What Muscles Does the Treadmill Work Out and Its Benefits

Exercise machines are awesome. They allow you to take control of your own workouts on your pace and at the comforts of your own home. There are different exercises machines out there, but the most popular is the classic treadmill.

The treadmill is an exercise machine that simulates the act of walking and running. Here’s the question that we seek to answer, though, “What muscles does the treadmill work out?” We will also look at the different benefits of using a treadmill. Aside from that, we’re also going to give you some tips later on how to make your treadmill workout even more efficient.

What Are the Benefits of Working Out on a Treadmill?

Learning about the benefits of working out on a treadmill will give us more insight on what the treadmill does for our body. Here are the highly recognized benefits of working out on a treadmill:

1. Easier on Your Joints

Here’s a fact: walking and running can be tough on joints. That’s because since they are done while we are upright, our lower body would need to shoulder all of our body’s weight due to gravity. This is not good news for those who are nursing an injury but still enjoy walking or running very much.

Fortunately, a treadmill can give you a nice alternative. By walking or running on a treadmill, it will allow you to tread on softer ground (the machine’s platform). More than that, walking or running on a treadmill will also allow you to adjust the incline of your field—something that you don’t have much control over when running or walking outdoors.

2. Ability to Stimulate Actual Marathons

Are you training for a specific sports event? Did you know that you can tweak the settings of your treadmill to simulate race courses? In this way, you will be able to gauge the status of your training and see whether you can actually win, lose, or finish your upcoming event goals.

3. A Good Cardio Workout

Treadmills can give an awesome cardio! That’s what you call exercises that targets the heart and lungs. By doing so, you will be able to lower your blood pressure, reduce the risk of having a stroke or acquiring heart disease, and just be healthier in general.

The points we have listed above are not the only benefits to using a treadmill, of course, but we think we’ll leave that up to you to discover on your own.

What Muscles Does the Treadmill Work Out?

Let’s now move on to the main topic of this article, and that’s to discover the muscles that a treadmill can work out. Here they are:

  • Hamstrings: This is the muscle group located at the back of your thighs. Working on a treadmill will make them firm and strong. It will also boost your overall endurance.
  • Quadriceps: This muscle group, composed of four muscles, is located at the front and upside of your upper legs. If you want to focus on toning these muscles, then we recommend performing your workouts on a higher incline setting.
  • Calves. This is the muscle group at the back of your lower legs. Also known as the gastrocnemius and soleus, it is ideal to get your calves toned if you are active in sports.
  • Glutes. Finally, working out on a treadmill can also benefit your glutes or gluteus muscles. These are the muscles that make up our buttocks. Want to achieve that perfectly toned butt? We recommend performing walking lunges on the treadmill. Just remember to maintain your form and hold on to your machine’s handrails for safety.

Since we are already talking about recommendations on how to make your treadmill workouts better, why don’t we move on to the next topic already?

Tips to Make Your Treadmill Workout Even More Efficient

Here are some helpful tips you could keep in mind during your treadmill workout routines:

  • Walk on an Incline: Did you know that walking on a treadmill is easier than walking on a sidewalk? That’s thanks to the moving platform. This means, though, that if you don’t set your incline to one or two, then your treadmill workout won’t work.
  • Don’t forget your shoes: It’s easy to underestimate the value of using the proper running shoes when you’re only working out at home, but your feet doesn’t really care wherever you are. Its experience is still the same whether it’s walking on the treadmill at the gym or on the one you have at home.

Also, remember to replace your shoes every six months of regular use even if they still look new. They’re still getting worn out after every use. You just won’t notice it as much because it will look cleaner than if you use it in the gym.

  • Enjoy your favorite TV shows while you’re on the treadmill: It’s easier to achieve your miles when you’re distracted. Before you know it, you’ve already reached your goal! Just remember to align your treadmill directly in front of the TV so that you do not distort your form as you’re awkwardly angling your neck towards the direction of the screen.
  • Remember to warm-up and cool down: Not doing so can potentially injure you. You can warm up and cool down by walking at an easy pace for three to five minutes before your planned session, then cool down by doing the same after your workout.
  • Match your workout routine to your current skill level: Don’t try to run a marathon the first day you get on a treadmill. In fact, don’t do so even after a month. Level up your workout routine as you progress gradually. In this way, you will avoid unwanted injuries and you won’t wear yourself out faster.
  • Set a workout habit: Set a fixed schedule on when you’re going to workout every day and stick to it. You will be able to make the most out of your sessions if you put your treadmill to good use regularly.

Summary

When it comes to the question “What muscles does the treadmill work out?”, we can say now that it helps tone almost all of our muscles, from top to bottom. It is also helpful in helping us stay in shape and have a healthy cardiovascular system. You just have to make sure you’re doing the right thing safely and regularly.

Enjoy your treadmill!