Recently, I’ve had a surprising change in my perception of running: the treadmill doesn’t intimidate me anymore. Why? One reason is the poor air quality that forced me to adapt, and another is my shift from using the treadmill merely for speed to incorporating hill workouts.
Inspired by the popular 12-3-30 “hot girl walk” workout, I’ve found enjoyment in training sessions at walking pace on my Merach 450 walking pad at home. The secret: incline.
Deciding between increased incline or speed drills hinges on your objectives. For marathon training, like mine, the decision impacts calorie burn and overall fitness, but weight loss primarily depends on a sustained caloric deficit.
When debating whether to focus on speed or incline for an effective workout, here’s essential information to guide your choice.
### Embracing the Incline
Increasing treadmill incline simulates uphill movement. Avoid defaulting to high-speed flat runs and consider these incline benefits:
**1. Building Aerobic Base:** Marathon training requires base-building phases with incline walking or easy running at 3-6%. These sessions, around 30 minutes at conversational pace on 4-5% incline, strengthen the cardiovascular system without high impact.
**2. Strength Training Without Weights:** Incline workouts bolster leg muscles, targeting glutes, hamstrings, and calves. Marathoners pressed for gym time can add 15-20 minutes of steep incline walking (8-15%) as strength training.
**3. Active Recovery Sessions:** Use easy incline walking between workouts for training stimulus and recovery. Variations of the 12-3-30 method offer a balance of challenge and recuperation.
**4. Injury Prevention:** Incline walking lessens impact stress, aiding those with minor injuries or returning from a break. Treadmills allow controlled intensity increase during healing.
### Keeping It Flat
Flat running remains crucial. Here’s when to choose flat over incline:
**1. Speed Work and Intervals:** Inclines can impair form during high-speed work. Speed workouts typically require 0-1% incline, especially outside of hilly marathon training like Boston’s.
**2. Form Focus Sessions:** For mechanics or cadence improvement, flat running provides a stable platform, avoiding form-altering inclines.
**3. High-Volume Days:** Long runs should emphasize aerobic base-building over intensity. Excessive incline turns these into strength sessions, risking overtraining.
### Personal Incline Strategy
No longer arbitrary, my treadmill incline strategy includes:
– **Base phase:** 2-3 moderate incline sessions (4-6%) weekly at a conversational pace for aerobic development.
– **Build phase:** A weekly hill session with steep grades (6-12%) for short intervals.
– **Peak phase:** Minimal incline, unless preparing for hilly races.
– **Recovery phase:** Gentle incline walking for active recovery with methods like 12-3-30.
### Conclusion
Incline and speed needn’t be exclusive. Use incline some days, speed on others. The principle of slower but steeper being beneficial applies broadly. Sometimes, slowing down and increasing incline works better, while other times, focus on pure cardio.