Treadmills are Great for Cardiovascular Exercise and Your Health

Treadmills provide the outdoor cardiovascular benefits of walking, jogging, or running, with the all weather convenience of an indoor facility. They are a great way to get a cardiovascular workout from the privacy of your own home. 

They can be used while watching television, playing video games, listening to music, or reading a book or magazine.  They may come with an incline feature and be programmable, enabling the user to vary the intensity of their workouts.

Many treadmills have features which can be programmed to tell you how many calories were burned, the mets, the laps, and the mileage.They vary in size, price, and features depending on quality strength and durability.The bigger pieces of equipment are usually found in gyms but are finding themselves more and more in American homes,as people are becoming more aware of the need to exercise and keep fit.

Treadmills and Your Heart

Heart disease is the leading cause of death among Americans.  One out of every twenty-three people diagnosed annually will die from the disease.  That number equals 2,500 deaths per day from heart disease.

Treadmills as part of a physical fitness program can play a key roll in preventing heart disease.  According to the American Heart Association, “Most beneficial effects of physical activity on cardiovascular disease mortality can be attained through moderate-intensity activity (40% to 60% of maximal oxygen uptake, depending on age). The activity can be accrued through formal training programs or leisure-time physical activities.”

Treadmills are a wonderful exercise option for those interested in maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle from home. The benefits of a daily fitness program include weight loss, stress relief, improved cardiovascular condition, and muscle tone and strengthening.

Fitness Programs Using Treadmills

A fitness program using treadmills helps to get our body into its best working condition so that we may perform our daily functions efficiently.  According to the Presidents Counsel on Fitness, fitness is, “The ability to perform daily tasks vigorously and alertly, with energy left over for enjoying leisure-time activities and meeting emergency demands. It is the ability to endure, to bear up, to withstand stress, to carry on in circumstances where an unfit person could not continue, and is a major basis for good health and well-being."

Treadmills invoke cardiovascular and weight reducing benefits by creating a pace that elevates the heart above normal levels.  By obtaining and sustaining your target heart rate for at least 20 minutes, the exercise benefits of a treadmill is realized.

What is your target heart rate when using treadmills?

One of the simplest ways of determining your target heart rate is to subtract your age from 220 and multiply that by 70%.  An example of the target heart rate for a 35 year old would be (220 – 35) * .70 = 129 beats per minute.  Checking your pulse for ten seconds and multiplying by 6 will determine your heart rate during vigorous activity.  By maintaining a heart rate of 129 beats per minute for a minimum of 20 minutes, a 35 year old person would be improving their cardiovascular conditioning. 

Before Exercising on Treadmills

Before beginning an exercise program that you should consult your doctor.  Depending on your age, weight, how long it has been since you participated in vigorous exercise, if you suffer from high blood pressure, heart trouble, shortness of breath, dizziness, or have chronic muscle or joint problems, your doctor might suggest limitations or suggest a program to get you started safely.