Treadmill users usually fall into one of two camps: They’ve never touched their treadmill’s incline buttons (wait, you can adjust more than speed?) or they beep their way up to max incline every chance they get (higher equals harder equals better, right?)
Neither approach is going to score you the results you want. That’s because changing 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 or walking 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/walk [helping you develop more endurance], and boosts muscular strength, which can help prevent injuries.”
Here’s everything you need to know about working out from low to high treadmill inclines and how to mix them up for better fitness gains.
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