10 Treadmill Walking Mistakes That You Must Avoid

Jogging and running on a treadmill is the best cardio session you can do. Cardio exercises are good for the heart in the long term. They help decrease the number of heartbeat per minute in an individual. In the long term, a lower heart rate ensures good cardiac health. People also find it easier to jog on a treadmill than go out. Because outside people often start feeling anxious being in public. They might also feel less exposed to the sun and pollution once they start running on treadmills. But did you know? There is a proper way to run on a treadmill, and people often have a terrible form of running. Doing this you will cause more harm to your body than any good. Sometimes not being responsible may also cause accidents. Let us hence know the ten mistakes that you should avoid while you run on treadmills –

1. Never get on the treadmill while it’s running fast

When the belt of the treadmill is moving, you should not even think of hopping on it. There are many gym goers who have got injured because of doing this. To use the treadmill in the safest possible way, we recommend you step on the belt while the machine is turned off. Then, you should slowly start it and increase the speed little by little as per your requirements. Running on treadmills can be revitalizing, but be sure you never commit this mistake ever.

2. Never lean too forward or too backward while running on the treadmill

A good posture has to be maintained even when you are running. If you bend your body too much, the chances are that you are merely going to trip and fall. A rule of thumb would be to run as you run on roads. This way, you will get an idea of the picture of the posture that must be maintained throughout. It would be best if you also tried pulling your buttocks and tummy in. Even tilting your pelvis a little forwards is a good idea.

3. Never hold the handrail of the treadmill when you are running fast

Holding on to the console or handrail of the treadmill, you may feel assured while you are running fast. But when you do that, you will surely never be able to maintain the right posture. This may further lead to problems in your back and backbone in the long term. Try balancing your body by doing balancing exercises so that you can run properly. Doing this will also ensure you do not develop any backaches that may last a long time.

4. Never look down or hunch your shoulders while being on a running treadmill

We can often see many people at the gym who keep looking at the belt of the machine while running on it. This is certainly not a good thing to do because if you start running on the road after being comfortable with running, you might do the same thing. Doing such things on the road is extremely unsafe, as you will have a habit of looking down now and then. It would be excellent if you also tried not to hunch your shoulders forward, as this may cause pain and sprains in your neck.

5. Never hit your heels too far from your body

We are saying this because when a person is running too fast, his/her frontal heel is going to hit the surface first that too far away from the body. This is known as over striding, and it must be avoided because it leads to injuries in the ligaments and muscles of your calves and leg. Sometimes the recovery period of these injuries may take a lot of time and physiotherapy sessions. Hence always take smaller leaps while running so that your heels drop close to your body.

6. Never skip the warm-up before heading towards the treadmill

Warming up your muscles makes them stretch. It also helps in preparing your body by making your heart rate go up slowly. In turn, this enhances the flow of blood in your entire body so that there is a sufficient supply of oxygen to every cell. Additionally, it also helps in preventing many types of injuries. Warming up does not take a lot of time, and it still has numerous amazing benefits. No matter what, you should never skip doing it, especially when you are heading to the treadmill.

7. Never wear the wrong shoes

Running shoes have better padding than regular ones. Running shoes also provide better comfort while you are running. There are kinds of research that prove that running in the wrong shoes may cause pain in knees as well as in the hips. Wearing the wrong shoes while using the treadmill machine will never let you improve the results. Hence, try choosing running shoes that, too, from a renowned brand to have a better experience while you are running on the treadmill.

8. Never stomp your feet while running on the treadmill belt

Stomping is such an unnecessary thing to do that we cannot even explain it with words. People do it out of habit, and sometimes they do not even know that they are doing it. Stomping your feet very hard on the treadmill will only make your feet hurt. Doing it can also cause many damaging injuries to the soles of your feet. Whenever you are on the treadmill, notice whether you stomp or not. If you do, start being actively present and run softly.

9. Never run using the same routine

You will never see a lot of progress if you are someone who uses the same routine and methods while running on the treadmill. We are saying this because your body will adapt to this routine and hence not burn the required amount of calories. To see the progress, you have to keep challenging your body at regular intervals. Changing your routine will also give you less exposure to all types of stress injuries as well as joint pains.

10. Never run more than your body can handle

Let’s be honest; running on a treadmill is way easier than running outdoors. You can have many features, such as controlling the speed and inclination of the platform. You can also decide what is best for you. But running too much will never do you any extra good. In the longer run, it will only make you feel more stressed and less motivated. Therefore, challenging and changing your routine only at long regular intervals is the way. On days when you feel stressed mentally, you can also run a little less so that at least your body does not go through it.

Conclusion:

As we have already mentioned how amazing it is to run on the treadmill, we only want you to take care of the few things we have listed above. If you keep all of them in mind, you will have the least chances of getting yourself injured or having an accident. Cardio sessions should not be missed as they help our heart in being healthy and our body to have good blood circulation. Therefore, don’t be afraid of using the treadmill. Be responsible and think like a wise person when you are using the machine. We hope you never make the mistakes that we mentioned here.

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