Treadmill Workouts

Runners have a tendency to think that only the best training occurs in the great outdoors. While



the thrill of running in extraordinary natural settings is tough to beat, there is nothing that



compares to the tremendous training benefits of working on treadmills.

How do I know? I have a history of being a swimmer, then a runner, then a cyclist, and finally a



triathlete. Years of training have added up to good fitness as a triathlete, but along the way I lost



some of my form as a runner. Without good technique for any sport, I knew I would be less



successful, so in the interest of better technique and efficiency, I added treadmill training to my



regimen.



When I started doing triathlon, I was working with a cardiovascular system honed by ten years of



professional cycling, and years of running and swimming before that. I had a massive VO2, and



lots of cardiovascular and physical strength. What I found however, was that my running



efficiency was really compromised from so many years away from running. Riding a bike had



changed my running form. Tight overdeveloped hip flexors and large quad muscles had me overstriding



and landing very heavily on my feet. I did not have a nice neutral body position over my



pelvis and I was landing heavily toward my heels. Essentially, my muscle development led to



some over-striding and really, a loss in stride rate and running economy.



This year I took a bold step into the fitness room by utilizing a treadmill. With my coach, Cliff



English, I looked to improve my running economy by using treadmill workouts. The first move



was improving my leg speed (stride rate). Most cyclists and tri-athletes are familiar with cadence



as a measure of pedaling efficiency on a bike, and the same applies to running. Most successful



runners have stride rates in the low to mid-90s per minute (right foot contacts). The goal is to



have a default quick leg turnover in this range, for all runs regardless of pace, and then increase



the stride length when looking to run at race pace.



Using a treadmill, I appreciated how easy it is to watch my running form in a mirror – I can



ensure that I have foot strikes under the pelvis at mid-sole to forefoot. The feet should only be



touching the ground for a short time, and imagining quick, light, feet is the best imagery for good



run form. The second thing to look for is turnover, counting the number of foot strikes per



minute. The treadmill is great because it encourages quick turnover and a shortened stride, but



also the speed is generated by the machine, rather than the runner, so more emphasis can be



placed on form while running at a quicker pace.



A treadmill can offer training sessions such as hill repeats, fartlek, tempo runs and interval



training. I like the treadmill because of the specificity it offers, similar to a Computrainer for



cycling. If you are going to train with precision, you absolutely need this type of tool. Not only



can you monitor your technique on a treadmill, but you’ll get an exact measurement of pace that



you traditionally only get on the track but with much less toll on the body. In addition, preparing



for heat, humidity, or even altitude (with a hypoxic generator) while at sea level can be achieved



when using a treadmill. For triathletes, a trainer plus a treadmill offers a powerful “one-two



punch” as you can conduct a hard, specific cycling workout on the trainer, then move directly to



the treadmill running at your goal pace off the bike. This specific training will help you develop



a good pace off the bike and make you a very strong runner.



Choosing a treadmill is critical. I went directly to Precor because first, I wanted one fast enough,



and anyone who pushes him- or herself to run sub-40 for a 10km is going to need a treadmill that goes faster than 12 mph. Precor basically stands alone in that category. Second, the Precor



treadmill has a built-in suspension system which allows me to run harder with less toll on the



body… in essence, I can do track intervals without the wear and tear on my body that the track



usually would entail. Third, a simple, intuitive display means that the important information is



right in front of you: heart rate, pace, time and distance (in the units you would like, miles or



kilometers).



Some of my favorite treadmill workouts include:



1. The non-race season tempo/aerobic base development workout



This is a quality base workout. Instead of plodding around at a low heart rate and low pace,



warm up for 15-20 minutes, then do three times 12 minutes at a pace that is about a minute slower



per mile than your actual 10km pace (i.e., if you run a 40:00 10km, you will run at 5:00/km or



about 7:00/miles). Run easy for 2-3 minutes between each 12 minute work effort. Warm down



after the workout for about 10 minutes. As you get closer to race season (and more fit), make



this pace your half-marathon pace (maybe 30 seconds per mile quicker).



