Best Treadmill Walking Workouts for Beginners
So, you’re starting a new fitness journey and want to begin cardiovascular exercise but aren’t a big runner? That’s okay! There are plenty of treadmill walking workouts for beginners as well. Walking on your treadmill is an excellent way to keep yourself healthy all year round without any running.
There are so many benefits to treadmill walking workouts, some of which include: maintaining a healthy weight, preventing or managing various health conditions, improving cardiovascular fitness and so much more.
If you’re looking to start a new fitness routine or jumping back into fitness after a hiatus, we’ll help you get started as well as provide specific walking workouts for beginners.
How effective is stationary biking, really?
You’ve probably noticed that some of your friends, colleagues and acquaintances have ditched the gym entirely in favor of their own home fitness equipment. Specifically, stationary bikes became all the rage this past year for celebrities, fitness lovers, and couch potatoes alike.
That’s because stationary biking is an incredibly effective low-impact workout that boosts cardio fitness, builds strength, and you guessed it, burns belly fat.
Let’s take a look at the basics of fat loss to understand how stationary biking can help you target your problem areas.
The Basics
Before you get started, you’ll want to ensure you’re walking with the same walking form that you would use when you walk outside. This includes a strong posture and good walking shoes.
When you first hop on your treadmill, train yourself to avoid using the handrails as much as possible as it’ll prevent you from getting the full benefits of your walking workout. Using the handrails takes pressure off your legs and puts them on your upper body, so you walk with less effort. This means less calories burned, unnatural walking gait, and modified walking posture.
How long should a beginner walk on a treadmill?
Experts say that a beginner should start walking on a treadmill for 10-15 minutes at about 2.5-3.0 mph, but it’s important to listen to your body. If you’re finding this difficult, cut back the time by five-minute intervals or lower the speed setting.
The key to being successful with your walking workout is to make a routine and stick to it. In addition, if you’re having a difficult time fitting your walk in all at once, break it up throughout your day.
How can a beginner walk on a treadmill and lose weight?
When you’re walking at a moderate pace and sticking to your routine, there’s no doubt that weight loss can occur by walking on your treadmill (coupled with a healthy nutrition plan). You want to start your fitness journey with a routine that’s going to give you energy and empower you to keep your body moving.
In addition to your daily movement, don’t forget that a healthy diet, caloric deficit, and staying thoroughly hydrated will help you meet your fitness goals and potentially see weight loss in the long run.
Is walking on a treadmill for 30 minutes a day long enough?
Walking on a treadmill for 30 minutes a day is a fantastic way to burn calories and a source of cardio exercise. If you’re looking to burn body fat, walking is a terrific place to start. The longer you walk, the more likely you are to see results from your workouts but if you can only start with 15 minutes at a slow pace on your treadmill don’t let that deter you.
Everyone starts somewhere, so begin where you’re comfortable and work your way up. Experts believe that walking for 30 minutes a day is the optimal amount of time in order to reduce health risks.
Beginner Treadmill Walking Workouts
Here are four treadmill walking workouts absolute beginners can do. We’ve provided speed guidelines below; however, should you need to reduce or increase the speeds to match your fitness level, that’s totally okay.
30-Minute Treadmill Walking Workout for Beginners
This 30-minute walking workout is the perfect beginner treadmill workout. It’ll kick start your fitness journey and have you feeling more confident and ready to start more challenging movements.
Proposed Fitness Equipment:
The Ascend X1 Foldable Treadmill. With adjustable speeds of 0.8 to 12 km/h and a manual incline control that goes to 3%, this treadmill is the perfect piece of equipment for beginners.
Warm Up:
5 minutes: steady walking pace, approximately 2.5-3mph at 0% incline
Working Set:
15 minutes: keep the 0% incline and up your pace by .5-1mph
10 minutes: keep the pace and raise the incline by 1%
To progress your cardio fitness level steadily increase the speed by approximately 0.5-1mph every week or two. Once your walking pace is fast enough that your next progression would be a jog, increase the incline by 1% instead every week or two.
High Incline Walking Workout
Just like walking up a hill, a treadmill can allow you to adjust your incline level so you can activate your glute muscles and burn more calories during your cardio routine.
