Since treadmill running is easier than running outdoors (since there is no wind resistance), you can set the slope to 1% to better simulate outdoor driving conditions.
If you are used to running a treadmill without a slope, it is harder to drive on a 1 percent slope, but you can easily switch to running outdoors.
Of course , if you are not at all familiar with running, you can start with a 0% slope and then gradually move up 1%.
Use 1% for easy paced runs and change the slope to add variety to your run or do specific hill workouts.
If so, how high can you go?
Some runners are really ambitious and assume they do great workouts when running on incredibly high slopes.
We’ve seen runners and pedestrians in the gym set the slopes too high to hold the handrails for dear life.
(That handrail is to help you get on and off the treadmill safely, it doesn’t help you climb.) \
Just because the treadmill has climbed to a certain slope doesn’t mean it has to be set that high.
Are you sure you haven’t set the speed to maximum? When choosing a slope, avoid slopes of over 7%.
Anything higher than that puts too much strain on the back, buttocks and especially the lower legs and can cause injury.
How long will the slope run?
We’ve all seen people running the entire street on a slope in the gym.
Such a hill run is not a good idea and can lead to injury. Think about it: Can you find a 3 miles hill on a 6 mile ramp?
Or, if you did, would it be wise to run it? Even if you are training for a hilly race, you want to change the slope settings while running.
You should not run on steep slopes for over 5 minutes.
Switching between a 2 minute run on a ramp and a 2 minute run on a slope like this treadmill hill workout will give you a much safer and safer workout.
You can also mix things up by manipulating shorter hill segments, such as 30 seconds or 60 seconds. It will stop your run from getting a lot more fun and boring.