Dissatisfied already with the results I’ve been getting with the speed set to 6.7, I bumped it up to 6.8 around the 15-mniue mark of today’s workout. This works out to an average of 8:49/km, which is a pretty zippy walking pace. The incline is still set to 5, which translates to a 5% grade (it goes up to 15, which is very steep).
The result was an improved pace of 8:43/km. I should add that I read the following just now when looking up how the incline increments translate (I couldn’t recall if it was a one-to-one on percentage of incline, which it is):
Before you start tinkering with the incline knob or button on your treadmill, it’s important to first ensure your form is on point. A lot of people naturally feel the need to lean back in order to compensate for the increased incline. Still others hold onto the hand rails. Both are big no-nos say pros.
Hanging on to the machine reduces activation of the leg muscles, which essentially defeats the purpose of increasing incline. So, whether you are walking, running, or sprinting, you should never set the incline or speed so high that you can’t move hands-free with proper form.
Source: https://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/a19903862/treadmill-incline/
Well, whoopsy-doodle, I have been holding onto the front-facing handles (that also measure heart rate) all this time because a speed of 6.5 or above is high enough that it’s hard to stay stable on the treadmill without doing so. How much have I been cheating myself out of a good workout? At least a little, it seems. Maybe I should go back to doing runs at a 1% incline. Or just go back outside. Things to ponder.
In the meantime, the stats:
Speed: 6.7-6.8 (last 30 minutes) Incline: 5 Pace: 8:43/km (8:47/km) Time: 44:09 (44:14) Distance: 5.06 km (5.03 km) Calories burned: 332 (368) BPM: 121 (126)
