Your Path to a Healthy Living

These walk machines are expensive and bulky for most homes. Yet, no gym worth its dumbbells will go without one. A cursory glance around any gym shows that the treadmill is the most used gym equipment. It scores over walking outdoors since your routine cannot be upset by bad weather and traffic. If you walk right, it is easy on the body.

What to look for in a treadmill

* There are treadmills and there are treadmills. Before you take that first step, check healthy livingthat the walking surface is wide enough for comfort. Walk for a better health

* As you begin, take stock of its shock absorption capability. Walking on the treadmill can cause ground force impact as the heel strikes the surface and the toes push off to lift the body up and forward for the next step. If the machine isn't equipped with good shockers, it can lead to skeletal injuries.

* A good treadmill should have several programs to suit the needs of walkers of different ages and fitness levels. It should have a place for holding a water bottle.

* Don't consider stepping on unless the machine has a safety key that can be pulled out to stop it in an emergency.

The right way to walk the treadmill

* Hydrate yourself well before, during and after the walk.

* Go slow for the first five minutes. Build up pace over the next five minutes and maintain over a brisk 30 to 45 minutes.

* Stand in the middle of the walking surface so that you do not slip.

* Always place the heel first and let the foot roll through before pushing off to take the next step.

* Do not hold the side rail or the front bar for support. It reduces the intensity of exercise and you burn fewer calories. It also puts undue stress on the arms and shoulders and throws the spine and hip out of their natural position.


First learn to walk on the treadmill without support before you attempt to run. Running can put excessive stress on the ankles, knees and the lower back and requires greater balance, stability and power.

Increase the pace gradually. Raising the grade by even one level burns more calories and works the hamstrings and quadriceps harder. It also works the muscles of the shoulders and the back.

Alter the programs and the levels as often as you can to get the total cross-training effect of walking on a treadmill. To make the workout more interesting and demanding, factor in circuit training.

Five minutes of uphill walking and two minutes of conditioning exercises for the muscles are advised for circuit training. Continue for an hour where you do at least 10 different exercises along swith cardio sections. This works both the upper and the lower body muscles. Intersperse the hill walk with speed level walking. Increase the speed if required. You can use your imagination to structure the workout around endless combinations.

healthy living Stop if you...

* Feel the heart beat much faster than normal

* Feel breathless and exhausted

* Suffer unusual, unbearable pain in the chest, back or calves

* Feel cold and clammy, or disoriented

* Notice difficulty in balancing

* Injure the ankles or muscles

Not quite perfect, but…

The treadmill isn't the last word in walking since the pre-determined walking surface makes it less intense. You can only change the incline. It can get boring since there is no way you can go downhill, jump over potholes or face other challenges. Walking outdoors involves more muscle groups.

What it lacks in functional training is made up by the fact that you can walk at your own comfort level.