TREADMILL

Are excuses holding you back from getting into shape? Are you too busy with work and family? Is the weather a problem? Treadmill exercise may be just the thing that wipes out your excuses and puts you on the road to good health and fitness.

With a treadmill, even excuses about being uncoordinated fly out of the window because the only sporty skill you need is something you already do all day long -- walk. The weather isn't a problem and neither is boredom. Place your treadmill in your home, perhaps in front of the television or a picture window and put those walking shoes on.

Treadmill exercise is essentially walking or jogging "in place." One of the best reasons to take your walking program inside is because on a treadmill you can maintain the pace of your stride easily. Plus, you can get the benefits of aerobic exercise without leaving your home.

While there are many indoor exercise machine options on the market, few compare to treadmills when it comes to health benefits and burning calories, an essential part of losing weight and getting in shape. According to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, treadmills easily outpaced an exercise bicycle, a rowing machine, and a cross-country skiing machine.

A group of volunteers at the Milwaukee Veterans Administration Hospital did a series of workouts on different machines, each time exercising at what felt like the same intensity. Researchers used a special device to measure the number of calories burned. "The treadmill allowed the individuals to burn as much as 200 kilocalories per hour more than the bicycle ergometer, which came out having the lowest energy expenditure," said Dr. Martin Hoffman of the Medical College of Wisconsin.

The average medium-intensity treadmill workout burned 700 calories per hour, compared to just 500 calories per hour on the exercise bike. Dr. Hoffman said one reason for the difference is the amount of muscle mass that is used in both exercises.

Burning calories is a great benefit of treadmill exercise, but its not the only reason to consider this type of workout. Walking has been found to be an excellent form of exercise for people with certain health conditions, such as osteoporosis, hypertension and back pain. For these individuals, as well as those of us who aren't crazy about going to a gym, the flexibility of a treadmill can be very exciting. Further, a treadmill adds consistency to your walking workout because many models allow you to maintain speed and intensity throughout your entire workout.

According to research conducted by the Harvard Medical School, walking 45 minutes five times a week can cut your chances of getting a flu or cold in half!

Additionally, while some aerobic activities can be risky during pregnancy, walking has many benefits. Because hormones can loosen ligaments while you are carrying a baby, walking helps to tone muscles that support a growing baby.

Finally, if you are just looking to get in shape, walking or jogging on a treadmill improves muscle tone all over your body. Strengthened muscles means the heart can pump more oxygen-rich blood with each step you take.

You've probably heard the jokes about how a treadmill often becomes a stylish place to hang your laundry, once the well-intentioned exerciser throws in the towel. As with anything else, if you are going to start an exercise routine, you need to invest not only time but also willpower. If you think the flexibility and ease that comes with treadmill exercise is for you, by all means, start a program and stick to it.

You might want to check out the treadmills in a local gym before investing the money into purchasing one for your home. Many gyms and health clubs will allow you to sign up month-by-month. This is a great way to see if you not only love treadmill exercise, but if you are in the right state of mind to get fit.

Once you've decided to take the plunge and buy a treadmill, there are many options and price ranges. You can purchase a simple man-powered treadmill; you do all the work because there is no electricity helping you to keep pace. More sophisticated models will automatically adjust the incline or decline to keep your heart rate within a preset target zone and let you know when you should change speed. Some also have custom programs and sophisticated computer graphics. Costs fluctuate from model to model, but as with any other equipment purchase, the more options and bells and whistles, the higher the price tag will be.

Before purchasing a treadmill, take the time to shop around. Find a salesperson who knows his stuff and start asking questions.

The best part about treadmill exercise is that you don't need a special wardrobe to get started. Now that you have a treadmill, you probably already own the only other thing you need to start working out on your treadmill today: walking shoes or sneakers.

Viisha Sedlak, national director of the American Racewalk Association, says there are four things you need to consider when putting on a pair of walking shoes.

How do your toes feel? Your toes need the space to spread for effective push-off.
Stability: When your heel touches ground, the foot should not wobble. Avoid flared soles because they cause instability.
Flexibility: The shoe should bend easily (with the pressure of one finger when held), allowing the many bones in the forefoot to flex.
Overall fit: The fit should be snug, but not constricting, with the shoe's heel firm against your foot. And the upper should be stiff enough to offer support.

Treadmill exercise is convenient and you can do it at your own pace. Unless you choose to use a treadmill in a gym, you will be in the comfort of your own home with no one around except for Fluffy or Spot to watch you exercise.

If you are new to exercising, start slow and build up your time and speed. Experienced exercisers can pick up the pace more quickly. The key is to go at your own speed and to set a program you can stick with. The benefits of treadmill exercise come from maintaining a walking program, not from jumping on and running a five-minute mile twice a month.

Start out by warming up for five to 10 minutes. As with any exercise, a good warm up and cool down are essential to an injury-free workout.

According to Elaine Ward, managing director of the North American Racewalking Foundation (NARWF), beginners should start slow and walk at a comfortable pace for 10 to 15 minutes. "Gradually increase your pace until you are breathing so hard you can't sing, but can still carry on a conversation," she advises.

Slowly increase the number of minutes on the treadmill over time until you are walking briskly for 30 to 45 minutes. When you get to this level, Ward says, you can begin thinking about mileage and target heart rate.

To get the most out of your treadmill workout, you want to get to the point that you are walking in your "target heart rate zone." Norman D. Ford, author of Walk to Your Heart's Content, says that in order to see a "training effect" you must walk in your target heart rate zone.

Subtract your age from 220 to get your Maximum Heart Rate (MHR). Your target zone will be between 60 and 80 percent of your MHR. As you become fit you will have to work harder and walk faster to stay in the target zone.

As with anything else in life, you get the most enjoyment and benefit out of the activities that you perform properly. Treadmill exercise is no exception. NARWF's Elaine Ward says that to get the most out of your walking routine you have to consider the way your foot touches the ground, position of your torso, and arm-swing.

Footwork: As your foot comes forward and your heel strikes the ground: raise your toes and roll forward onto the outside of your foot (but keep the entire shoe sole on the ground). As your foot passes under your body, straighten your knee and press the ground with the ball of your foot, maintaining pressure until your toes leave the ground.
Hip rotation: Walk from your waist, allowing your hips to rotate naturally with the forward and backward movement of your legs. Meanwhile, your shoulders should stay relaxed and facing forward.
Arm swing: Let your arms swing at your sides in the same forward-backward direction as your hips and legs. As you increase speed, bend your arms at a right angle and swing them faster in rhythm with your legs.