Treadmill incline

[Gardengirl]

Does anybody workout using the incline on their treadmill?
I discovered something over the weekend . . . . went on a hike that had a lot of switchbacks so was doing a good bit of uphill hiking. I did fine, but the next day my inner thighs were the only thing that was sore. After doing a bit of research, I found that squats and lunges really don't work your inner or outer thighs (which are now the only real sections of my legs that don't seem to be progressing as much as I'd like - who knew??). I've been doing intervals on the treadmill but haven't messed with the incline at all. Seems that incline walking on the treadmill is not only good for hamstrings and quads, but works the glutes and inner thigh too. Guess I'll be changing my intervals on the treadmill to incline intervals.

So my question is, if I do an incline treadmill workout, should I make my weight workout upper body and let the incline workout be the only thing for legs that day? Weight work and incline too much in one day for legs? Trying to put a rotation together and would love some input.

Thanks!

[Pratima]

I remember reading somewhere that using a slightly incline, even just 1%, more closely mimics an outdoor walk or run. Even here in AZ where it's quite flat, you do encounter the tiniest ups and downs. So yes, I do always use the incline. But unless I have it set pretty high, I don't feel like it's truly a lower body workout any more than a regular run or hike would be.

In answer to your specific question, I would personally probably do the incline walk or run AND lower body, and then only upper the next day, giving my lower body a rest.

[athompson10]

Depends on how high an incline you're using and how hard you're going. My preference is to do lower body weights on their own. If I add on treadmill after that, I use a very low incline (1-3%) walk to work out the kinks. Like Pratima, I read that 1% incline mimics outdoor walks and runs.

If I want to use the treadmill as my lower body strength work, I pick a hard interval program - Cardio Coach 6 is a favorite - and stay in the 6-15% incline range for the whole workout. My legs are well done at the end of that.

I much prefer increasing incline to increasing speed if I want to work my legs harder. It's easier on my feet and hip flexors, and I get a good glute burn going.

[Gardengirl]

This sounded like a good workout to me, but I may change my mind when I do it!

Walk between 3-4 mph for 5 minute warm up
Incline @ 4 - 1 minute
Incline @ 5 - 1 minute
Incline @ 6 - 1 minute
Incline @ 7 - 1 minute
Incline @ 8 - 1 minute
Then come back down one minute at a time till you reach 4 again and cool down 5 minutes.

Too aggressive? Don't think I could do any weights after this!

[Vantreesta]

I am not in the best shape right now but I do a treadmill butt workout that goes to full incline (says 12% but mine only goes to 10) and while I feel my inner thighs I don't feel at all like it's a true lower body workout requiring a day of rest. It's a 25 min workout that starts at 3% and goes up and down throughout, doing 2 min at higher inclines alternating with 1 min at lower. I do the last part more slowly and backwards. I really enjoy it but would have no problem doing lower body strength the same day or the next.

[Gardengirl]

So I went ahead with the rotation posted above and found it quite doable. I even tacked on 3 speed intervals to allow it to be a 32 minute workout. I apparently have not given myself enough credit and should have raised the incline a long time ago! Will probably just keep it elevated and adjust speed to allow a bigger incline. (Agreed athompson10 on the incline vs speed!)
Vantresta, I agree. I can do a lower body workout today and won't be overworked.

[Tugger31]

Because of the forward propulsion of the treadmill, you may not be working the exact same muscles as you would doing hills on the ground. Also the downhill walking you do outside is not the same as decreasing the incline on a treadmill. So if some of the down hills outside is what worked your inner thighs, it may not be entirely possible to reproduce this on a treadmill. Just my two cents. That being said I do use the incline on my treadmill just to work different muscles in general.

[Vantreesta]

I wish I had a treadmill that declined too but I don't want to spend that kind of money!

[Lannette]

Originally Posted by Tugger31

Because of the forward propulsion of the treadmill, you may not be working the exact same muscles as you would doing hills on the ground. Also the downhill walking you do outside is not the same as decreasing the incline on a treadmill. So if some of the down hills outside is what worked your inner thighs, it may not be entirely possible to reproduce this on a treadmill. Just my two cents. That being said I do use the incline on my treadmill just to work different muscles in general.

This. When you walk, run or hike you push away from the ground. On a treadmill the ground is literally pulled out from under you so you are essentially falling forward to regain your balance over and over. The mechanics are quite different.