Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN) — Walking has long been hailed as one of the best exercises for overall health, as this physical activity can boost heart health, lower blood pressure levels, maintain bone structure, and contribute to burning calories.
By taking walks outdoors, one reaps the additional benefits of spending time in nature, reducing stress levels, and improving alertness and mood.
However, bad weather or other factors may force you to stay indoors, and that’s when you’ll have to consider an alternative, the treadmill.
Treadmills are among the top three most popular exercise equipment in American gyms, according to the 2022 International Health Tennis & Clubs Consumer Report.
Before you hop on the treadmill and start at your preferred pace, consider doing an exercise that involves varying the speed and incline of the treadmill, for a better result.
“Most people don’t think about using the incline feature on a treadmill, even though the majority of research supports the idea that walking on an incline will significantly increase your metabolic rate,” said Dan Polay, a certified personal trainer.
Polay noted that a steeper path is preferable if you’re having trouble increasing your walking speed or transitioning from walking to running.
For those who can vary both the walking speed and the incline of the treadmill, fitness experts recommend a type of interval training, which involves frequently alternating the intensity of your exercise and/or physical activities.
There are countless interval workouts available online and on fitness apps, according to Jillian Dalby, vice president of CAZ Training Club in Newport Beach, California.
Two possible options for working out on a treadmill
First choice: Use a treadmill and alternate exercises between a minute of walking, a minute of jogging, and a minute of running for 18 minutes.
Dalby explained that this exercise keeps your mind engaged, so you won’t feel monotonous, and is a great way to build stamina and increase speed.
the second choice: Walk for 1 minute without tilting the machine, then incline at 4% for 1 minute, then increase incline at 8% for another minute, then repeat this sequence five times.
And if you find either option easy, double the workout to 36 minutes or do both exercises together.
“The goal is to get comfortable on the machine, and then you can change speed and incline together as you continue to progress in your fitness journey,” Daly added.
And if you’re looking for a more trendy workout option, there’s the 12-3-30, created by TikTok influencer Lauren Giraldo, that uses tilting to increase fitness and lose weight.
The 30-minute workout is simple, all you have to do is set the treadmill to an incline range of 12% and set the speed to 3 miles per hour.
The 12-3-30 workout is a great option, Boulay said. Walking at a high incline at a low intensity has been a staple in the bodybuilding community for decades.
Known as steady state low-intensity exercise, he explained, it’s for those looking to burn a lot of calories while avoiding the pressure and fatigue that come with high-impact workouts like running, tennis and basketball.
Another tip experts offer is to try using a non-motorized curved treadmill.
A study, published in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, showed that people who walked on non-motorized, curved treadmills had significantly higher heart rates compared to those who used motorized treadmills.
Similarly, one study published in the journal Frontiers in Physiology showed that running on this type of treadmill provided a significantly higher rate of muscle fatigue compared to using a motorized treadmill or running on the ground.