subject: Benefits Of Running Hills [print this page] Running on an incline is more difficult, even though your pace is much slower than it is on a flat surface. The extra effort comes from how hard it is to push your entire body up.
This forceful climb upward is the driving force of a more efficient workout. The incline allows you to burn more fat, build stronger legs, and boost your fitness level to an all-time high.
All of these results can be achieved without adding a second to your treadmill workout. This means better results faster, and everyone likes the efficiency of more things in less time.
Researchers have found that you will employ the use of 9 percent more muscle each stride on an incline compared to exercising at the same relative intensity on level ground. Without an incline, there is practically no resistance, so will have to jog twice as long to burn the same amount of calories in your workout.
On a treadmill, you need at least a one percent incline to replicate the energy requirement of running on an outdoor track. With zero elevation on the treadmill, you are essentially running downhill and burning significantly less calories.
Running from higher ground yields greater results from the same time investment, and to most people who are avid exercisers, time is valuable and should not be wasted. Because treadmills allow you to control how steep of a terrain you have, you can specify how many calories you want to burn in a certain time period.
If you only have 30 minutes on Monday and you want to burn 500 calories, then you need a steep incline to deliver those results. On a flat terrain, you would never be able to reach those same results in 30 minutes.
Running on a machine allows you to structure your workout specifically for your fitness goals. You get to specify the distance you want to run, the length of time, how many calories you want burn, and what muscles you want to target.
This tailor-made workout cannot be achieved alone on a track or a road, which is what most people run on. Explore the options of your treadmill; know what it has to offer in terms of speed, elevation, and programmable settings.
The great thing about machines is that you can do intervals, which are the most effective form of exercise, that are pre-programmed into the computer. This means the treadmill belt will accelerate when it is time to accelerate, and it will slow down when you should cool down.
Running up hill also reduces the stress placed on your knee and hip joints. The upward slope reduces leg shock by about 24 percent, which can reduce injury and cramping.
The upward slope also increases the effort of your hamstring muscles and elevates your heart rate. Downhill is a different story, there is a greater shock on your legs, and a more severe impact on your knees and hips.
That is why treadmills are so great, because you can go run uphill and not have to run back down. If you jog on streets, however, once you go up you have to go back down.
If your goal is fat loss, increase the incline over time when you are comfortable doing so. As you progress, your inclines on the treadmill will get steeper and your sessions will get longer.
If you are a racer or an athlete running at an incline is a great way to condition for your sport. People who run hills for their training and then run on flat surfaces for a race are able to improve their speed by at least three percent.
For athletes that is a great deal, especially for track runners, football, basketball, and baseball players. Don't go try to go too steep too fast though, this will only burn you out too fast and inhibit your abilities to burn calories and build muscle.
