Jun
23
do treadmills give a good lower body workout?
Filed Under Treadmills |
Lebanese Cheese asked:
Can you actually tone (or build) muscle on them, maybe with 10% incline or so?
Can you actually tone (or build) muscle on them, maybe with 10% incline or so?
I just ask cause i do bodybuilding but i hate working out lower body. i need to knock out cardio and lower body at the same time hopefullywith a treadmill.
bodybuilders love doing lower body. do squats you wimp.
Yes, you can get a really good lower-body workout on a treadmill…
Treadmills are great, but elliptical trainers are even better.
you could tone or build your musles (arm muscles) with lifting weight but im not sure about it with your lower body.
About the Treadmill, I’ll tell you more abou it later.
In the mean time, you need to exercise to tone your Thighs and Hamstrings. Here are tips and as a bonus, how to work on your Abs and Butt as well.
First, for the Thighs, Hamstrings, and Butt, squats and lunges are good.
If you are not familiar with those exercies, start with the “smith” machine. The “smith” machine looks like a huge barbell trapped in a machine- almost all gyms should have one. If you don’t go to a gym, use dumbells or barbell at home.
For squats, do 5 sets, 7 reps each set. Take a few minutes of break after each set. If you use the Smith machine, try to keep your back straight. If you use a barbell or dumbells, slightly leaning forward is OK. Keep your feet shoulder wide.
For lunges, do the same as above, but keep your back straight at all times. The front knee should not pass the toes (= should stay behind the toes), otherwise it creates too much straint on the knee. The back knee should almost touch the floor, an inch above. Remember: both front and back knees should form 90 degrees.
On the first week, take it easy using very light weights, otherwise your legs will be sore.
Second, for the stomach, here is how to do various sit-ups:
Everyday I do (1) regular sit-ups; (2) bicycle sit-ups;
(3) 30 degree angle sit-ups for the upper abs (= lift the upper body only 30 degrees above the ground and hold it for three seconds and down);
(4) flutter kicks for the lower abs (= lie down on your back, lift your feet 30 degrees from the floor, then do flutter kicks)
Start with 60 reps in a few sets and increase up to 200 reps in 4 sets a day with a minute break in between sets.
By doing these, I got my six-pack in 12 months.
Please note, however, that Fitness is 70 percent DIET and 30 percent exercise. So, eating healthy is more important than doing thousands of crunches.
Here is how to eat to sculpt the body:
First, eat 6 times a day, every three hours. Some of healthy snacks are:
(1) A peanut butter sandwich, especially in the morning: don’t worry- peanut butter has GOOD fat, the type the body needs. I add celery in it, which surprisingly tastes good.
(2) Fruits: I eat per day two apples, two bananas, two oranges, and other seasonal fruits. Fruits have low calories but are filling.
(3) Baby carrots: might be hard to eat first time, but tastes not bad if you get used to it.
(4) Power bars/ Granola bars: choose the ones with less than 5 grams of fat per serving.
(5) Soy milk: will take your hunger away and also has protein for muscle building.
Second, Try NOT to eat a heavy dinner and follow the every 3-hour eating rule (see First above). Do not eat within 3 hours before going to bed except a small portion of light snacks listed above. Then, do NOT miss breakfast.
Last, the key is NOT to feel hungry any time of the day, otherwise your body would store calories in the form of fat.
So, eat before feeling hungry.
If you have any more questions,
ASK me on MY Blog,
I’ll answer as much as possible.
Good luck.