Speed

• Treadmills have variable speeds to suit your fitness level. According to the guide for treadmill use produced by the St. John Health System, you should walk roughly 10 percent faster to simulate outdoor walking conditions. Increased speed offers increased aerobic activity, but holding onto the handles diminishes the number of calories burned. Speed should reflect an increased pace of walking while swinging the arms in a normal movement.
  
  

Incline

• Incline refers to the slope of the actual treadmill belt. Most treadmills offer manual controls to increase incline. Programmable routines include fluctuations in incline to really work your body. St. John Health System recommends increasing incline to 1 percent to compensate for the lack of wind resistance by working out indoors. Incline should be increased gradually in conjunction with increased physical fitness.
  
  

Low Intensity

• Simple walking offers a great option for beginner treadmill users. Treadmills come with varied speed settings to fit each individual's needs. Low-intensity workouts include measured walking a comfortable pace that raises the heart rate slightly. Aim to sustain this elevated heart rate for a set period of time (20 minutes or more) to see the benefits of increased cardiovascular health. Low-intensity treadmill workouts can be made more enjoyable by playing music, listening to the TV or playing a book on CD. Always include a five- to 10-minute warm-up and cool-down.
  
  

Medium Intensity

• Medium-intensity treadmill workouts raise the heart rate even higher to promote increased cardio health and weight loss. These workouts include light jogging or moderate interval training. Some treadmills offer programs to encourage increased intensity in workouts by varying speed and incline on the treadmill. Medium-intensity treadmill works can also incorporate high-intensity interval training (HIIT) in your routine. HIIT incorporates periods of intense effort into a regular workout routine. Include four to five intense one-minute sessions into your moderate-intensity routine to ramp up your workout levels in preparation for high-intensity workouts.
  
  

High Intensity

• Some people simply use treadmills for running. They'll set an available problem to vary the incline of the treadmill and off they go. Treadmills can simulate the running conditions found with outdoor exercises. Hills and flat areas can exist right in the comfort of your home. High-intensity treadmill training can also incorporate HIIT. Begin with a warm-up of walking for five minutes. Increase your pace to a run for the next five minutes, remaining at a steady speed. At the five-minute mark, push yourself to an all-out sprint for one minute. Return to your running speed after your sprint for the next four minutes. Sprint again for one minute and return to running speed. This creates the high-intensity interval that you follow for your workout time. Make sure to include a cool-down period after your workout.