Much has been written about the benefits of running, and too little about the main trainer for this sport – the treadmill. How to work on it and is it possible to lose weight while running in the gym? All the answers in our material!
There are athletes who run in the winter outside. Of course, we respect them very much, but we are not ready for such feats ourselves. Therefore, our main “tool” for running in the cold season is a treadmill. Warm, comfortable, and even TV can be watched.
But, like any kind of training, the treadmill has its own specific features. About them, we asked the fitness coach of the BodyArt fitness sports club, Alexander Osipenko.
Sasha, please tell us first, what is the difference between running on a treadmill and running on the street?
First of all, a good treadmill has a depreciation system, and when running on asphalt, the shock load on the spine and joints is higher. Therefore, there are even different sneakers for running on a treadmill and on other surfaces (asphalt, soil, stadium flooring). Plus, running on the treadmill is a little easier, because it pulls itself up and does some of the work for you. To equalize the load with running on the street, many athletes while running on the track set themselves a tilt angle of 2-3%. Another moment is the burning of oxygen, on the street, your body is working on it much more than in the hall. But all this is offset by a good ventilation system and open windows.
How to choose the speed on the treadmill, monitor the pulse? Indeed, in the modern tracks, there are so many additional functions. How to understand them?
Honestly, these are more marketing tricks than vital fixtures. During the run, you must first focus on your feelings. But, if you want in numbers, the standard heart rate reading for cardio is 120-130 beats per minute. If you are better prepared, this figure may be 140. The level of speed, in turn, is selected based on the pulse. In fact, you raise the level until the pulse reaches the desired level, and then run at this speed.
But on the other hand, it is also important to raise the bar. I always say that if you feel comfortable in training, you need to increase the load. Otherwise, the body quickly becomes accustomed, and the workouts cease to produce the desired effect. They remain beneficial to health, but useless for losing weight or pumping muscles.
And how can you increase the effectiveness of training on a treadmill?
The best option is to include acceleration. If the level of training allows, you can do it even with a good inclination. This is an interval training, it is much more effective than monotonous running at the same pace. Novice athletes to increase the load simply enough to increase the angle of inclination. It complicates the work and switches the load on the muscles of the back surface of the legs. For girls, this is a big plus, because all the necessary muscles of the legs (buttocks and thighs) are well worked out, and the front ones are not pumped over (the legs do not get bigger).
That is, the load must be alternated?
Yes. You can run for about 5 minutes with a slope, and then return the track to its normal position. Training should be interval with different types of load. The biggest problem of the body is addiction. There is a popular misconception that if the load is perceived comfortably, it means you are suitable. In fact, the opposite is true; if you are comfortable, then you are not working on it.
Suppose I can run an hour at a pace and I feel comfortable, difficult, but I do not fall. If I run like this for a week, it will not give me any result, except for the health benefits?
While difficult, but “not falling” – will give. But when it becomes easy (and such a moment will come), then there will be no more. For health, this is an excellent work, like exercise, but for muscle development and weight loss is almost useless. It’s all very cleverly arranged. When you run an hour over the course of a year, over time your body gets used and spends much less energy and calories on this job.
The point is that when work is hard for you, the body needs to recover after a workout, and it spends a lot of energy on recovery. And this is losing weight. Therefore, when the work is comfortable, recovery, and at the same time the burning of additional calories, does not occur.
What else can you do on the treadmill other than running? Maybe there are some special training complexes?
In fact, apart from running and walking on a treadmill, nothing more can be done. You can change the speed, angle, it will increase the effectiveness of training. In addition, you can run with weighting (there are legs and arms). By the way, running with weights on hands is well suited for drying hands and forming the relief. You can also combine running with dumbbell emissions, pumping biceps, but this is training for those who already have running experience.
And running on a treadmill helps to lose weight?
I always say that the result depends on the amount of work. If you have only a little drop of sweat running down your cheek after a workout, then there will be no result. And if you have worked with normal acceleration and shortness of breath (it must be), then yes, running will help lose weight. The most effective running for weight loss is interval, and at the end of the workout it should be not only difficult, the legs should practically weaken.
Are there any contraindications for practicing on a treadmill?
Running is most dangerous for your knees, and it’s not important whether you are healthy or have problems. Sooner or later, with regular exercises will appear pain and discomfort. To protect your joints, you need to pay special attention to the correct technique of running and run only in special shoes. Sneakers with flat soles are not suitable for jogging, they should be with a good shock-absorbing system. In general, for running, this is the only specific problem. The remaining contraindications are the same as for other active sports: heart problems, high blood pressure, tachycardia. But, running correctly at a quiet pace, almost like a pool, has no contraindications.
