The Best Way to Burn Calories on a Treadmill

Exercising on a treadmill is an effective way to burn calories for weight loss or simply increase physical fitness. Many different programs exist for treadmill workouts. Maximize caloric burn by choosing the right program. Intervals and incline workouts are among the best ways to burn calories on a treadmill.

  1. Intervals

    • Patrick Streit, a certified personal trainer, suggests one workout for a treadmill: Walk at 3.5 m.p.h. on a flat surface for 90 seconds, then increase the speed to 6 m.p.h. and run or jog for 30 seconds. Alternate back and forth in this manner for 20 to 40 minutes (10-20 cycles). This an example of using intervals to increase caloric burn. The intervals increase heart rate for a short amount of time, which translates to an enhancement in the number of calories burned. You are able to sustain a higher intensity workout when you alternate between slower and faster speeds in short amounts of time.
      An advantage to this type of treadmill routine is that it can easily be tailored to match a person's physical fitness, whether beginner or expert. Over time, increasing the speed or time spent sustaining the faster pace is necessary to maintain the same amount of caloric burn.

    Inclines

    • Walking or running at an incline is another way to burn more calories on a treadmill. Mark Hanauer, from Men's Health, asserts that the extra effort makes for a more efficient workout. He cites researchers at the University of Georgia, who found that "uphill running activates 9 percent more muscle each stride compared with exercising at the same relative intensity on level ground." Unlike training outside, where the steepness of incline is beyond one's control, the incline on a treadmill can be adjusted for all fitness levels.

      Inclines help increase endurance as well as speed. As with intervals, increasing the incline and/or speed for each workout over time is necessary to continue to burn the same number of calories. To achieve the best results, combine interval and incline workouts for a high-intensity treadmill workout.

    Using Treadmills

    • Always warm up before each workout for at least 5 minutes and cool down for 10 minutes to avoid injury. Wear a heart-rate monitor to properly track exertion during a workout. A heart-rate monitor can alert you if you are exerting too much or too little for the type of results you desire. Consult a physician before starting any new exercise program.

      Treadmills can be found in fitness clubs and centers and can be purchased for home use. Prices for individual models range from a couple of hundred to several thousand dollars depending on the type, model and brand.