2. The in-season tempo workout



This workout is about reinforcing leg speed and efficiency. You will start with a 15-20 minute



warm-up with some 30-second accelerations to your 10km pace. Then run at your half-marathon



pace (maybe 30 seconds per mile off your 10km pace) for 2 x 8 minutes with 5 minutes rest



between work sessions. Then do 4 x 2 minutes at your 10km pace with 1 minute between. Finish



the workout with 10 minutes at an easy pace to warm down. This workout is meant to be still at



about 80% of your max effort, and shouldn’t fatigue you so much you need days to recover, this



should feel good so that you can repeat it again that week, or still train with quality the next day.



Any serious runner will gain extraordinary benefits by training on a treadmill. You can



appropriately train for climate, terrain, distance, and more, with the added benefit of focusing on



your technique in a way you could never do while training outside. Not only that, but the



treadmill can be a tool that will not let you give up. Sometimes the motivation not to slow the



machine down will be enough to push you through that hard session. Using good sense to not go



beyond your limits is always prudent, but having tools to push you to your limits are important.



The treadmill should be viewed as every runner’s best friend, and can improve even the most



gifted runner.

Thanks to: Melanie McQuaid

Optimizing Fitness Using Heart Rate Training Zones

Heart rate training zones help reach fitness and athletic goals more efficiently

The heart responds to exercise by altering the frequency of beats per minute according to the training intensity. An easy way to gain full benefit from an exercise program is to establish heart rate training zones that cover the full range of heart rate responses to exercise. Heart rate training zones bring specificity to training, whether to target improvements in general fitness or weight loss or to develop endurance, speed or power.

Many different methods exist for determining training zones. The most common method is to use a formula for finding the maximal predicted heart rate (Hrmax) and taking a percentage of that heart rate to create five training zones. The most frequently used formula for determining Hrmax is (220-age). Although this is an easy method, research has shown that most people do not have the same actual HRmax as their predicted Hrmax. Exercise testing provides more accurate measurement of an individual’s true Hrmax.

HR training zones can also be established based on the “individual anaerobic threshold” heart rate and percentages of that heart rate. The anaerobic threshold represents a point where the muscles shift from predominantly aerobic (utilizing oxygen to burn fuel) to anaerobic (burning fuel without oxygen) metabolism. Each person crosses the anaerobic threshold at a unique point, depending on the ability of the muscles to extract and utilize oxygen. The anaerobic threshold heart rate is most often determined through exercise testing.

The training zones target specific results:

Using 5 zones enables individuals to gain specific benefits from their training. The following section describes each of the zones and their training benefit.

Zone 1:

• Use this zone to warm-up at the beginning of the workout and cool down at the end of the workout. With warm up, the heart rate increases and blood circulates to the working muscles. This establishes a steady flow of oxygen from the circulation to the muscle cells which enables the cells to extract energy from fats and carbohydrates. Warming up regularly revs up metabolism in preparation for exercise. The warm-up prepares the muscles for the workout and helps to protect them from injury.

• The cool-down returns the body to a normal temperature and helps to clear metabolic waste products from the muscles and the circulation to speed recovery after the workout.

• Spend about 5-10 minutes in this zone at the beginning and end of exercise. The perceived level of exertion for this zone is “very easy”.

Zone 2:

• This zone emphasizes easy endurance and is largely fueled by fat burning. It’s the best zone to include when building endurance at the beginning of the training season. For the first 2-4 weeks of training, zone 2 should comprise 50% of total training time.

• After 2-4 weeks of consistent training, this zone should become part of the warm-up and cool-down phases. Zone 2 workouts also help speed recovery the day after a long or hard workout by providing a light training load to stimulate aerobic system adaptations to the training performed the prior day. In this way, physical and physiologic systems experience alternating hard and easy days, which allows better overall training quality, and prevents injury and excessive training stress.

• Zone 2 is also used during workouts containing high intensity intervals for the recovery intervals between the hard portions of the workout as well as during warm-up and cool down.

• This zone should comprise 10-15% of the total training time. The perceived level of exertion for this zone is “easy”.

Zone 3

• This zone helps build higher intensity aerobic endurance, train fat burning, and strengthen the heart muscle. Including a longer zone 3 session weekly will further help reduce health risks, such as high cholesterol, stress, diabetes, elevated blood pressure and certain cancers.

• After 2-4 weeks of consistent aerobic exercise, zone 3 should comprise 50% of the total training time. The perceived level of exertion for this zone is “moderate”. One should still be able to comfortably converse when training in this zone.

