Walking uphill is well-known for inducing breathlessness, and incorporating incline training into your walking or running routine challenges your muscles and elevates your heart rate, enhancing calorie burning. Similar to any form of exercise, walking on incline treadmills comes with a set of advantages.
Benefits of Walking on an Incline Treadmill
Mixing up your workouts can boost performance, overcome plateaus, and motivate you. An easy change to consider is adding inclines to your walks or runs. Here are five perks of walking uphill:
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Boosts Your Heart Rate
Any physical activity makes your heart rate go up. When you’re inactive, your heart rate is at its lowest, called your resting heart rate.
As you start exercising, your heart rate increases based on how hard you’re working until you reach the maximum level you can sustain, known as your maximum heart rate. The ideal range for aerobic exercise is somewhere between your resting and maximum heart rate.
Walking or running on a flat surface raises your heart rate. If you go uphill on a treadmill or a hill, your heart rate increases even if you move slower. Studies show that running uphill raises your heart rate as the incline gets steeper.
Researchers studied 18 fit male runners. They ran for 5 minutes on a flat surface, with an average heart rate of 148 bpm. After a 5-minute rest, they ran at a 2% incline for 5 minutes, increasing the average heart rate to 155 bpm. Then, at a 15% incline for 5 minutes, the heart rate rose to 180 bpm. The speed remained constant throughout.
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Conditions Your Body for Realistic Terrain
Your daily routine often involves walking uphill or on a slight incline, even if it’s just for a short time. Using the same path or surface consistently can hinder your training progress.
If you only walk on flat surfaces outdoors or on a treadmill, you’re not experiencing the challenge of an incline.
Moreover, it’s an excellent option for runners who want to cross-train while still enjoying the advantages of a workout that boosts heart rate and calorie burning.
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Targets the Posterior Chain Muscles
Walking or running on a flat surface mostly uses the front thigh muscles (quadriceps) and less of the back thigh and buttock muscles (glutes and hamstrings m). However, when you go uphill, you’ll notice the muscles in your back, thigh and buttocks working more with each step.
People often say their buttocks and back thigh muscles feel intense after walking uphill. Strong back thigh and buttock muscles can reduce injuries, enhance posture, improve athletic performance, and counteract sudden forces.
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Increases Activation of Your Lower Leg Muscles
Your lower leg has various muscles, including the shins and calves, such as the peroneals, tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius, and soleus. These muscles get active when you go from a flat surface to an incline.
Research indicates that walking on a slightly inclined surface activates the peroneal muscles significantly more than walking on a normal flat surface. It supports using incline walking to strengthen the peroneals, benefiting individuals with weak ankles.
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Increases Calorie Burning
The calories you burn during exercise depend on your weight and the activity. Intensity, like walking or running on an incline, can also impact this.
Data from 16 participants revealed that compared to a flat surface, metabolic cost increased by 17% at a 5% incline and 32% at a 10% incline.
Generally, a 70 kg person walking at 5.6 kph on a flat surface for an hour burns roughly 267 calories. If the person maintains the same speed but walks uphill, he/she might burn up to 422 calories.
Winding Up
As you set out on this new challenge, don’t forget the importance of proper footwear. Invest in quality workout shoes to ensure comfort, stability, and support as you conquer those inclines. So, lace up, incline up, and let each step lead you to a healthier, fitter you!
