The treadmill is a place of both pain and pleasure; it can be the reason you go to the gym and the reason your friend doesn’t. Whether loved or hated, it has the unique ability of being able to suit beginners, novices and professional athletes.

At Fit Hire, we thought we would share some tried and tested tips and tricks on how to maximize the treadmill’s potential. Whether you are looking to cut fat, increase your stamina or mix your gym sessions up a bit – we will have something for you.

1. Bring the outside in 

Ever noticed how running outside seems harder than running in the gym? This is because the ground you are running on outside is never flat, even when it seems it. This challenges your body to work harder and adapt to the uneven ground. All treadmills now have settings where you can increase or decrease the angle of which you run on. However, you don’t need to go crazy with this.

Jay Blahnik, the creator of the famous Tread & Shred class at Equinox Fitness Club, says: “To mimic flat ground, move the treadmill’s incline to 1 percent instead of 0. This makes up for the fact that there’s no forward motion when you run in place. Ramp up the incline to 4 percent or more for hills.”

2. Find the sweet spot

It may seem obvious, but it’s really important to find out where on the treadmill you should be running. If you run too close to the screen then you change the way your arms swing as you run, or if you are too far away you will take smaller steps so you won’t feel like you are going to fall off.

Find the perfect place in the middle of the treadmill belt to ensure you’re running naturally and with good posture to avoid any injuries and strains. Most gyms will have looked at many different treadmill hire options before settling on one type so ensure yours is up to date and safely secured to the floor.

3. Kill the boredom

Many of us enjoy running on the treadmill, but for those who don’t, we can help! The boredom usually boils down to clock watching. Counting the minutes, even seconds, until you are done makes the time drag and causes boredom to set in. Some people try to watch TV on the treadmill, but if you are watching TV then it’s unlikely you are really pushing yourself. So, the best way to cure this is to not set yourself time limits, set yourself song limits.

For example, instead of saying “I will run for the next 5 minutes” run for the entirety of your favourite song. Or, create a playlist and run to that, maybe change speeds at certain times of the songs etc. The key is to not keep checking the time, listen to the music and enjoy yourself.

4. Keep track of your stride count

Improving your stride count means improving the efficiency of your run. A professional runner will run about 180 steps a minute so it is good to keep that in the back of your mind. Count how many times your foot hits the belt in a minute and then double it to determine your stride count. Take shorter, quicker strides to improve your stride count and thus improving your overall workout.

5. Check your equipment

By ‘check your equipment’ we don’t mean the treadmill hire, we simply mean your equipment, such as; running trainers, headphones and clothes. A good pair of running trainers can make a huge difference in how much you enjoy your time on the treadmill.

They can be expensive, but shop around and see what you can find as a good pair should last you a very long time and improve your workouts. Headphones can also have a large impact on your exercise; a pair that both sounds great and is secure while running can make all the difference.

6. Dive in deeper

When a gym is looking for treadmill hire options, they will normally try and find the most modern and impressive machines around. However, many of us never really venture that deep into their features or functions.

Many have fantastic features, from pre-planned exercise routines to HD running videos. Trying something new when you go to the gym keeps it fresh and fun, so by looking into all the different things your treadmill can do for you is a great way of keeping it exciting and enjoyable.

For more on Fit Hire, visit their website.