# Incline Treadmill Walk: how to do it

- Main muscles: cardio, glutes
- Also works: calves
- Equipment: cardio machine
- Level: beginner
- 3D demo (side view): https://media.trainaq.com/exercises/incline_treadmill_walk/b14c11655b/side-m-720.mp4

## Steps

1. Clip the safety key on, set the incline and start at an easy walking speed.
2. Stand in the middle of the belt with your hands off the rails.
3. Lean forward slightly from your ankles and walk with your whole foot landing each step.
4. Swing your arms and keep a steady, brisk pace.

## Cues

- Hands off the rails.
- Lean slightly forward, stand tall.
- Swing your arms to drive forward.

## Common mistakes

- Hanging on to the rails: lower the incline or speed until you can walk hands-free.
- Bending at the waist: lean from your ankles and keep your chest up.
- Short, choppy steps on your toes: let each heel come down and push off through your toes.

## The version in our demo

Brisk walking hands-free at 12% incline and 4.8 km/h (3 mph), the "12-3-30" settings Cleveland Clinic describes, with a slight forward lean from the ankles and a strong arm swing. 5% is the starting option for beginners.

## Starting position

Set-up: treadmill at 12% incline (belt about 7° from level), speed 4.8 km/h. Safety key clipped to the clothing. Stand in the middle of the belt, about one stride behind the console, feet hip width apart. Hands off the rails; touch them only for balance if needed. Body: standing tall in the middle of the belt, whole body leaning forward slightly from the ankles as one line (not bending at the waist), chest up, eyes forward. Elbows bent about 90°.

## The movement

Walk with a natural heel-to-toe step: the heel or mid-foot lands just ahead of the body, the foot rolls through, and the toes push off behind. Because of the slope, the knee lifts a little higher than on the flat. Arms swing forward and back from the shoulders in opposition to the legs. The torso keeps the same slight lean; the head stays level; the body stays in the middle of the belt.

## Breathing

Steady, deep breathing; you should still be able to speak in short sentences.

## Tempo

About 0.52 s per step (115 steps a minute).

## Form in numbers

- Arms: elbows held at about 90°; hands swing from beside the hip to about chest height.

## Sources

1. [Cleveland Clinic, "What Is the 12-3-30 Workout? And Does It Work?"](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/12-3-30-workout)
2. [Harvard Health, "Treadmills: Tips for using this versatile piece of exercise equipment"](https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/treadmills-are-versatile-exercise-equipment-if-you-know-how-to-use-them-2017042611642)

Source: https://trainaq.com/exercises/incline-treadmill-walk