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From beginners to professionals, on treadmills or in outdoors, runners are prone to meet one of the most daunting and annoying pains. The side stitch, or the transient abdominal pain as it is scientifically called is the culprit for many running workouts failures.

Long story short, a side stitch is an intense side ache that occurs while running. I believe every runner, amateur or professional, has encountered this kind of pain in his/ her beginning days. The bad part of stitches is that they cause crucial pain. The good thing about it is that you get to prevent them from happening.

This kind of pain is related to abdominal ligaments and muscles. It is caused either by a spasm of the diaphragm, the muscle that divides abdominal organs from the heart and lungs or by the connection between the liver and the diaphragm. What happens is that running favors pressure on the right side. This pressure is caused by the ligaments that connect the liver to the diaphragm. The liver tends to pull down the diaphragm, while the natural movement of the muscle is upwards. And this is where the pressure comes in.

One other factor that may get you a side stitch is drinking and eating prior to running. Drinking excessively before you run may lead to side stitches. Make sure you don’t dehydrate yourself. Drink as much as you need, just make sure you don’t overdo it before workout. On my workout days I start drinking early in the morning, so that I keep my body properly hydrated. Sports drinks are recommended. It’s the same with food. It’s important to eat light 3 hours before running and to not eat at all 1 hour before.

Now, you may be wondering what you can do in order to stay as far as you can from the stitch. It’s not that difficult, it just requires your close attention. First off, breathing. You must get the proper oxygen intake. Exercise belly breathing and practice it during your run.

Secondly, make sure you hydrate yourself as much as your body needs, without making any excess. Eat light prior to running. Energy boosters are great for fat-burning and they also ease digestion during running.

Thirdly, it’s highly important to stretch thoroughly before and after running. If you don’t, muscles will contract and give you cramps, such as side stitches.

Last but not least, don’t be a daredevil if you can’t handle it. It’s usually the case when runners get side stitches because they think they can run 2 times faster than the day before, but it’s almost never the case.

If you’re running and a stitch strikes you, try to control it by breathing. Take deep breaths and once in a while inhale and exhale forcibly. Exhale when your left foot strikes the ground. This usually lowers the tension on the right side.

If the pain gets worse, expands to the left side and to the shoulders, stop for a few seconds. Try to apply pressure on the right side of the abdomen. This way you’ll push the liver up so that the tension slowly fades. Then do some bending exercise. Touch your right foot with your left hand, and the other way around for a few times. Keep your knees straight. After this short pause you can resume running.

And don’t forget that if the pain doesn’t disappear after ending the workout, you should consult your physician. Heart related problems may also be a cause of left side pains.

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Weight loss workouts are very popular, especially for those who have just purchased their own treadmill. In this article we will present 2 treadmill workouts that can help you lose weight.

The secret is to know how to increase and decrease speed and incline, while keeping you in your heart rate in the fat burning zone, which equals 75% — 90% of your target heart rate zone.

Exercise ONE

This workout is recommended to those who use a treadmill for the first time. The exercise will help you lose the first pounds and it will introduce you to the whole treadmill experience. The workout is easy for a normal fit individual but can challenge overweight or sedentary persons.

Start with a 4 minute warm up session: should be 1-1.5 mph and you can also set the incline to 1 degree.

30 sec: speed at 2 mph, incline at 1.5 %
30 sec: speed at 2.5 mph, incline at 1.5 %
30 sec: speed at 3 mph, incline at 1%
30 sec: speed at 3.5 mph, incline at 1%
30 sec: speed at 4 mph, incline at 1%
30 sec: speed at 3.5 mph, incline at 1 %
30 sec: speed at 3 mph, incline at 1 %
30 sec: speed at 2.5 mph, incline at 2%

Finish with a 4 minute cool down interval: 2 minutes at 2mph and another 2 min at 1mph at 0 incline.

