A few tips on hitting the treadmill
Tips to become better acquainted with the machine runners love to hate
It’s here — that time of year when Canadians take to the treadmill to escape the chills and spills associated with cold-weather running. And while we like to consider ourselves resilient enough to withstand most of what winter has to offer, some days even the hardiest Canucks head indoors.
So when the air’s too cold and you’re forced to sweat it out under the fluorescents, you’ll want to make sure you’re getting the most out of running on the ’mill. Here are a few facts to help you become better acquainted with the machine every runner loves to hate.
HOW FAST ARE YOU REALLY RUNNING?
If it seems easier to maintain your normal running speed on a treadmill than it does on pavement, you’re not wrong. Twenty years ago, a couple of British scientists determined that a lack of wind resistance is the primary reason it takes less energy to run on a treadmill as compared to outside. The solution, they determined, is to raise the incline to a one per cent grade.
But that strategy has been called into question by a group of Italian and French researchers, who compared the physiological responses of 15 university students who performed the same interval running workouts (30 seconds fast followed by 30 seconds easy for 15 minutes) on a track and on a treadmill with a one per cent incline.
The results indicate that it takes more than just raising the incline to match the energy output of running on the road.
The runners in the study also needed to increase their treadmill speed by 15 per cent to match the intensity of the same workout performed outside.
So, if you want to match your treadmill workout to your outdoor workout, increase both incline and speed.
WHAT ABOUT THAT ‘FAT-BURNING’ WORKOUT?
Don’t expect that by choosing the “fat-burning” workout — a common setting on treadmill consoles — you’ll get rid of any unwanted jiggle. Admittedly, it seems like a desirable option for those looking to get thinner and trimmer, but it doesn’t get rid of fat more efficiently than any other workout option. In fact, it may be one of the worst options for anyone who wants to lose weight.
When it comes to getting rid of excess pounds, calorie burn is king. And the higher the intensity of the workout, the more calories are burned over a given time period.
WHAT’S A MET?
This often-ignored stat popping up on the screen of your treadmill’s console is something you should start paying attention to — especially if you’re hoping to improve speed and/or endurance. An acronym for Metabolic Equivalent of Task, METs give you an objective measure of how hard you’re working. Keeping in mind that one MET is the equivalent to sitting on the couch, the higher the METs, the more strenuous the workout. A workout that measures four to six METs (four to six times the energy it takes to sit on the couch) signifies a moderate intensity workout. METs in the double-digits indicate a vigorous intensity workout.
So set a MET goal, and manipulate speed and incline accordingly to keep your workout on task.
HOW ACCURATE IS THE CALORIE-BURNING?
Cardio machines have a reputation of overestimating calorie burn, so take whatever reading displayed on your machine with a grain of salt — especially if you didn’t take the time to enter your gender, age and weight before starting the workout.
All three elements are needed to personalize your calorie burn; otherwise, the machine defaults to a generalized algorithm that might be closer to the calorie burn of your neighbour than your own.
SHOULD I USE THE PRE-PACKAGED PROGRAMS?
One of the advantages of a treadmill is letting the machine dictate your workout. All you have to do is keep up. Use interval programs to work on speed, and the hill workouts to build power in the legs. Just be sure to set the baseline intensity level such that you’ll be challenged — but not too challenged — when the speed and/or incline hits its peak.
The beauty of using the programs is you can let your mind wander and keep fingers off the console instead of manually programming the machine for every interval.