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The time between January and March is commonly known as winter, but for outdoor runners who aren’t trying to bundle up in cold-weather gear and brave the elements, it’s better known as treadmill season. When you’re used to the varied landscape and terrain of running outside, it’s easy to understand why you might dread the tread. But you don’t have to. In fact you could use your time indoors to become faster and stronger by learning to adjust the incline on your treadmill so you can set yourself up for success. (Same goes for anyone who’s resolved to add for cardio to their gym workouts.)

You see, switching up your treadmill’s incline changes the muscles you emphasize during your workout, says Jason Fitzgerald, a USA Track & Field-certified coach and the founder of Strength Running. “Running a variety of inclines forces the body to engage different muscles [particularly in the calves, quadriceps, and glutes], increases the aerobic demand of the run [helping you develop more endurance], and boosts muscular strength, which can help prevent injuries.”

Most treadmills can go from a zero to 15-percent incline (the equivalent of a very steep hill) with a one percent treadmill incline being the closest thing to what it feels like to run outside, according to research. “As the incline increases, the muscles are forced to do more work as the body must produce more power to propel itself not only forward but also up against gravity,” says Fitzgerald. Ipso facto, you burn more calories and build more muscle.

Plus, you’re turning your miles into more of a total-body workout when you increase your incline, explains Corinne Fitzgerald, head coach at Mile High Run Club. “We tend to run closer to the ball of our foot, use our core and arms more, and take faster steps when running up a hill,” she says, which can make you a more energy efficient runner and reduce your risk of injury when compared to landing on your rearfoot, according to research from Harvard University that looked at rates of injuries in endurance runners.

The best treadmill workout is going to vary speed and incline regularly—you want to keep your body guessing. One easy way to begin playing around with inclines is to start at your typical run pace and then increase the grade by 0.5 percent every one to two minutes, says J. Fitzgerald. See how high you can go with good form (torso upright, knees high, elbows swinging straight behind you, core engaged, and landing on your forefoot). Then, decrease your incline in 0.5 percent increments every one to two minutes.

Another option is to try increasing your incline by two to five percent and running at that grade for one to three minutes before lowering back to flat ground for the same amount of time. Then, once you’ve got the hang of hills…

Try This Treadmill Incline Workout

Time: 20–30 minutes

• 5-10 minutes: Warm-up (walking or jogging)
• 1 minute: Steady state pace (i.e. a run where you can carry on a conversation) at a 1 percent incline
• 1 minute: Maintain pace at a 2 percent incline
• 1 minute: Maintain pace at a 3 percent incline
• 1-2 minutes: Recovery, at a walking or light jogging pace
• 1 minute: Steady state pace at a 4 percent incline
• 1-2 minutes: Recovery, at a walking or light jogging pace
• 1 minute: Steady state pace at a 5 percent incline
• 1-2 minutes: Recovery, at a walking or light jogging pace
• 1 minute: Steady state pace at a 5 percent incline
• 1-2 minutes: Recovery, at a walking or light jogging pace
• 1 minute: Steady state pace at a 4 percent incline
• 1-2 minutes: Recovery, at a walking or light jogging pace
• 1 minute: Steady state pace pace at a 3 percent incline
• 1 minute: Maintain pace at a 2 percent incline
• 1 minute: Maintain pace at a 1 percent incline

“I suggest running up hills with an effort around 85 percent of your maximum,” says C. Fitzgerald. “You’ll be working hard to get to the top of each incline repeat,” she says.

That said, if you’re not quite ready to run, walk through this same program instead. “Be sure to use your arms in both running and walking, though,” she says.

When To Not Adjust Your Treadmill Incline

Before you start tinkering with the incline knob or button on your treadmill, it’s important to first ensure your form is on point. A lot of people naturally feel the need to lean back in order to compensate for the increased incline. Still others hold onto the hand rails. Both are big no-nos say pros.

Hanging on to the machine reduces activation of the leg muscles, which essentially defeats the purpose of increasing incline. So, whether you are walking, running, or sprinting, you should never set the incline or speed so high that you can’t move hands-free with proper form.

Similarly, leaning backward alters your posture and gait meaning you’re not getting the full power of your glutes to power you uphill. Instead, you should bend forward slightly at your ankles, says J. Fitzgerald. Focusing on landing on the balls of your feet can help here too.

Finally, “if you have any issues with hip flexor tightness, high inclines can cause irritation to those muscles,” says Joy R. Miles, an endurance coach with Fitness Formula Clubs indoor triathlon series in Chicago and a USA triathlon-certified coach.

Better to stick to a moderate incline (two to three percent), and in truth, pretty much everyone should avoid extreme inclines (anything past seven percent or so) in their everyday workouts. “The only reason to take the incline to its max is when you are training for something specific, such as a very steep hike,” says Miles.

We’re inclined to agree.

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