Exercise TWO

The second exercise is a more intense version of the previous workout. It will help you burn more calories and it will definitely challenge a normal fit person. Beginners should avoid doing this program in the first days. They will need to start with the first exercise and gradually increase the speed and incline while staying in a comfort zone.

Start with a 4 minute warm up session: speed should be 2 mph for the first 2 minutes and then increase to 3 mph. The incline should also be set to 1% for the first 2 minutes and increase to 2% for the last part.

30 sec: speed at 4 mph, incline at 2 %
30 sec: speed at 5 mph, incline at 3 %
30 sec: speed at 5 mph, incline at 2%
30 sec: speed at 5.5 mph, incline at 2%
30 sec: speed at 6 mph, incline at 1%
30 sec: speed at 6 mph, incline at 2 %
30 sec: speed at 5 mph, incline at 2 %
30 sec: speed at 4 mph, incline at 3%

Finish with a 4 minute cool down interval: 2 minutes at 2mph and another 2 min at 1mph at 0 incline.

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On 16th February 2011 Lance Armstrong confirmed his retirement from professional cycling. Since we review the treadmills produced under Livestrong brand and we really enjoy it, we decided to celebrate him with an infographic named : “10 Less Known Facts About Lance Armstrong” .

We hope you will like our work and we invite you to embed this on your site using this code :

Embed the infographic on your site:

<a href="http://www.runreviews.com/info/livestrong-treadmills-infographic.html"><img src="http://www.runreviews.com/info/livestrong.jpg" alt="livestrong-treadmills" width="400" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.runreviews.com/category/livestrong-treadmills/">Livestrong Treadmills</a>

*click to enlarge

Also,
In case you haven’t noticed yet, we also created an infographic for the Livestrong Treadmills we reviewed so far.

*click to enlarge

Livestrong Treadmills

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Finishing a 5k workout is a common goal for runners, especially for beginners.

This is the first milestone in a runner’s training program and even if you have reached the level where you run marathons, 5k workouts should still be part of your routine.

This is because this type or exercise helps keeping the motivation up and it provides a great cardio workout, especially if you get to the finish line really fast.

What most runners don’t know is that you can easily complete a 5k on the treadmill and this way you benefit from all its advantages: you can easily follow a training program to get you to the point where you can run a 5k, you complete efficient cardio workouts, you include in your training routine intervals, you test your speed limits and improve your times, you increase your endurance level, and all these while you monitor your heart rate.

Most good treadmills have 5k workouts included in their consoles, and they cost little (see Livestrong Treadmills for example).

How preset 5k treadmills work: the distance goal is set from the beginning. Incline changes automatically for each segment, so you simulate outdoor running. You manually change speed throughout the exercise.

5k Treadmills Workouts you can do on your treadmill:

Beginners 5k Treadmill Workout:

Warm up: 2 minutes at incline 0.0 % and 2 minutes at incline 0.5%

Workout:
Segment 1: 0.16 km at incline 1%
Segment 2: 0.16 km at incline 3%
Segment 3: 0.16 km at incline 1%
Segment 4: 0.16 km at incline 3%
Segment 5: 0.16 km at incline 2%
Segment 6: 0.16 km at incline 3%
Segment 7: 0.16 km at incline 2%
Segment 8: 0.16 km at incline 3.5%
Segment 9: 0.16 km at incline 2%
Segment 10: 0.16 km at incline 3%
Segment 11: 0.16 km at incline 2%
Segment 12: 0.16 km at incline 3%
Segment 13: 0.16 km at incline 1%
Segment 14: 0.16 km at incline 3%
Segment 15: 0.16 km at incline 1%

You will repeat the 15 segments almost twice, until you finish a 5k.

Cool-Down: 2 minutes at incline 0.5% and 2 minutes at incline 0%

Intermediate 5k Treadmill Workout:

Warm up: 2 minutes at incline 1% and 2 minutes at incline 1.5%.

