Common Treadmill Mistakes
One of the best things about treadmill workouts is their relative simplicity. In fact, that’s the beauty of a treadmill … they’re designed to be a straightforward piece of exercise equipment that will provide a great muscle toning and cardiovascular workout.
But just like any other type of fitness regimen or fitness equipment, there are a few common mistakes we tend to see over and over at the gym. The good news is, they are easily correctable …
Are you doing any of the following?
Mistake #1: Never Varying Your Treadmill Workout
In a manner of speaking, a treadmill is as creative as you allow it to be. Most people who burn out on treadmill workouts get bored because they tend to do the same workout over and over and over.
We use a little mental test to see if we’re getting bored with a workout or not …
If we find our minds starting to drift during the workout, without the need to concentrate on the task at hand, that means it’s probably time for a change. If the workout becomes a yawner, chances are we’re not giving out best, and if we’ve carved out the time for a workout, why not make it worthwhile?
That’s the main reason why we published our ebook, “Banish Treadmill Boredom”. We wanted to remove the excuse of being bored with our treadmill workouts, With twenty five unique treadmill workout plans, there’s enough to change your workouts every two weeks during the course of a year (with two weeks off for good behavior!).
And generally speaking, that’s our rule of thumb … change up the treadmill workout every two weeks. Not only does it keep things mentally fresh, but it continually challenges your body to improve!
Mistake #2: Holding The Handrails
While this is more of a beginners phenomenon, it’s something that should be avoided …
We completely understand the need for balance and stability on the treadmill. If you feel the need to hold on to the front or side rails because you’re unsteady, you’re much better off lowering the speed so you can walk or jog more comfortably. To be frank, trying to jog while holding onto the rails is dangerous and can result in a sprained ankle or worse.
Some treadmills are equipped with heart rate sensers on the hand rails, which leads people to hold on to them tightly throughout their workout. But if you think about it, holding on to something detracts from your natural stride, not only causing a safety hazard, but preventing you from getting the most benefit from your workout. Think about walking or running outdoors. Do you hold onto anything outdoors? Of course not. So why would you do so on a treadmill?
If you want to monitor your heart rate, invest in a heart rate monitor. They’re useful for all types of cardio fitness activities, like indoor cycling classes or when using the Stairmaster, in addition to the treadmill. We find they’re far more accurate than the monitors on treadmill handrails anyways.
So bottom line, be safe and don’t hold onto the front rail or side handrails …
Mistake #3: Lack of a Proper Warm Up and Cool Down
This is another surefire way to invite injury into your life …
Always allow your body and your muscles ample time to warm up before tackling the most difficult part of your workout. The treadmill workouts on this site and in our ebook “Banish Treadmill Boredom” all allow enough time for warm up and cool down, usually a minimum of three minutes each. Of course, you should allow as long as you need for both, so if three minutes doesn’t seem like enough to you, by all means warm up (or cool down) a few minutes more …
Are there other treadmill workout mistakes that you’d like to see added here? Use our Contact Us page and let us know!
