Therese Iknoian, a fitness expert, suggests that on cold , wet or humid days, staying home for a walk can be a pretty good idea. He says “After experiencing workouts both indoors and out early in my walking career, I began to wonder about the differences in muscular and cardiovascular use; between linear movement over land and stationary walks on a treadmill. I already knew the indoor ones were more monotonous and left me feeling like a rat in a cage. But when the weather says ‘walk indoors or don't walk,’ you want to know if the indoor workout does the same for your health.”
Long story, short: Yes. Whether inside or out, walking for X amount of time, at X intensity, using identical technique, will use the same amount of calories and give you an equivalent aerobic workout.”
According to him, following along with the belt rotating underneath at a low level is equal to doing “tiny little jumps up and down as you walk instead of just pushing off from behind. The belt will also force your forefoot to slap down quicker and perhaps harder than usual, which could cause additional shin aches. You might also discover other tiny aches in muscles that take you by surprise because of a slightly different manner of moving. Still, better to do something than nothing.”
Therese Iknoian suggests “walking at X intensity." When doing treadmill workouts, you don't have to overcome wind and air resistance to advance your body forward. To mimic this resistance and get a quality work out, you should choose a slightly faster speed indoors to match the same outdoor intensity, or you can adjust the incline higher. This specific rule also applies to those moving at a brisk walk (less than a 12-minute mile). Therese Iknoian reminds that “the faster you go, the more you'd have to increase the speed (up to .3 more) for an equivalent pace, but the 1-percent rule holds true.” You should also check your heart rate for the best level of intensity. Checking the heart rate is the surest method of making sure you are attaining the correct level of workout.
Often, people who do treadmill workouts are tempted to speed up or increase the incline beyond what they can manage, an action causing them to hold on to the front bar or side handles in order to be able to keep up with the rotating belt. This technique will undermine your workout. When supporting your body during your treadmill workouts, you're exercising less personal energy to advance forward, therefore using less muscle and burning fewer calories. Therefore, try to keep speed and incline under control. Don’t forget to stand tall and move your arms just as you'd do outside. Your shoulders should be relaxed and your sight set straight forward. You should not neglect to take advantage of the exact control over speed and incline.
Vanina Sloan