When winter approaches, the weather around the world changes. That means outdoor activities may become uncomfortable or impossible, so you might consider moving your workouts inside. That means you may have to use a treadmill as part of your routine.
A treadmill may evoke feelings of dread, and there are good reasons why. You’re moving in place with very little visual stimulation other than watching the time and distance on the console slowly ticking away. In fact, it may feel like you’re watching water boil or paint drying, except you are breathing heavily and working hard. However, don’t write off the treadmill just yet.
The Benefits Of A Treadmill
No matter how you feel about a treadmill, there are some benefits. The most obvious one is the weather. If the outside is too hot, cold, snowy, rainy, windy, or has poor air quality, the treadmill is inside waiting for you whenever you’re ready to go. It certainly can help you stick to your workout routine.
Regarding your workout routine, treadmills can make it easier to do different workouts, such as sprints, intervals, or hill training. You can control speed, incline, and duration. Moreover, having this kind of control over your workouts can help you maintain your fitness, gradually increase the intensity, or help you recover from an injury. Therefore, you can plan workouts that work towards your fitness goals.
How do you know if you’re on track? You guessed it! Treadmills can help you track your progress. They have built-in monitors that display different metrics such as distance, speed, time, incline, heart rate, and calories burned. You can monitor your progress by tracking your workouts in your favorite fitness app or fitness journal. As a result, you may gain foresight into what’s working or what may need adjusting. In fact, you may reach your goals faster because you’ll be able to see the results of all your workouts in one place.
Data and planned workouts are important to accomplish your goals. However, there is one benefit to your body worth mentioning. Running on hard surfaces such as asphalt or concrete can be physically hard on you. A treadmill can reduce the impact on your joints, which can help reduce your recovery between workouts.
Treadmill Workouts Can Be Fun
Regardless of the benefits, you may still roll your eyes and loathe the thought of using a treadmill. However, you can enjoy your workouts by making a few changes. In fact, you may actually look forward to your treadmill workouts.
First, think about making the environment more appealing. Try to let in natural light from a window or keep the area well-lit. Lighting can positively impact your mood and energy level. Also, keep the temperature more comfortable and use a fan to circulate air. An inviting environment certainly makes it easier to start your workouts.
Instead of grinding away and staring at a wall while listening to the sounds from the treadmill, add an element of entertainment. You can play music or listen to podcasts. Music can boost your mood and motivation, while podcasts can make the time more enjoyable. If you like watching TV, you could stream your favorite shows and movies. To keep you coming back, stop the movie when your workout ends or watch one or two episodes that are about the length of your workout. That way, you may be more tempted to return to the treadmill and continue watching where you left off.
Boredom can lead to burnout, and burnout can cause you to stop exercising. Therefore, mix up your routine to avoid doing the same workout over and over again. Try interval training, hill workouts, or one of the preset programs. Variety will keep things interesting and work your body in different ways. The key is to create an environment that makes you look forward to your workouts. Everyone is different, so you should experiment to find what works best for you.
The Takeaway
Treadmills let you exercise throughout the year, which can help you maintain or improve your fitness level. You can tailor your workouts to your fitness goals since you can do different kinds of workouts on the treadmill. As a result, you can continue making progress toward your goals.
You don’t have to resign yourself to staring at a wall in a corner of your home or gym. Instead, you can enhance your treadmill experience by optimizing the workout environment, incorporating entertainment, and introducing variety into your workout routine. As a result, you may go from loathing the treadmill to loving it.
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Disclaimer: No content on this site should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
