on the treadmill & can jog 5mph for 5-10minute intervals. Listen to your body & feel good about the calories you are burning even while walking!

I bought a treadmill about six months into my weight loss journey.....and I still use it almost daily in the winter. To "make" myself use it initially, I would tape my favorite soap opera, and then if I hadn't walked at least three miles for the day, I wouldn't let myself watch the soap opera unless I was also walking (of course, I had to use headphones once my daughter was home from school or I'd blast her out because the TV had to be so loud).

I usually walk at 3 MPH....I know that isn't fast, but it has worked for me. I am trying to do more interval stuff, both with either a faster walk or jog, or with varying the incline.

I did find a workout at Prevention.com that had you walk 1 mile at a moderate pace (3 MPH for me), then walk at a faster pace (4MPH) each for a minute, then do each for two minutes, then three and four, then three, two, and one. Takes about 30 minutes total, and you can do about 2 miles by varying the pace. Works pretty well.

Good luck....it was after I had gotten the treadmill, which I was lucky enough to buy second-hand and relatively cheaply, that people started noticing my weight loss....about 30 pounds into it.

I have what I call my "butt blaster" routine. Guaranteed 35 mins of walking that will get your heart pumping and make you work up a good sweat. Great for your glutes and butt!!

This will only work on a TM that you can do incline work on.

- Comfortable warm up pace 5 mins
- Decrease the speed to 2.5 and increase the incline to as high as you can and walk for 5 mins (start around 10 and if you have to lower it that's ok).
- Reduce speed to peppy but comfortable pace for 5 mins
- Repeat incline for 5 mins
- Reduce speed to peppy but comfortable pace for 5 mins
- Repeat incline for 5 mins
- Cool down walk 5 mins or so

I started off doing 5 min segments at around a 10 incline or so. Now I do 5 walking and 10 of "butt blasting" at a 2.5 pace and 15 incline and repeat that twice. I'm getting ready to either pick up the speed a bit or increase the incline - TM @ my gym goes up to 17.5.

Great ideas. Bumping for later! Thanks!