Incline Treadmills

Most of Lifespan Fitness’ treadmills will come options for incline, however the incline features will vary from machine to machine, so it’s worth checking the machine you’re looking at to make sure it suits your needs.

Different machines will come with different levels of incline, including models with 3 levels of incline all the way up to 22 levels on high incline treadmills.

Depending on your machine, the method of changing the incline will also differ, being operated either manually or automatically, with most being automatic. Automatic incline machines will have buttons on the console or handles that adjusts the level, and can be changed while the treadmill is still in use. Manual incline will require you to get off the machine and adjust a pin in the machine’s leg.

For more info on what treadmill incline is and how to use incline machines, click here.

If you have any further questions about how treadmill incline works don’t hesitate to reach out to our friendly team.

Treadmills come with two different incline options, manual or automatic. You will find automatic incline standard to most treadmill models, with a select couple needing the incline to be adjusted manually.

A treadmill with manual incline is a good option for shorter workouts from users who typically like to walk or run on a flat surface. This type of incline cannot be adjusted while the treadmill is in use, and will require you to stop your workout, or pre-set the level beforehand. They will feature a leg at the back that can be raised to increase the incline. The raise the leg, you’ll need to first fold the treadmill upright. Sliding the leg out, take out the pin from the leg, then insert the pin into the desired slot. Slide the leg back onto the machine, then lower the running belt back down.

Manual incline provides a good, stable base for your workout, good for those who like to stick to a particular incline level.

For more information on your machine, don’t hesitate to reach out to our friendly team or consult the product manual.

The method of adjustable incline will vary depending on the machine, so it’s always important to check your treadmill and the product manual to make sure you’re using these functions correctly. There will be two main ways your treadmill’s incline will work: automatically or manually.

Most of Lifespan Fitness’ incline treadmills will feature automatic incline. These will allow you to change incline via a button or touch screen on the console of the treadmill. Some machines, such as our rehabilitation treadmills, which have extended handles on either side, will have convenient incline adjustors on the handles so you won’t have to reach for the console every time. Automatic incline offers the most convenient and non-intrusive option for treadmill incline. You will usually be able to remain moving on the treadmill while the incline automatically adjusts, meaning there won’t be any interruption to your workout.

The other method of adjusting incline will be manual. A treadmill with manual incline is a good option for shorter workouts from users who typically like to walk or run on a flat surface. This type of incline cannot be adjusted while the treadmill is in use, and will require you to stop your workout, or pre-set the level beforehand. These treadmills will feature a leg at the back that can be raised to increase the incline. To raise the leg, you’ll need to first fold the treadmill upright. Sliding the leg out, take out the pin from the leg, then insert the pin into the desired slot. Slide the leg back onto the machine, then lower the running belt back down.

For more information on your machine, don’t hesitate to reach out to our friendly team or consult the product manual.

Using incline on a treadmill can sometimes lead to a sharp pain in the knees, sometimes known as ‘runner’s knee.’ This is because the incline shifts pressure from the ankles to the knee joints, as they are loaded up with the weight of the body.

However, using a less steep incline of 3% or below can actually be easier on the knees than a completely flat treadmill. The slight incline reduces some of the pressures acting on the knee. There’s also the fact that using an incline means you won’t have to accelerate to as high a speed to get a solid workout, which reduces a lot of the impact on your joints.

As with all things in exercise, it’s important to pay attention to your body and whether an exercise is causing pain. Work your way up the incline levels and only progress as you feel comfortable.

This will also be influenced by how much you warm up and cool down for your workout, which will give your muscles the best chance to handle the incline and recover from any irritation afterwards.

There are many benefits that an incline brings to your regular treadmill workout.

An incline treadmill workout will naturally raise your heart rate, meaning you won’t have to increase speed for a higher cardio burn. Incline treadmill walking will still get your heart pumping, reducing the need to always have to incorporate high-speed running into your exercise regime. This will be useful for many users who may struggle with higher speeds, but still want to improve their cardiovascular health, and creates less of an impact in your workout. This also makes them useful for reducing impact on the joints, as high speeds can often lead to excess muscle tension in the knees and hips. However, it’s also worth pointing out that a high incline may not be ideal for those with lower back pain, and are encouraged to work their way up the levels in a gradual scale.

Does incline treadmill work glutes? Incorporating an incline into your treadmill workout helps to condition your body for a realistic terrain. Your day-to-day life will commonly involve walking uphill or on a slight incline, so training for incline is important for developing functional strength, especially in the legs. This is fantastic for developing functional strength in the lower body, including the glutes, quads and calves.

This will also lead to a workout with a higher calorie burn, as the extra work will naturally create a higher energy expenditure. While treadmill workouts are already a great exercise for losing weight, being the go-to fat burning workout for many users, introducing an incline will make the most out of the workout and maximise the number of calories expended.

Find out more about the benefits of treadmill training here.

Some users are surprised to find that many treadmills will not be completely flat, being constructed with a natural incline slightly greater than 0 degrees.

There are a few different reasons for this, but broadly speaking the incline that’s been built into your treadmill is there to better simulate running outdoors.

Biomechanical studies of how users walk and running on treadmills have shown that less effort is exerted than if the same exercise was performed outside on a natural terrain. So the natural incline is there to compensate for decreased challenge of treadmill running, allowing you to run at an equivalent speed with a more natural form. The alternative to this is a slight increase in speed but that’s more of a personal preference for individual runners.

This incline is actually better for your joints than a completely flat surface, as well as delivering a more effective workout all round.

For a more comprehensive breakdown of treadmill incline, click here.