How to Program a Treadmill
Treadmills allow control over your running exercises using basic functions to more advanced preset programs to meet your personal fitness needs. Manual adjustments can also be made on different settings to target your workout on specific goals such as increased fat burn, endurance training or cardiovascular fitness.
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Instructions
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Basic Function Programming
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Enter your weight in the digital readout of the control panel on the treadmill. This allows a more accurate monitoring of calorie burn according to your personal weight.
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Enter a length of time you would like to run or a distance you would like to run. The treadmill can stop automatically after that specified time or distance has been run.
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Set your desired speed and incline for the run in the digital readout.
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Some treadmills also allow you to enter a target heart rate to be maintained by a heart rate monitor, such as a clip or strap worn on the body, and can adjust its speed or incline accordingly to maintain a specified heart rate throughout your routine.
Fat Burn Endurance Training
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Set your speed to a relatively comfortable pace where you can talk but not sing while running. Run faster if you find yourself able to sing and run slower if you find yourself unable to talk.
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Set a goal distance you would like to reach and add a low-level incline if desired.
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Run a quarter mile longer each time you run this routine to build an endurance of up to six miles. This low-intensity workout burns more fat calories. Some treadmills have preset "fat-burning" programs which can be selected from the control panel to automatically produce the same effect.
Interval Training
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Walk at a comfortable pace for five minutes with little to no incline. Then increase the incline to five or six levels higher and keep jogging at this level for five minutes.
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Return the incline back to where it started and keep alternating inclines at least two or three times. Running at varied intensities in intervals such as this will raise your cardiovascular fitness level by increasing your heart rate.
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Alternate speeds instead of incline levels at one to two minute intervals. Repeat this routine five to eight times. This boosts muscle strength and blood flow to the heart. Some treadmills have preset "interval training" programs which can be selected to automatically produce this type of workout.
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Tips & Warnings
Try using low-weight dumbbells while walking or running on the treadmill to add an upper-body workout and more calorie burn to your routine.
Be sure to consult your physician before starting any new fitness program. Stop activity immediately if you feel any unusual symptoms of pain or discomfort during the workout.
References
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