Zone 4

• This zone improves exercise performance by raising the anaerobic threshold, allowing an individual to sustain higher intensity workouts longer and with less effort. For the beginner, even 10 minutes in this zone per week can help advance fitness. Be aware that although this zone helps build fitness, spending too much time at this intensity may actually diminish fitness by creating an imbalance between the aerobic and anaerobic systems, causing endurance to deteriorate. A common training error is to spend too much time in this zone.

• This zone should be introduced only after an aerobic base is established (6-12 weeks of consistent aerobic exercise, depending on fitness level).

• Zone 4 should comprise 10-20% of the total training time. The effort level of this zone is “hard”.

Zone 5

• This zone is used for more advanced individuals with a solid base of aerobic training and / or specific competitive goals. It helps build speed and power for brief intervals at very high intensity. Training here teaches the body to tolerate high levels of metabolic waste products and their side effects.

• This zone should comprise 0-5% of total training time. The effort level of this zone is “very hard”.

• Considerations

• When using heart rate zones be aware that certain factors independent of exercise can affect the heart rate and interfere with training zone accuracy. Stimulants such as caffeine and certain medications, dehydration, sleep deficits, stress and insufficient recovery can alter the heart rate response to exercise.

• Fitness improvements may lead to changes in the heart rate response after 8-12 weeks of consistent training. If perceived effort seems lower at a given heart rate, then it may be time for heart rate zone re-evaluation. In individuals with more advanced fitness, performance may improve with only slight changes in heart rate zones.

Thanks to

Emily Cooper MD - Seattle Performance Medicine

 

I had an email from a Karen Watts asking about how cheap is a bargain. She has seen a new treadmill from a company that has name related to a city in the north.

These low range cheap new treadmills will not last and will brake very quickly if used for more than a few hours a week. Like every thing in life you get what you pay for and a good used treadmill from a leading brand like Precor, Technogym, Startrac have been designed to get a real abuse in commercial gyms. These machines are built to last and perform.

Your cheap treadmill on the high street is designed for home use and for the person that will perhaps use it for a few hours max a week. One year on and ask will they be going strong ????

I always compare used fitness equipment to cars, a 50k BMW is still a 50k BMW after 5 years, built to last using top quality parts and will give many years of service.  Where as a new cheap Ford will just not compare.

Think about it.

You may be in great shape, for the sort of exercise you do routinely. But if that's all you do, day after day, you may be setting yourself up for injury or mental burnout and that is not a good way to get fit. What can help prevent injury and burnout? Cross training.

Cross training is a great way to condition different muscle groups, develop a new set of skills, and reduce boredom that creeps in after months of the same exercise routines. Cross training also allows you the ability to vary the stress placed on specific muscles or even your cardiovascular system. After months of the same movements your body becomes extremely efficient performing those movements, and while that is great for competition, it limits the amount of overall fitness you possess and reduces the actual conditioning you get while training; rather than continuing to improve, you simply maintain a certain level of fitness. Cross training is also necessary to reduce the risk of injury from repetitive strain or overuse.

The term cross training refers to a training routine that involves several different forms of exercise. While it is necessary for an athlete to train specifically for their sport if they want to excel, for most exercisers cross training is a beneficial training method for maintaining a high level of overall fitness. For example, you may use both biking and swimming each week to improve your overall aerobic capacity, build overall muscle strength and reduce the chance of an overuse injury. Cross training limits the stress that occurs on a specific muscle group because different activities use muscles in slightly different ways.

Benefits of Cross Training

• Reduces exercise boredom


• Allows you to be flexible about you training needs and plans (if the pool is closed, you can go for a run instead).


• Produces a higher level of all around conditioning


• Conditions the entire body, not just specific muscle groups


• Reduces the risk of injury



• Work some muscles while others rest and recover



• Can continue to train while injured



• Improves your skill, agility and balance

What exercises should make up a good cross training routine?

• Cardiovascular Exercise (Think about adding three different exercises from the list below):
  
  
  • Running
  • Swimming
  • Cycling
  • Rowing
  • Stair Climbing
  • Rope jumping
  • Skating (inline or ice)
  • Skiing
  • Racquetball / basketball / other court sports
  
  
• Strength Training
  
  
  • Calisthenics (push ups and crunches and pull ups)
  • Free Weights
  • Machines
  • Tubing and Bands
  
  


• Flexibility (stretching, yoga)
• Speed, agility, and balance drills
• Circuit training, sprinting, plyometrics and other forms of skill conditioning

With cross training, you can do one form of exercise each day, or more than one in a day. If you do both on the same day, you can change the order in which you do them. You can easily tailor cross-training to your needs and interests; mix and match you sports and change your routine on a regular basis.

