Maybe you’re not able to run or walk outside because it’s raining heavily or because winter has established and won’t leave for a while. In this case, you can consider walking on a treadmill. After all, you can’t give up on your workout altogether, especially if you want to maintain your shape.
Nevertheless, not everyone likes the treadmill, and according to All the Stuff it’s not a perfect substitute to running outside. However, that’s mainly because not everyone knows how to use treadmills properly, so here are some walking mistakes that you need to avoid:
You Run Too Close to the Front of the Treadmill
You might think that walking as far in front as you can is the better option, but that’s not true. If you’re too close to the front of the belt, you won’t have enough space to move your arms, and it can prevent you from running naturally. As a result, you will feel uncomfortable, because you might arch your posture so you don’t hit the treadmill.
Make sure you run in the middle of the treadmill, so everything is good.
Letting Your Mind Wander
Maybe you’re in love, or maybe you are thinking of that intense movie scene you’ve seen yesterday. When on the treadmill, many people’s minds begin to wander, which doesn’t allow you to focus on the actual exercising. Always pay attention to what you’re doing if you want good results.
You Look at Your Feet
Most people look at their feet while walking on the treadmill. However, this will affect your posture and will make you uncomfortable while affecting your overall performance.
Make sure you always keep your shoulders back and your head lifted, and look forward. Otherwise, you’ll have a hard time trying to exercise.
Not Warming Up
Some days, you just want to get on the treadmill and be done with it. You end up skipping your warm-up, and this isn’t a good thing. If you do so, your muscles will be under more pressure, and you will end up straining them. Warm-ups help with the elasticity of your tissues, making workouts safer.
Holding the Bars
Sometimes, people who use the treadmill have a tendency of holding the bars during the workout. While this is used as a safety measure, your workout’s effectiveness will decrease, because the bars support your body weight, so you work less intensely. So, don’t hold those bars if you want to see any results.
You Lean Forward
If you don’t walk properly and you lean forward, you will affect your posture, and you might also experience back pain. Always walk straight, with your shoulders backward, and look forward.
Doing the Same Things on Repeat
Doing the same speeds and runs over and over might seem easier, but it can be boring and not as effective in the long-run. Therefore, you need to take advantage of the treadmill by testing the run library and trying different speeds. Your workouts will get better and offer more results.
You Don’t Use Your Arms
You should not hold the bars with your hands, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use your bars at all. If you use them properly, you might burn more calories and make it easier to stay in shape.
Ensure your shoulders are always relaxed, hold your arms close to your body while they’re bent at 90 degrees, and do a backward and forward motion with them. You can also try to get more out of your exercise and use your arms more actively, with or without weights. It will make your workout much more effective.
If you’re looking for a treadmill, then you first need to know how to use them properly. Avoid the mistakes presented above, and you’re all set.
