Indoor running is best done in treadmills, just a couple of music, run and its like you’re running outside the park. But just like other workouts, you need the right form to do it properly, so you will lose lots of calories and attain the best body shape.
Here are some mistakes in using the treadmill:
1. Warming up is not done
Warming up before doing a certain exercise or sport is necessary. It helps our body to adjust in a proper way, thus increasing our breathing and heart rate, preparing the muscle’s reaction from an increase energy releasing activity. It also help promote blood flow to the muscles with the supply of enough oxygen, as well as to remove waste products.
Warm-up can be done by walking for 5 minutes then increase to a run after 5-10 minutes, then after a mile you can crank it up if needed. Then when you’re about to finish you can also walk for 5 minutes till the end of your workout, to prepare your body to slow down and be back in its normal rate.
2. Do not have any plan
In every thing we do we must have a plan. Since running using the treadmill is not that fun as compared to jogging outdoor, you must have a plan on what to do first. Like when will you do it, how long will you do it or what are the possible form of running you will do, so your muscles will shape up the right way and you’re safe from doing the wrong thing to avoid injuries.
First you must plan on how many times will you do treadmill running, so it will develop into a habit or routine. Next, what are the possible interval you can do, since running has different states like the progression, intervals, easy short runs, long runs, fartleks, hill sprint runs or tempos. Third, you must commit to your plan and do it regularly.
3. Grab on
Some people are holding on the sides while running, which is not a good thing to do while you’re shaping up your form. Your posture is affected, since working out needs a balance of body level.
Your body should be in the right position when you run and your arms should swing correctly as well as your legs. If you can’t keep up with the speed of the treadmill, just try to put it in a slower pace, so you won’t grasp and force yourself to run which may lead to accidents.
Experts stated that we must engage the muscles in our shoulders and arms too. Keep arms parallel to the legs, then never letting the hands cross our mid-line, or driving them so hard that our hands will end up at the top of our head.
4. Ignoring the Incline
There are two variable speed of incline in a treadmill. Most often, people just leave incline at 0% ignoring the thing that we’re not running outdoor where wind is present and other factors that can affect outdoor running. So, for better approximation, it is advisable to run from a 1-2% incline. Another tip from the experts is try to mix the incline and the speed for a better workout shape.
5. Conscious about your breathing
We have an automatic response to everything as our instincts tell us. Therefore, even our lungs know how to control oxygen from inhaling to exhaling. But some people seem to stop breathing during a run or have trouble controlling their oxygen. They are conscious of their breathing, not allowing the body system to do its normal job.
6. Thinking how to move in the treadmill
Our body has its own instinct to move equally and on a right distance, therefore our legs already know where and when to walk in the treadmill. Don’t over-anticipate a sprint, which may lead to wrong turn causing your body weight to fall to the side. Just let your body act on its own instinct and its own rhythm. When running on an incline, just shorten your stride, then increase your legs to move more efficiently.
7. The whole belt is not used
Sometimes we run against the rail of the treadmill, but its quite normal. But if you run so close to the front of the treadmill, you can confine your legs and arms from running with the natural free range of motion according to experts. For that, we should focus on utilizing the whole length of the treadmill, especially when we do the sprint, when the stride opens up.
While in the recovery period you can slow your breathing with big inhales through your nose, then exhale out of your mouth.
