Treadmill Tips: A Beginner's Guide to Running at Home
Running or walking on a treadmill may seem like the simplest and easiest exercise you can do at home in today's circumstances, but if not used correctly, these machines can cause more health problems than they cure.
Maybe you're tired of staring at the same four walls all day, or your body is just eager to move again. Or maybe your waistline is growing like that blueberry girl from Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory.
If so, you may have considered buying an exercise machine at home or have already spent on one in the hopes that you could lose a few pounds or prevent your joints from stiffening and spending some time.
Besides a spinning bike, the first gadget that most people have preferred to add to their repertoire of electric home exercise equipment has been a treadmill. It's easy to see why - just get on, walk, or run for as long as you think is enough and it can even make it more difficult going up the slope. However, doctors and physical therapists caution that the activity itself should not be taken lightly and can cause serious injury if athletes are not careful.
Especially if you've never run serious before and are just starting out, there are certain things to pay attention to.
How long to walk or run
Speaking to the Ihlas News Agency (IHA), specialist Özlem Karasimav from the Center for Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation of Ankara City Hospital said that beginners should strive to walk for 20 to 30 minutes to get used to that pace before increase the length or speed.
"In general, walking is often preferred to running to stay fit and combat chronic disease because it is an easy, low-impact sport activity and can be done at any time. While walking outside is recommended, walking at home in the Treadmill could also be beneficial in those periods when leaving our homes is restricted. However, using a treadmill correctly is important to achieving your (fitness and health) goals, "he said.
Once your conditioning improves, this period can be gradually extended to 45 minutes or divided into two sets of 20 minutes of walking and 10 minutes of moderate speed running.
Karasimav said that a 30-minute program is ideal to start with: "In the first 15 minutes of activity, your body burns the carbohydrates from your last meal. After the 15-minute mark, your body begins to burn fat and your endurance increases. to produce more energy. "
He also recommended doing at least five minutes of warm-up exercise to protect your joints and muscles from injury.
According to Karasimav, a five-minute warm-up and cool-down is crucial when running or jogging.
The ideal speed he recommends for these pre- and post-workout exercises is walking at a speed of 1.5 to 2 mph (2.4 to 3.2 km / s).
Medical and running conditions
So what is the correct way to use a treadmill?
Karasimav says that people with any pre-existing medical conditions and older adults should be more careful than the rest.
"Make sure you take your medications on time if you have a chronic illness. Since sudden movements can cause changes in blood pressure, be sure to transition slowly between movements," he said, adding that it is always best to start slowly. heats up and builds speed and stamina from there.
He cautioned that people with joint or spinal problems should first consult their doctors before embarking on a home fitness trip.
"They (the doctors) will be the ones to determine whether your exercise program will include light activities (ie slow walking) or medium to heavy activities (fast walking or running). Get to know your treadmill and its settings and features and use it with watch out".