Hey guys. Now a couple years ago all I used the Treadmill for was running, but now that I am out of shape and winded much easier, I set the treadmill incline to MAX(15.0 on the tread I use) and usually walk from 3.2 speed to 4.0 speed. It shows my calories being burned a much higher amount than I expect.
For example, 40 minutes of this incline at 3.5 speed will give me like 520-550 calories burned. However, I know these machines aren't accurate. My question to you all is ... is this considered a good cardio session? I can't get it out of my head that walking isn't cardio, and most days I try to do interval running and then back to high incline power walking on the tread.
Anyone else use this as a form of a cardio workout? Is it adequate enough for my fat loss journey? Thanks all
Much love,
L*
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Thread: Treadmill Incline Walking..
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04-29-2008, 09:53 AM #1
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Treadmill Incline Walking..
Here's to cheating, stealing, fighting, and drinking;
If you cheat, may it death.
If you steal, may it be a heart.
If you fight, may it be for a friend.
And if if you drink, may it be with me.
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04-29-2008, 09:59 AM #2
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I say its great but I know running is almost always favored over walking even at an incline. I run for about a mile then switch over to inclined walking, at about the % you do for a good 5-10 minutes. then back to running. But if it works for you I say stick with it.
"My body is simply a reflection of my research/knoweldge + movitation/drive/determination/consistency/etc." -Trance__Dreamer
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04-29-2008, 09:59 AM #3
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I use it incline walking after every lifting session for 20-30 minutes depending on how I did eating that day. I only go high enough and fast enough however to get my heart rate to 140. For me that's a 7% incline at 4mph. Yesterday the machine said 250 calories in 30 minutes. I do HIIT on non-lifting days.
Bench - 285
Squat - 405
Deadlift - 455
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04-29-2008, 10:45 AM #4
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Any activity that raises your heart rate to your target level can be considered a good cardio workout. So yes, incline walking is great!
I do a lot of backpacking, and so do a lot more incline walking (and stairmaster) for my cardio than running. I just wish I could do DECLINE walking on a treadmill -- that's what really kills you on a trail.
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04-29-2008, 10:49 AM #5
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04-29-2008, 10:57 AM #6
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04-29-2008, 11:01 AM #7
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Thanks everyone for the responses. Mostly, I put my hands on the top of the treadmill to avoid falling off since the incline is so high. Is that bad?
Here's to cheating, stealing, fighting, and drinking;
If you cheat, may it death.
If you steal, may it be a heart.
If you fight, may it be for a friend.
And if if you drink, may it be with me.
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04-29-2008, 11:01 AM #8
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04-29-2008, 11:03 AM #9
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04-29-2008, 11:04 AM #10
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04-29-2008, 03:12 PM #11
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first of all walking on incline for fat loss is great! very low impact and can really get your heartrate up there. just make sure your around 140-150 bpm and your gonna burn a good amount of calories. What I tend to do is walk around 3.5 for 4 minutes and then run at 4.5 for 1 minute.
however....
holding on to the treadmill = cheating. It takes the weight of your arms off the machine and makes walking on an incline totally redundant (especially if your leaning back) I laugh when I see people at the gym doing that.
Set the speed lower if neccisary and get your arms swinging.
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04-29-2008, 03:50 PM #12
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06-06-2008, 06:29 AM #13
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06-06-2008, 07:06 AM #14
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06-06-2008, 07:08 AM #15
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06-06-2008, 07:57 AM #16
I do 5mph on a 6.5 incline for 45 min total (though I do 25 min first, then elliptical for about 15 min, then back for 20 min, and then something else). I find it hard not to hold on to the treadmill sometimes, though usually just one hand. I don't have a good sense of balance, so I usually trip and fall if I don't for too long. But yeah, it's still great low impact cardio.
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06-06-2008, 10:58 AM #17
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06-24-2013, 07:10 AM #18
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06-24-2013, 09:14 AM #19
I've heard that it's common for bodybuilders that are on the heavier side to do this type of cardio. I do it sometimes too.
What I've also heard is moving your arms is irrelevant. This was not for running, it was for an elliptical machine, but I am wondering if it still applies here. The argument was you want your legs to be doing as much work as possible because they are the largest muscle group in the body and that will burn the most calories, however moving your arms on a treadmill is not really decreasing the work your legs do. I am not a very good source for this kind of information however , I'm still a little fat myself and struggle with cardio.
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06-24-2013, 10:32 AM #20
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06-24-2013, 10:39 AM #21
Is this bro-science or is it verified? I get what you're saying, but it's not like the weight that you're removing from your legs is just dissipating into the ether -- now it's being transferred into your arms/chest. So you're body's still working.
I can definitely agree that it probably mitigates it to some extent, but I don't think it would render the incline redundant... You're still going to be getting a much more physical workout with a high incline, whether you're holding on or not.Started in April, 2013 at 212 lbs. Completely inactive at the time. Fat with zero muscle mass.
Before/After Thread at the end of my first cut (April '13 - October '13 - 6 mos): http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=157820563
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06-24-2013, 10:48 AM #22
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