Workout:
Segment 1: 0.16 km at incline 2%
Segment 2: 0.16 km at incline 4%
Segment 3: 0.16 km at incline 2%
Segment 4: 0.16 km at incline 4%
Segment 5: 0.16 km at incline 3%
Segment 6: 0.16 km at incline 4%
Segment 7: 0.16 km at incline 3%
Segment 8: 0.16 km at incline 4.5%
Segment 9: 0.16 km at incline 3%
Segment 10: 0.16 km at incline 4%
Segment 11: 0.16 km at incline 3%
Segment 12: 0.16 km at incline 4%
Segment 13: 0.16 km at incline 2%
Segment 14: 0.16 km at incline 4%
Segment 15: 0.16 km at incline 2%

You will repeat the 15 segments almost twice, until you finish a 5k.

Cool-Down: 2 minutes at incline 1.5% and 2 minutes at incline 1%.

Advanced 5k Treadmill Workout:

Warm up: 2 minutes at incline 2% and 2 minutes at incline 2.5%

Workout:
Segment 1: 0.16 km at incline 3%
Segment 2: 0.16 km at incline 5%
Segment 3: 0.16 km at incline 4%
Segment 4: 0.16 km at incline 5%
Segment 5: 0.16 km at incline 4%
Segment 6: 0.16 km at incline 5%
Segment 7: 0.16 km at incline 4.5%
Segment 8: 0.16 km at incline 5.5%
Segment 9: 0.16 km at incline 4.5%
Segment 10: 0.16 km at incline 5%
Segment 11: 0.16 km at incline 4%
Segment 12: 0.16 km at incline 5%
Segment 13: 0.16 km at incline 4%
Segment 14: 0.16 km at incline 5%
Segment 15: 0.16 km at incline 3%

You will repeat the 15 segments almost twice, until you finish a 5k.

Cool-Down: 2 minutes at incline 2.5% and 2 minutes at incline 2%.

5k Treadmill Workouts Tips:

If you are a beginner, complete the workouts at slow speeds (even if you have to train at low speed for a few weeks).

Increase speed gradually and try to alternate high speed for low incline and low speed for high incline.

Monitor your heart rate with a wireless chest strap and stop when you see you are over stressing your body

Always alternate training days with resting days.

Good treadmills have cushion systems installed to protect your feet. Still, wear a good pair of running shoes.

Running on the treadmill is easier than running outdoors. And you run faster for the same effort. This is why, if you plan to sign up for a 5k race, alternate your treadmill training with outdoor running.

Working out on the treadmill has its advantages. And the fact that you can follow a training program according to schedule (no matter the weather or the hour of the day) it’s a big plus.

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Running is sport with many advantages. First of all, it does great for your health: it keeps the heart in shape, it burns fat fast and it sculpts the muscles in an harmonious way. But running has a positive influence on your mind also: when you run you have fun, you socialize easier, you kill stress and you feel good about yourself.

Running on the treadmill is a training alternative which comes in handy, especially for those with a busy schedule. It has its pros and cons. But if you balance them, it’s usually an advantage to have this option.

Even if you don’t focus on muscles and strength workouts, running on the treadmill has a tremendous effect on the most important muscle groups.

Muscles Groups Developed While Running On The Treadmill

The Heart

The heart is the main muscle you workout on the treadmill. Treadmills provide great cardiovascular exercise that raises the heart rate and strengthens the overall health and stamina of the heart.

Quadriceps

Exercising on the treadmill works out the quadriceps muscles, located on the front of the thighs.

Calves

The calf muscles are located between the ankle and the knee. While walking and running these muscles act as stabilizers for the body. This is why you must stretch them on a regular basis.

Hamstrings

The hamstrings are located on the back of the thighs. They are effectively toned through treadmill workouts. Hamstrings can be pulled easily so you should stretch adequately before starting your workout.

Glutes

The proper name of this 3-part muscle group is the gluteal muscles. The gluteus maximus, gluteus medius and gluteus minimus are located in the buttocks and they are worked intensively during treadmill exercises.

