Treadmill Workouts: Muscle Development While Running on A Treadmill

With Fall & Winter weather, comes the challenges of training outdoors, here is a helpful infograph on running on a treadmill in different modes and the corresponding muscles it develops, as well as some workouts you can try; from beginner to advanced!

Running is sport with many advantages. First of all, it does great for your health: it keeps the heart in shape, it burns fat fast and it sculpts the muscles in an harmonious way. But running has a positive influence on your mind also: when you run you have fun, you socialize easier, you kill stress and you feel good about yourself.

Running on the treadmill is a training alternative which comes in handy, especially for those with a busy schedule. It has its pros and cons. But if you balance them, it’s usually an advantage to have this option.

Even if you don’t focus on muscles and strength workouts, running on the treadmill has a tremendous effect on the most important muscle groups.

Muscles Groups Developed While 

Running On The Treadmill

The Heart

The heart is the main muscle you workout on the treadmill. Treadmills provide great cardiovascular exercise that raises the heart rate and strengthens the overall health and stamina of the heart.

Quadriceps

Exercising on the treadmill works out the quadriceps muscles, located on the front of the thighs.

Calves

The calf muscles are located between the ankle and the knee. While walking and running these muscles act as stabilizers for the body. This is why you must stretch them on a regular basis.

Hamstrings

The hamstrings are located on the back of the thighs. They are effectively toned through treadmill workouts. Hamstrings can be pulled easily so you should stretch adequately before starting your workout.

Glutes

The proper name of this 3-part muscle group is the gluteal muscles. The gluteus maximus, gluteus medius and gluteus minimus are located in the buttocks and they are worked intensively during treadmill exercises.

Iliotibial (IT) Band

The iliotibial (IT) band is a tough group of fibers positioned on the outside of the thigh. This is an important stabilizer during running. If you want to prevent the IT band syndrome, the treadmill helps because you run on a level surface.

Muscles Used When Running in Incline Mode

Use the incline mode to challenge the cardiovascular system at lower speed.

In incline mode the back muscles are used to keep the body upright.

The uphill position helps to build long and lean calf muscles. It’s also a good position to stretch the calves.

Incline helps to build strength in your thighs (or quadriceps) and the buttocks.

Incline minimizes the heel-strike impact.

Muscles Used When Running in Decline Mode

Running with decline requires less energy.

Compared with incline mode, decline increases the stress on the ‘anti-gravity’ muscles of your hips, legs and ankles.

Running with decline is extremely hard on knee joints.

Decline helps to increase your leg turnover, which improves your acceleration and speed on flat surfaces.

WORKOUTS BY FITSUGAR 

10 Reasons To Workout On Treadmill

1. When you use a treadmill you have a lot of options: you can walk, jog or run, choose predefined workouts and combine exercises.

2. You can train in the comfort of your home. You also have the privacy advantage.

3. You can workout at what hour you want, for how much time you want and for how long you want. Most gyms limit the use of treadmills at 30 minutes.

4. It gives you diversity.

5. If you have a good treadmill you can keep a record of your progress. With this information you can adjust your training schedule and get better results.

6. Walking on a treadmill helps decrease stress level. Doing workouts on a treadmill is a good relaxation method. Most of the newer machines come with an iPod Dock that let you play your favorite music.

7. After a dynamic exercise on your treadmill you are bound to sleep well.

8 It is flexible – you can start at slow speed and increase it as you advance. You can choose a program you want to focus on aerobic, fat burning or performance.

9. It doesn’t matter if it’s raining, snowing or it’s just too hot. Nothing can stop you from exercising.

10. The treadmill is one of the top machines when it comes to fat burning and indoor training. Exercising on a treadmill will increase your fitness level and will improve your health.

PS: Plus it includes Cardio Features to help you keep your heart rate under close supervision and at the same time not stress yourself over your body’s possibilities.