Proposed Fitness Equipment:
The Ascend X3 Premium Foldable Treadmill is perfect for this type of workout. With a motorized incline of 15 levels that range from -2% to 12%, your glute muscles will adore this workout.
Warm Up:
5 minutes: steady walking pace, approximately 2.5-3mph to warm up at 0% incline
Working set:
10 minutes: after completing your warm up, up the speed so you’re at a decent “speed walk pace” (approximately 3.5-4mph), keeping the incline at 0%
Each minute following: up the incline by 1% each minute and repeat until you reach an 8–10% incline or as high as you can go
10 minutes: decrease the incline by 1% each minute
Once you’re back to a 0–1% incline, continue walking for approximately five minutes
Cool down:
Walk for 5 minutes at an easy pace (2.5-3mph)
HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) Treadmill Workout
The acronym HIIT can scare beginners away from trying new fitness classes or routines and it really shouldn’t. HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training and it can be used in a variety of different ways.
Proposed Fitness Equipment
This workout specifically would be a fun one to try on the Ascend Performance X2 Foldable Treadmill as it offers an incline control of up to 3%.
Warm Up:
Five minutes: easy walking pace (2.5-3mph)
Working Set:
5 minutes: steady walking pace, approximately 2.5-3mph to warm up at 0% incline
5 minutes: once you have warmed up, begin to increase your incline to 1.5% and speed up your pace
5 minutes: increase your incline to 3% and up the speed if you can for another 5 minutes
5 minutes: go back down to step one and continue this rhythm for 30-40 minutes
Cool down:
Walk for 5 minutes at an easy pace (2.5-3mph) and 0% incline
Treadmill Workout with Dumbbells
If you’re interested in trying something with a little higher intensity and working on your upper body strength while you do your cardio, adding dumbbell exercises in between cardio sets is a great way to do so.
Proposed Fitness Equipment:
Any of the Ascend Treadmills would be great for this specific workout. You’ll also need a set of dumbbells. Any range of dumbbells will suffice, just be sure to not strain yourself. Weights that are 3-5 pounds are perfect for a beginner.
Warm up
Five minutes: easy walking pace (2.5-3mph)
Working Set:
5 minutes: Increase speed to a brisk walking pace, approximately 4-4.5mph
5 minutes: slow and pause the treadmill. Get off the treadmill and use the dumbbells to do one set of 12-15 lateral raises
5 minutes: return to the treadmill for a brisk walking pace
5 minutes: step off and begin another round of upper body dumbbell exercises, try a bicep curl to overhead press
Complete 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps of each exercise, while incorporating your walking cardio on the treadmill
Cool down:
Walk for 5 minutes at an easy pace (2.5-3mph) and 0% incline
Keep The Motivation Alive
Staying motivated and keeping up with fitness workouts can be difficult, but don’t get discouraged. Try these four tips to keep you excited about your new treadmill walking workouts.
Make it Fun
Try to look at your new exercise routine like a fun challenge and less like a chore. Switch up your treadmill walking workouts to give you something new and exciting to look forward to.
Routine
We’ve said it once but we’ll say it again, routine is king. Once you maintain a fitness schedule, and make exercising a part of your daily activities, it won’t seem so daunting.
Reward Yourself
After you complete your exercise for the day, take the time to bask in the good feelings that exercise has given you. There’s nothing like it.
Be Flexible
Don’t be too hard on yourself if you cannot fit in a workout everyday of the week. Life happens and it is good to take a day or two off to give your body rest.
Walk Your Way to a Healthier You
Exercise doesn’t need to be rigorous in order for it to be effective. By utilizing these beginner walking workouts and starting your fitness journey, you’re well on your way to a healthier lifestyle. Check out the full line of Ascend Treadmills and level up your workouts, your health and your life.
Justin Tardif-Francoeur
With over a decade of experience in the health and fitness industry, Justin has a rich background ranging from personal training in bustling gyms to practicing massage therapy in health centers, and eventually running his own practice. An avid advocate for self-improvement, he tirelessly pursues the latest research to broaden his knowledge of human physiology and the body's potential. When he isn't enriching his understanding or assisting clients, Justin can be found embracing the great outdoors through paddle boarding, yoga, and hiking, or immersing himself in a challenging workout. His passion transcends personal growth, as he's equally committed to inspiring others on their own journey of self-improvement.