Iliotibial (IT) Band

The iliotibial (IT) band is a tough group of fibers positioned on the outside of the thigh. This is an important stabilizer during running. If you want to prevent the IT band syndrome, the treadmill helps because you run on a level surface.

Muscles Used When Running in Incline Mode

Use the incline mode to challenge the cardiovascular system at lower speed.

In incline mode the back muscles are used to keep the body upright.

The uphill position helps to build long and lean calf muscles. It’s also a good position to stretch the calves.

Incline helps to build strength in your thighs (or quadriceps) and the buttocks.

Incline minimizes the heel-strike impact.

Muscles Used When Running in Decline Mode

Running with decline requires less energy.

Compared with incline mode, decline increases the stress on the ‘anti-gravity’ muscles of your hips, legs and ankles.

Running with decline is extremely hard on knee joints.

Decline helps to increase your leg turnover, which improves your acceleration and speed on flat surfaces.

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These are simple, yet important guidelines for treadmill runners. Follow them and you will get the maximum possible out of your treadmill workouts.

1. On the treadmill you should set incline from 1% to 3% so you simulate the body movement as it would be in overground running.

2. When you run on the treadmill, don’t lean forward because the belt pulls your feet back. The proper position is with the body upright.

3. Warm up and Cool down are very important. Save at least 4-5 minutes at the beginning and minimum 5 minutes at the end of the workout for slow running (4-5 mph).

4. On the treadmill the body is stationary relative to the air around you and no air flows past your body. This is why you will feel hotter, and you will sweat more compared to outside running. So you need to hydrate more.

5. The plus side is that because of no air resistance, you actually run faster for the same effort.

6. As a beginner at treadmill running, it’s normal to feel a little decentralized, especially when you get off the treadmill. While your legs tell the brain that you move forward, at the same time the eyes tell the brain that you’re stationary. But in a few minutes this sensation disappears.

7. Treadmills monitor performances easier because of the advanced software installed in their consoles.

8. It’s easier follow any training program on the treadmill because you set your goals and the treadmill helps you control the workout intensity.

9. Don’t use the handrails while you run. Use the wireless chest straps to monitor your heart rate and keep the arms moving naturally.

10. Running on the treadmill is easier than running outdoors.

11. Running on a treadmill is usually easier on the joints than running on pavement.

12. Running strengthens the upper and lower abdominals.

Incline Mode Facts

1. The risk of running injuries is decreased because you can do an efficient cardio workout at lower speed.

2. For incline workouts you need to set incline at minimum 10%.

3. The biceps control the elbow movements. This is why running or walking is much more efficient when the elbows are bent.

4. You burn more fat when you use high incline because you reach the fat burning zone faster and you can stay in the zone for a longer time

5. The incline mode increases muscular strength.

Decline Mode Facts

1. In decline you workout the muscles in the calf, quadriceps, and hamstring muscle groups.

2. In decline mode your speed should not be higher than your jogging pae.

3. For an efficient workout you should alternate decline intervals with flat and incline intervals.

4. Exercising with decline sustains leg muscles growth because of the eccentric muscular contractions.

5. A decline interval must not be more than 2 minutes long.

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As a general rule, while you exercise you want your heart rate to be at a level that is both safe and effective.

How do you do that? You use the target heart rate zones chart and you monitor your heart rate constantly.

Monitoring your heart rate based on this system is recommended in any type of workouts:

- cardiovascular training
- resistance training
- recovery training
- strength training
- interval training and so on

There is a simple way to calculate the target heart rate zone formula:

Target Heart Rate (THR) =60%-90% of your maximum heart rate.

The maximum heart rate (or the maximum number of times your heart rate can beat in one minute) is calculated based on age and weight:

Maximum Heart Rate for men: = 220-age

Maximum Heart Rate for women: =226 – age

Maximum Heart Rate for obese people: = 220 – half your age

As a general rule, any activity that raises your heart rate at 60%-70% of your target heart rate is beneficial to your health.