Exercise can strengthen the cardiovascular system, bones, muscles, joints, reduce body fat and improve flexibility, balance and coordination. But if you want to see all of these benefits, you'll need to start cross training. What better time to start than now? I hear your friends have taken up snowboarding.

Suggested Reading

More Conditioning TipsTen Ways to Discover Your Sports PotentialSports Psychology Tip: Maintaining and Regaining Focus

More Fitness Tips

How to Achieve a Personal BestHow to Feed Your MusclesActive Recovery

Suggested Reading

Motivation and Setting GoalsTips for Busy AthletesEfficient Strength Training

Related Articles

 

Treadmill Maintenance

Once you have invested in a treadmill it is important to maintain it properly to keep it running smoothly. This doesn’t have to require too much effort as many treadmills sold these days are actually very low maintenance. Always read your user manual thoroughly and keep it handy as it is likely to contain important care and maintenance instructions relevant to your particular treadmill.

Keeping it clean

One of the most important things to do with any treadmill in terms of upkeep is to keep it free of dust and dirt. They do tend to attract quite a lot of dust and if this is allowed to build up it can lead to several problems including belt failure, motor overload or dangerous sudden speed changes due to dirty speed sensors. Once a week you should give your machine a good clean to avoid these problems occurring. Before starting, ensure that you unplug your treadmill from the wall socket. Use a dry clean cloth to dust the running belt and between belt and deck wherever possible. Do not use any cleaning solutions on the belt as they can make the surface slippery. Use a clean slightly damp cloth to clean the frame and console. Once you have finished wait until the treadmill is completely dry and then turn the machine on and test all your control panel and safety cut off functions.



Every few months you should remove the hood to very carefully get rid of any dirt from under the hood and the motor area using a brush and vacuum cleaner. Blow any dust away from electronic components and then vacuum it up rather than directly touching the electronics with the vacuum cleaner. Make sure you replace the hood correctly and that you always use the right screwdrivers. To minimise the amount of dirt the treadmill attracts in the first place, vacuum around and underneath the machine regularly and do not use the same pair of shoes outside as for exercising on the treadmill.



You should also take care to wipe down all treadmill surfaces after any particularly intense workouts as sweat is very corrosive and could cause surfaces to rust.

Deck maintenance

The majority of modern treadmills do not need any lubrication and you should check your manual before lubricating any of the components. Many treadmills have pre-treated decks and lubricating these may do a lot more damage than good. Other models may require initial waxing to reduce friction of the belt, but only wax or lubricate the deck if recommended by the manufacturer and always follow the directions for doing so. Low friction between the deck and belt is important as high friction will cause amp draw – power being pulled away from the motor and electronics and will end up damaging these parts.

Belt adjustments

You may sometimes need to adjust the tension and alignment of the treadbelt. If the belt is too loose or too tight it can cause wear and tear of both the belt and the deck. Belts often tend to stretch slightly the first few times you use the treadmill so check regularly in the beginning if it needs tightening. Tracking the belt is very easy on most treadmills. There will often be two belt adjustment screws at the rear of the machine. You will not need to turn the screws much – a one-quarter turn is often sufficient if tightening the belt due to initial stretching. Make sure to follow the instructions in your manual for tracking the belt, especially as on some treadmills the belt needs to be looser than on others. After the initial few months, you should not need to tighten the belt much.

You also need to make sure that the belt is properly aligned and again you should consult your manual’s belt tracking instructions. Any adjustments needed are usually minor and you should not have to do this on a regular basis. If you find that the belt is often poorly aligned it may be that the treadmill is not being kept on an even surface. On many treadmills there are level adjustments at the back so that you can compensate for an uneven floor. If this isn’t possible with your treadmill you will have to try to level the floor instead or move the machine to a more suitable space.



By following the above instructions, or of course the instructions in your user manual if different, you should get many trouble free years of use out of your equipment. If you are ever unsure about any care or maintenance issues related to your treadmill, do contact the manufacturer or dealer for advice. Improper handling of your treadmill may mean that you will not be covered by the warranty if anything goes wrong.

