Getting the Most Out of Your Treadmill Workout by Fred Waters

You know what makes exercising on a treadmill so effective in losing weight and getting in shape - the ability to adjust the incline. With the push of a button you can adjust the intensity level of your workout to any degree.
If you live in a flatlander state like Illinois and you run or walk outside, you're stuck at one level. With a treadmill you can simulate running or walk on hills or mountains, and that is where you start getting the heart beating and the calories burning.
Breaking Out of the Exercise Rut
For those of us who exercise regularly, we tend to get into a rut. And once you get stuck in a rut you reach a plateau. You find that you are not losing any more weight, and you are not getting in better shape. By changing up your routine and the intensity of your workout you can reach new highs in your personal fitness. That is why hill and interval training are such popular programs on the treadmill. In fact, one of the hottest trends in exercising and weigh loss is High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). This new form of aerobic exercising manages to get the maximum results in less time. And for us who struggle to find the time to exercise, this type of workout is very attractive.
Treadmill Are Ideal for Interval Training
High Intensity Interval Training requires exercising at high intensity levels for 1-3 minutes, and follow-up with a recovery period that is approximately 2 to 3 times longer. HIIT can apply whether you run or walk. It just is a matter of raising the incline level and getting the heart beating faster. Treadmills are ideal for aerobic workouts like High Intensity Interval Training. You crank the treadmill up to a high incline for several minutes then reduce the level and slow down to a walk or slow jog. You can either use existing hill or interval programs on the treadmill (most at least have hill training), or you can manually control the workout to a level you feel comfortable with.
The important point is get out of the rut. Experiment with different speeds and incline levels. As you start getting comfortable at a certain level for a certain period, increase both the incline and the period of time. The benefits of breaking out of the rut is burning more calories, getting in better shape and breaking up the boredom of your exercise routine.
If you plan to increase your level of exercising, make sure you are physically in shape to handle the intensity. You may want to check with your physician first, particularly if you are just starting back into a fitness routine.
About the Author
Fred Waters worked in the treadmill industry for a number of year and is author of the Treadmill Ratings and Reviews site. Check out the latest reviews on over 75 of the most popular treadmills, and get important buying tips from the Treadmill Buyer's Guide.

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Personally, I'm not a big fan of treadmills, mainly due to the fact that I live in the glorious countryside, surrounded by beautiful hills. Others are not so lucky, and running indoors on a treadmill is the best environment they can have, this may be due to many reasons, high pollution levels in the city, extreme temperatures, both hot and cold, and a complete lack of hills to run up. The treadmill combats all of these issues, so for those people who have to run on treadmills, you need to know how to use one effectively, through this article, I hope you have been slightly enlightened. Remember fellow runners, no pain, no gain.
For other, general health and fitness advice check out http://squidoo.com/health-fitness.

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