And if you can keep up with a rhythm that equals 80%-90% of your target heart rate for minimum 30 minutes, you are in excellent shape and you are able to finish a workout in the most efficient way.

WOMEN Target Heart Rate Zones Corresponding to Different Intensity Levels

MEN Target Heart Rate Zones Corresponding to Different Intensity Levels

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This is a workout for those in good shape (intermediate level runners) and who want to blast 150-200 calories in 20 minutes. The exercise simulates a 3 hills track with a maximum elevation of 6 degrees. The total distance run is 1.27 miles. You can use this workout in the days when you don’t have much time to train but you have a high level of energy that needs to be consumed.

Before you start, you may want to stretch and do some warm up exercises. The workout begins with a 2-minute warm up but you can extend this period as much as you need to.

Try this workout and send us your thoughts. How did it worked for you? Was it too hard or too easy? Every comment is appreciated.

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Interval workouts have been recommended in any running program for years. Runners use them to prepare for all test types, from advanced programs (as military tests) to basic 5k training.

There are advanced studies done about intervals. But there are 3 most important advantages anyone should consider. These type of workouts increase endurance level, help you run faster without losing your breath so easily and help you keep your target heart rate at a constant rate for longer time without needing to stop.

A way to include these exercises in your routine is to use preset treadmill interval workouts. Treadmills can help you do intervals without needing any additional gadget. Plus you can stay focused, be consistent and monitor your heart rate easily.

The below exercises were inspired from the console of LiveStrong LS13.0T treadmill. They are easy to do and the treadmill performs very well.

If you have your own treadmill (not necessarily this model) you can use the ‘Customize Workout’ program to create your own treadmill interval exercise following the below directions:

Exercise 1 for beginners:

Warm up: 1.0 mph speed for 2 minutes and 1.5 mph speed for another 2minutes

Part 1: 2.0 mph for 90 seconds
Part 2: 4 mph for 30 seconds
Repeat part 1 and 2 minimum 15 times (30 minutes).

Cool down: at 1.5 mph for 2 minutes and at 1.0 mph for another 2 minutes

Exercise 2 for beginners:

Warm up: 1.3 mph speed for 2 minutes and 1.5 mph speed for another 2minutes

Part 1: 2.0 mph for 90 seconds
Part 2: 4.5 mph for 30 seconds
Repeat part 1 and 2 for at least 15 times (30 minutes).

Cool down: at 1.9 mph for 2 minutes and at 1.3 mph for another 2 minutes

Exercise 3 for intermediate runners:

Warm up: 1.5 mph speed for 2 minutes and 2.3 mph speed for another 2minutes

Part 1: 3.0 mph for 90 seconds
Part 2: 6 mph for 30 seconds
Repeat part 1 and 2 for at least 15 times (30 minutes). But, if you can repeat them 30 times (60 minutes), you run 6k (which means you can now sign in for a 5k). And this is only a start point.

Cool down: at 1.9 mph for 2 minutes and at 1.3 mph for another 2 minutes

Exercise 4 for intermediate runners:

Warm up: 1.8 mph speed for 2 minutes and 2.6 mph speed for another 2minutes

Part 1: 3.5 mph for 90 seconds
Part 2: 7 mph for 30 seconds
Repeat part 1 and 2 for at least 23 times (46 minutes) and you finish a 5.4k race. This is a very nice 5k score.

Cool down: at 2.6 mph for 2 minutes and at 1.8 mph for another 2 minutes

Exercise 5 for intermediate runners:

Warm up: 2 mph speed for 2 minutes and 3 mph speed for another 2minutes

Part 1: 4 mph for 90 seconds
Part 2: 8.5 mph for 30 seconds
Repeat part 1 and 2 for at least 18 times (36 minutes) and you finish a 5k.

