Run for Your Life: The Health Benefits of Treadmills

The obvious answer is the gym. But be honest, do you really think you can make yourself commute 3 or 4 times a week to go workout. I don't know about you but I have a pretty hectic lifestyle. Workloads are high and commitments are higher. Time is a luxury most of us don't have. And what suffers most? Well in many cases it's our exercise routines, and ultimately, our health.

That's why so many people of all ages are trying to find solutions to the exercise dilemma. Wow, how do you find one that fits into a demanding schedule, yet can still give a quality workout that gets results? The answer is simply the home treadmill.

Some Scientific Facts

Physical activity does not need to be strenuous to be beneficial. The truth is, people of all ages need only moderate amounts of physical activity each day. The fact is, too much exercise can cause injuries, menstrual problems and bone weakening.

Here's a shocker, about half of young Americans aged 12-21 admit to not being active regularly.

Worse yet, 14% this age say they engage in no regular physical activity.

And this inactivity trend is more common among females than males. And 21% of African American females are inactive. With white females the number is 12%

More bad news, as age increases, participation in physical activity decreases. Significantly.

Only 19% of high school students are active for at least 20 minutes five days a week in their PE class.

Enrollment in physical education classes dropped from 42 to 25% between 1991 and 1995.

Enough with the bad news. Need good news? School-based interventions that are well designed and aimed at increasing physical activity in PE classes have proven to be at least moderately effective.

There has been shown to be a positive correlation between support from family and friends and regular physical activity.

Certainly it's not everthing, but regular physical activity can be very beneficial to your health. It builds and maintains healthy muscles, joints and bones. It is great for controlling weight. It builds lean muscles which burn fat. Regular physical activity can delay or even prevent the development of high blood pressure. And better still, it can reduce blood pressure in adolescents with hypertension.

If your school PE doesn't do the job, or if you are out of school, then you must take it upon yourself to engage in physical activity. And home exercise equipment like stationary bikes and treadmills are known to produce the same effects as running or walking outside.

A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that home treadmills were better than exercise bicycles, cross-country skiing machines and rowing machines. The study that I'm talking about was done by a bunch of volunteers and the Milwaukee VA Hospital. They were told to do a series of workouts on different machine, and asked to exercise at what seemed to them like the same intensity.

Researchers used a special device to measure the number of calories burned.

The findings by Dr. Martin Hoffman of the Medical College of Wisconsin determined that "the treadmill allowed the individuals to burn as much as 200 calories per hour more than the bicycle ergometer, which had the lowest energy expenditure."

The Top Choice in Home Exercise Equipment

The home treadmill is both convenient and affordable. Not to say it's inexpensive, but it costs less than other home exercise equipment and has the same positive results. And the treadmill is always a favorite among those who exercise regularly. Go to the gym and I'll bet you find more people on the treadmills than anywhere else.

One reason is the treadmill's simplicity in burning calories. Even the most unathletic person can use it. That's because it requires nothing more than something that you've been doing since you were a year old. Walking!

Mike May, the Communications Director for the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association says "They will probably always be the number 1 item because the appeal to the two most popular forms of exercising, walkers and runners".

A recent consumer survey by May's organization found that more than 45-million Americans use treadmills either in the gym or at home. That's more than the number 2 choice stationary bikes. It's also more than ellipticals, rowing machines and stair machines.

One reason for it's popularity among fitness enthusiasts is that the treadmill can provide a good workout in all climates and in all seasons. You don't have to think about common running worries with a treadmill. No need to concern youself with whether or not it's too hot, too cold, too wet, too windy, too humid or anything else related to weather. The temperature inside where the treadmill is, just like the baby bear said, "just right".

So Why Treadmills?

Well assuming your goals are to stay healthy, physically fit, and to burn calories, the home treadmill is great. The typical hour workout on a treadmill burns about 700 calories. Compare that to the 500 calories burned on an exercise bike. Dr. Hoffman says the difference is the amount of muscle mass that is used in both exercises. In otherwords, when you use a treadmill, you use more muscles than you do on a bike.

Burning calories is a great benefit of using a treadmill, but it is hardly the only reason to consider the treadmill for your workout. Vigorous physical activity can actually be detrimental to the lives and health of people with certain health conditions. People with osteoporosis, back pains or hypertension should do nothing more than walking when they exercise. Overexertion can be a problem. The treamdill is a great alternative to simply walking outside.

A treadmill also provides consistancy to your walking. Most treadmills have programming that allow you to maintain your speed and intensity throughout the whole workout. You can use the incline device to control the inclination of your walk, just as if you were walking up hill.

Here's a good one. Research conducted by the Harvard Medical School concludes that walking for 45 minutes, 5 times a week, can cut in half your chances of getting the flu or catching a cold. And if it's raining outside and you can't walk, there's the treadmill just waiting for you. It's a great machine to have around.

The treadmill also doesn't care how old you are. It doesn't care if you're male or female. It doesn't even care if you're pregnant. Some aerobic exercise can be risky while pregnant. Walking on the other hand is good for both the mother and child. Hormonal changes during pregnancy can loosen ligaments. To tone the muscles and strengthen the joints that support the baby, walking is the recommended exercise. Again the treadmill is perfect.

The treadmill can also prevent injuries that can happen when you run outside on wet or uneven ground. Yes running and sunlight are good, but gravity can be a bear. A treadmill with good cushioning on the belt supports every stride, so your walk or run is easier.

And if you're just looking to get in good condition, walking or jogging will improve the muscle tone all over your body and not just in your legs. Stronger muscles means your heart will pump more oxygen rich blood with every step.

Exercising Properly on a Treadmill

Obviously you get more out of anything you do properly. Exercising properly on a treadmill is no different. To get the maximum benefit and enjoyment out of your treadmill exercise, you need to do it properly.

With that in mind, here are some tips to help you maximize your treadmill exercise.

1. Footwork

When you bring your foot forward and your heel hits, raise your toes and roll forward onto the outside of your foot while keeping the entire shoe sole on the ground. When your foot passes under your body, you should straighten your knee and press the belt with the ball of your foot. Maintain pressure until your toes go up in the air. This should be done throughout your walk or run.

2. Hip Rotation

Your hips should rotate naturally as your legs move. Walk from your waist while your shoulders are relaxed and facing forward.

3. Arm Swing

Your arms should swing at your sides in the same back and forth direction as your hips and legs. When your speed increases, your arms should bend at a right angle and move faster in rhythm with your legs.

If you do the above you'll be in great shape (literally and figuratively). To get the most out of your routine, you have to consider the way your foot touches the ground, the position of your torso, and how your arms swing. The above tips will help you do just that, and help you get the most out of your treadmill workout.