Treadmill Walking: The Way to a Healthier You

Treadmills are the ideal exercise equipment to give you a cardiovascular workout. Your heart needs exercise to function properly and it is recommended that you do at least 25 to 30 minutes per day exercising. Combined with a good balanced diet, treadmill walking will go a long way in helping you achieve a healthy lifestyle.

Many people consider walking to be an activity only suitable for those individuals who are not yet "fit enough" to do more intense forms of aerobic exercise, or as a mode of transport when the car is not working or the bus is not running. Others regularly choose treadmill walking for the pleasure and relaxation it can offer, or out of convenience. Few people, however, are fully aware of the wide range of benefits that can be obtained from treadmill walking in respect to health and fitness.

Power walking techniques can be employed when doing your own treadmill walking. In power walking, frequency, intensity, time and type of exercise need to be tailored to suit the client, and progressed at a suitable rate to maximise effectiveness and minimize the risk of injuries. It is often done in small groups or a walking class in the outdoors. What makes it challenging is the combination of the intensity of the exercise and the changes in the terrain.

However, not all prefer the outdoors. In comes treadmill walking. In treadmill walking, you can have the same challenges right inside your home. The weather is no longer a factor in doing your treadmill walking. Treadmill walking has many advantages but none more important than improving your quality of life. By this we mean:

· Increased general fitness
· Improved self confidence
· Better sleeping
· More energetic
· Improved libido
· More toned figure

Aside from that, treadmill walking is effective as a way to improve aerobic fitness as well as helping reduce cardiovascular disease, assist in weight management, improve bone density and aid in stress management programmes. Perhaps the distinct benefit of treadmill walking is the low risk of injury associated with it as compared to other, higher impact activities versus running and many aerobic dance exercises.

Many endurance athletes are completing more of their training sessions at moderate intensities rather than constantly pushing their upper zones. In this respect, treadmill walking can act as an ideal compliment to their programmes, while offering variety and a lower injury risk

The best walker's routine would normally have the following: a warm-up, workout and a cool down. This lessens the possibility of injuring oneself during the exercise of treadmill walking. With treadmill walking, the speed and incline of the treadmills play a major role in completing a workout. The most common "injuries" that most casual walkers experience may be blisters and sore shins. A proper warm-up should reduce the risk of sore shins, including mobility for the ankle and stretching, during treadmill walking.

In general, treadmill walking serves as a great alternative to power walking. Whichever you chose, just remember to check with your doctor first before doing your treadmill walking.

Related Articles