Cool down: at 3 mph for 2 minutes and at 3 mph for another 2 minutes

As a final note, we always recommend consulting your physician before you engage in any type of exercise, not only treadmill intervals.

And don’t feel too bad if you can’t finish an exercise from the first attempt. Everyone has problems as beginners. Learn how to increase your efforts slowly without imposing yourself impossible expectations. Through consistent training and proper warm-up and cool down sessions, speed workouts will help you improve your workouts results.

If you have a question to ask feel free to leave a comment.

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The food we eat contains calories that are essential for survival. The calories are converted into energy so the body can perform its normal physiologic functions like blood circulation, pumping of the heart, and respiration. Also, this energy allows us to perform our activities of daily living like brushing our teeth, walking, and office work. In other words, calories are as important as oxygen.

Each individual has different calorie requirements, depending on weight, height, age, and lifestyle. Averagely, an adult needs 2000 calories per day. The excess calories you take in, if not burned through activities, are deposited in the body as fat or otherwise known as “reserved energy”. Since the abdomen contains most of the adipose tissues (fat tissues), this becomes the first part of the body that you can notice to bulge and thus we call it “belly fat”. If this belly fat is left unburned, it sags overtime due to gravity.

Losing belly fat is not as easy as losing the fat deposits from the other parts of the body. Though body fat accumulates in the belly first, it is the last part of the body to trim down because of its abundant adipose tissues. That means, gaining and losing body fat follows the principle of “first in; last out”.

That being said, you would probably now understand that the ONLY way to lose the belly fat is by either decreasing your calorie intake or by burning calories. The best calorie- burning workout is an aerobic workout like the treadmill. You can find a lot of treadmills in a gym; however you can also buy an inexpensive one for yourself so you can hop on it anytime at home while watching your favorite show, reading a book, or talking over the phone.

Treadmills burn hundreds of calories per hour thus allowing you to lose weight and lose those belly fat in no time. Treadmills mimic activities like walking, jogging, and running. Programming the treadmill to a 2mph walk allows you to burn 214 calories/hr, increasing it to a 3mph walk allow you to burn 337 calories/hr, and a 4mph walk burns 398 calories/hr. This machine burns 541 calories/hr when programmed to a jogging mode. Running at 5mph allows you to burn 653 calories/hr, 755 calories/hr for a 6mph running speed, and 887 calories/hr for a 7mph running speed.

A treadmill allows you to burn that much of a calorie because it is an aerobic exercise. An aerobic exercise is a physical workout that allows you to improve your oxygen system. Aerobic machines like a treadmill allow the use of oxygen in the energy-generating process or the metabolic process of the body. According to a principle of indirect calorimetry, calories in the body are converted to energy with the help of oxygen. Working out on a treadmill increases your respiration rate, this is because the body is requiring more oxygen so the body fat can be converted to energy.

Remember you lose a pound in every 3,500 calories you burn (A healthy weight loss is one pound per week). If you want to lose that belly fat, you need to lose the fat deposits from the other parts of your body first. Aiming to lose 500 calories every day guarantees you to be a pound lighter at the end of the week. When I want to shed off some weight, I hop on my treadmill and spend 60 minutes every day. This is my 60-minute treadmill workout which guarantees one pound weight loss every week:

Speed Number of minutes Calories burned
Warm Up / Walking: 3mph – 10 mins – 56.16
Jogging: 10 mins – 90.16
Running: 6mph – 15mins – 188.75
Jogging: 10mins – 90.16
Walking: 3mph – 10mins – 56.16
Cool down / Walking: 2mph – 5mins -17.83

Treadmills are very effective in losing that belly fat; however you have to couple it with eating a balanced diet. With a little commitment and discipline, you get to lose that unsightly belly fat in no time. So, start getting on that treadmill today for a healthier and leaner you.

This is an article by Alex Chris. Alex can help you learn how to lose belly fat in a healthy and fast way. She blogs more about the topic at http://www.howtolosebellyfathealthy.com