Category: Treadmill Equipment Tips

We’ve all been there. One moment you’re running along, contentedly following your workout routine or training for your next race, and then it hits you: self-doubt. A mental block can be as detrimental to your exercise routine as a physical injury. According to Runner’s World, self-intimidation can result in “failure-oriented stress” that tightens muscles, distracts you from your goals and can even hamper coordination, making it difficult to find your stride. Here’s a few mental comebacks to help you banish self-doubt and get back up on your TRUE Fitness treadmill:

1. It’s OK to change your plans
If you accidentally sleep in or a last minute meeting comes up that infringes upon your running time, don’t panic. It’s OK to tweak your routine to accommodate your schedule. Life happens, and you shouldn’t label yourself a failure because you had to deviate from your plan for a day. You’re allowed a day of rest.

2. Take pride in yourself
Don’t be intimidated by entering a race for the first time. Take pride in the fact that you had the courage to sign up in the first place. Remember: Any number of factors can affect your performance - everything from age to past injuries – so don’t compare yourself to other runners.

3. Don’t dwell on your fears
Having doubts and fears is natural, but dwelling on them can prevent you from improving, sports psychologist Doug Hankes explained in Runner’s World. Listen to your body and allow yourself to rest if necessary. Spend your running time focusing on your improvement rather than what the next race outcome will be.

4. Find the right treadmill
There’s a ton of great fitness equipment that can help keep you motivated. Running on a TRUE Fitness treadmill with preset and saved programs can remind you that you’ve completed certain workouts before and you’re capable of doing it again. The TRUE HRC Cruise Controlâ„¢ available on many TRUE Fitness treadmills, such as the TRUE Z5.0, will help you maintain your target heart rate and achieve your goals.

5. Refocus
If you find yourself worrying too much, take a moment to remember why you love running in the first place. The next few times you exercise, forget about your goals and just have fun. If you recapture the joy you found in running it will make it easier to meet those goals later on.

Exercising on home gym equipment is one of the most popular ways to achieve an effective cardio workout for your body. However, in order to get the most out of your workout, it’s important to utilize the equipment in the right way. Treadmills are equipped with several features that are there to improve your workout and help you reach your fitness goals faster. TRUE Fitness treadmills include a bevy of top of the line features – here are just a few. 

Heart monitoring system
What many don’t know they should be doing on fitness treadmills is checking their heart rate. It can take your workout to the level that it needs to be at in order to achieve your goals.

“Whether you’re working out to control weight, tone muscles, build endurance, strengthen your heart, relieve stress or simply maintain good health and fitness, a heart rate monitor can help you find the right pace and intensity of exercise to achieve your goals,” explained NuMetrex.

Depending on your age and weight, your goal heart rate will differ. If you’re looking to lose weight, you’ll need to elevate your heart rate enough to start shedding those pounds – and only a heart rate monitor can tell you if you’re exercising hard enough.

TRUE Fitness equipment takes all the difficulty of monitoring your heart rate right out of the equation. Our treadmills include patented Heart Rate Control technology that helps users to recognize their heart rate and help to monitor their workouts to their exact specifications. They are equipped with a technologically advanced digital contact heart rate monitoring system that assists in maintaining your optimal heart rate in order to really get the most out of your cardio workout and help to achieve your weight loss goals.

Preset workout programs
Many of the TRUE Fitness treadmills come with various preset workout programs which will fit any level of fitness. These programs are great for those just starting out with cardio as well as those who have been at it for a longer period of time. If you wish to ease yourself into the exercise process, choose a program that best fits your exercise needs. If you know what your body can take as far as cardio, go with a more intense program. The treadmill will automatically adjust the workout to fit your exact specifications. TRUE’s M Series treadmills each have seven preset workout programs as well as two custom programs, giving users the flexibility they need to meet their unique fitness goals.

Incline
Home treadmills always have an option to increase or decrease the incline of the machine. Utilizing this incline mimics outdoor terrain, which can work at toning your muscles and strengthening your heart. According to Yahoo, even walking on an incline challenges the heart and brings less impact to the knees and hips. Putting the treadmill at a slight incline also works to stretch the calves and Achilles tendons for a better overall workout.

It's no big secret that home treadmills can give you a chance to shed those excess pounds and even improve your overall health at the same time. However, if you want to see these results, it's vital to use the equipment in a way that helps your body rather than hurts it. There are a few common mistakes that avid treadmill users fall prey to that can turn a potentially successful workout upside down. Avoid these treadmill blunders to stay in shape and really pump up your workout:

Relying on the handrails
The rails on the sides of the treadmill really slow down your body's ability to get a proper workout if you're constantly holding onto them. Although the rails may be tempting at times when you get fatigued, try to push through it. Your body will be better for it.

"When you hold onto the rails, you're holding your weight up, and not using your legs to hold your weight up," explained fitness manager Jennifer Poulsen of 24 Hour Fitness. "In that case, you're not getting your heart rate up, and you're not burning enough calories."

If you're really in need of a break, ignore those handrails and simply slow down your pace again until you feel you can pick up speed.

Bad posture
If you're walking or running on the treadmill with bad posture, you may be burning calories, but you also may be giving yourself back problems. SelfGrowth.com said that many people tend to lean forward and hunch over on their treadmill during their workout. This can cause damage to the muscles in your back and create other problems later on. According to Arthritis Today, you should instead walk naturally, just as you would outside.

Ignoring the incline
Even if you're moving at a swift pace, you may not be going as fast as you think you are. When you run outside, the terrain and weather, such as natural wind resistance contributes to a more intense run. The incline on a treadmill sometimes does part of the work for you. Therefore, Active recommended adding a one or two percent incline to increase your pace and give you an extra push. Increasing the incline also gives your leg muscles a better workout!

Exercising without tunes
Although you may not realize it, listening to music can actually help improve your workout in a few ways.

"Listening to music while walking on the treadmill can improve focus, relieve stress and boost motivation," explained Arthritis Today.

If you're anything like the rest of us, motivation is sometimes hard to come by on the treadmill. It's easy to want to just give up or slow down. Music provides a way to keep you going and improve your fitness level. Try creating a playlist before hopping on the treadmill of all your favorite songs that will give you that extra push you need to finish your workout.

A choppy stride
Short, choppy steps on the treadmill won't get you very far. Some individuals tend to change their running technique because they're on a machine rather than outdoors. However, it's important to maintain the same pace and running techniques on both. Try taking natural strides on a treadmill instead. Pei Road Runners said that overstriding is a common mistake.

Getting off the treadmill
When you get tired and want a drink of water, it's many people's first instinct to step off the treadmill and rest on the sides. However, this may be doing damage to your joints and disrupts the flow of your workout, according to Active. Instead, you should simply reduce your speed so you can take a quick breather, grab a drink of water and be back on your way to a better workout. Once you step on the sides for a break, it's easy to lose that motivation that you worked so hard to maintain in the first place.