Treadmill Maintenance

Once you have invested in a treadmill it is important to maintain it properly to keep it running smoothly. This doesn’t have to require too much effort as many treadmills sold these days are actually very low maintenance. Always read your user manual thoroughly and keep it handy as it is likely to contain important care and maintenance instructions relevant to your particular treadmill.

Keeping it clean

One of the most important things to do with any treadmill in terms of upkeep is to keep it free of dust and dirt. They do tend to attract quite a lot of dust and if this is allowed to build up it can lead to several problems including belt failure, motor overload or dangerous sudden speed changes due to dirty speed sensors. Once a week you should give your machine a good clean to avoid these problems occurring. Before starting, ensure that you unplug your treadmill from the wall socket. Use a dry clean cloth to dust the running belt and between belt and deck wherever possible. Do not use any cleaning solutions on the belt as they can make the surface slippery. Use a clean slightly damp cloth to clean the frame and console. Once you have finished wait until the treadmill is completely dry and then turn the machine on and test all your control panel and safety cut off functions.



Every few months you should remove the hood to very carefully get rid of any dirt from under the hood and the motor area using a brush and vacuum cleaner. Blow any dust away from electronic components and then vacuum it up rather than directly touching the electronics with the vacuum cleaner. Make sure you replace the hood correctly and that you always use the right screwdrivers. To minimise the amount of dirt the treadmill attracts in the first place, vacuum around and underneath the machine regularly and do not use the same pair of shoes outside as for exercising on the treadmill.



You should also take care to wipe down all treadmill surfaces after any particularly intense workouts as sweat is very corrosive and could cause surfaces to rust.

Deck maintenance

The majority of modern treadmills do not need any lubrication and you should check your manual before lubricating any of the components. Many treadmills have pre-treated decks and lubricating these may do a lot more damage than good. Other models may require initial waxing to reduce friction of the belt, but only wax or lubricate the deck if recommended by the manufacturer and always follow the directions for doing so. Low friction between the deck and belt is important as high friction will cause amp draw – power being pulled away from the motor and electronics and will end up damaging these parts.

Belt adjustments

You may sometimes need to adjust the tension and alignment of the treadbelt. If the belt is too loose or too tight it can cause wear and tear of both the belt and the deck. Belts often tend to stretch slightly the first few times you use the treadmill so check regularly in the beginning if it needs tightening. Tracking the belt is very easy on most treadmills. There will often be two belt adjustment screws at the rear of the machine. You will not need to turn the screws much – a one-quarter turn is often sufficient if tightening the belt due to initial stretching. Make sure to follow the instructions in your manual for tracking the belt, especially as on some treadmills the belt needs to be looser than on others. After the initial few months, you should not need to tighten the belt much.

You also need to make sure that the belt is properly aligned and again you should consult your manual’s belt tracking instructions. Any adjustments needed are usually minor and you should not have to do this on a regular basis. If you find that the belt is often poorly aligned it may be that the treadmill is not being kept on an even surface. On many treadmills there are level adjustments at the back so that you can compensate for an uneven floor. If this isn’t possible with your treadmill you will have to try to level the floor instead or move the machine to a more suitable space.



By following the above instructions, or of course the instructions in your user manual if different, you should get many trouble free years of use out of your equipment. If you are ever unsure about any care or maintenance issues related to your treadmill, do contact the manufacturer or dealer for advice. Improper handling of your treadmill may mean that you will not be covered by the warranty if anything goes wrong.

Tips for Safe Treadmill Workouts

There are several important elements to effective treadmill exercise. A few things to keep in mind are:

• Always warm up. It is essential to stretch your muscles and warm them up slowly by walking at a speed of no more than 1.5 to 2 mph for a minute or two. Switching from the heels to the toes for thirty seconds each, then stretching out your stride for another minute will help stretch all muscles properly. If you’ve increased your level of fitness after a time, you can increase the speed of your warm-up to as fast as 4 mph, which is basically power-walking or a light jog.


• Increase your workout slowly. You should stay at one level for four weeks before moving on to the next level of difficulty. Any faster and you risk over-tasking your muscles or sustaining an injury. This is one of the most important tips for treadmill workouts to keep in mind. Burn-out is frequently the result of trying to rush to results.


• Always cool down. Hopping off the treadmill after running and sitting down is an invitation for muscle cramps or worse. You need to slow down the pace and allow your muscles and heart rate to return to normal while you are moving.