How to Optimize Your Treadmill Workout for the Best Results?

Nowadays, as work becomes increasingly busy, many people hardly have time to go to commercial gyms after work. However, to ensure they can exercise properly during their rest time to maintain a healthy body and perfect figure, many people, including you, choose to create a home gym. Having a small gym or exercise space at home has many benefits, such as convenience and privacy. But whether you're in a commercial gym or a home gym, having good fitness equipment is critical to achieving your ultimate fitness goals. Among many excellent pieces of fitness equipment, the treadmill stands out with its unique advantages and gradually becomes a popular choice in many people's home gyms.

A photograph of a woman exercising on a treadmill in a gym. She wears a pink top and black pants, smiling at the camera. The treadmill is located against a green wall with natural light streaming in through the windows. Other treadmills are visible in the room but appear to be turned off.

Running is well-known as an incredible cardiovascular exercise, greatly benefiting overall health. When adverse weather or safety concerns prevent you from running outdoors, using a treadmill at home is an excellent alternative. Treadmills can work many muscles and provide similar benefits to outdoor running. However, after exercising on your treadmill for a while, you may find the results are not as optimal as expected. So, how can you optimize your treadmill workout for the best results? Here are four ways to make your treadmill workout more effective.

1. Invest in a Good Pair of Running Shoes

If you don't wear a good pair of running shoes, you'll feel uncomfortable while running or walking on a treadmill, which can hinder your workout results. Since everyone has a unique stride pattern, buying a pair of running shoes that fit your feet can keep you injury-free and comfortable during each workout. Therefore, investing in a good pair of running shoes is crucial for optimizing your treadmill workout. Remember to replace your running shoes every 3-6 months, depending on how often and how far you run or walk on the treadmill. Just like changing car tires, regularly replacing your running shoes helps make each workout comfortable and effective.

2. Make a Reasonable Workout Plan

Before starting any exercise, creating a reasonable workout plan is an excellent way to stay motivated, and treadmill workouts are no exception. A reasonable workout plan lets you know exactly what and when your exercises are. Especially if you are new to treadmill workouts but want to optimize your results, creating a reasonable plan is essential. For example, you can plan to run or walk on the treadmill 3-4 days a week, doing short workouts (20-30 minutes) on weekdays and longer or endurance-based workouts (over 40 minutes) on weekends. Stick to your plan, and you will surely achieve the best treadmill workout results.

A photograph of a woman exercising on a treadmill in a modern and spacious gym. She wears a white top and blue shorts, paired with an orange headband and black earphones. An orange wristband complements her ensemble. Her hair is tied in a ponytail, indicating her focus on the workout. The treadmill is positioned in a room with a large window on one side, affording a view of the outdoors.

3. Maintain Correct Workout Posture

To optimize your treadmill workout for the best results, maintaining the correct posture during exercise is essential. First, do not grab the handrails. The handrails are there to help you get on and off the treadmill safely, not for you to hold onto during exercise. Holding the handrails while running or walking makes your workout inefficient. You should keep your posture upright, with your head up and your back straight. Secondly, avoid leaning forward too much, as it can cause neck and back pain or make you lose balance. Keep your body upright and tighten your abdominal muscles. Lastly, do not look down. You may often look down at the console to check the remaining time or distance, but this can affect your posture by causing you to hunch over, leading to back and neck pain. Looking straight ahead is the safest way to run or walk, whether on a treadmill or outdoors.

4. Mix Different Forms of Workout

Adding different forms of exercise to your treadmill workout can optimize your results. Generally, incorporating interval training and incline training into your treadmill workouts is effective. Interval training alternates high-intensity activities with low-intensity recovery times, helping you improve your heart rate and burn more calories. Incline training can activate your muscles more effectively, burn more calories, and improve endurance compared to running on a flat surface.

A photograph of a blonde-haired woman inside a gym. She is wearing a black sports top and shorts, with a blue towel wrapped around her waist. Her physique is fit and muscular. She holds a blue water bottle and a pair of earphones in her hand. In the background, two treadmills are visible, one on the left and another on the right.

As you can see, this article introduces four ways to optimize your treadmill workout for the best results, hoping to help you achieve your fitness goals.