Treadmill

New to the treadmill? Make sure you're doing it right with these tips.

1. Warm up: Stepping on the treadmill and going at full speed may lead to injury, or at the very least can make your run feel that much harder as you overwork cold muscles. Spend five minutes jogging at an easy pace (or walking at a brisk pace) before ramping up the speed.
2. Watch your form: The good news — your treadmill has a TV to help distract you from your long jog. The bad news — that engrossing reality show is making you forget about your form. Remind yourself to do a form check every few minutes to make sure you're not straining your neck or crowding the front of the machine. Read our tips for proper treadmill form here.
3. Add intervals: Want to become a better runner and burn more calories? Make sure at least some of your treadmill sessions incorporate high-intensity intervals; these will help you get in a better workout in a shorter amount of time. This effective 45-minute pyramid interval workout helps you hit speed, endurance, and calorie-burning goals in less than an hour.
4. Cool down: After your workout, instead of abruptly stopping, it's important to slowly bring the heart rate back down. If you're using a preprogrammed workout, your machine will include a cooldown, but if you've been inputting speeds manually, make sure you gradually decrease the speed over three to five minutes at the end of your workout until you've slowed down. And don't forget to stretch for a few minutes afterward to help strengthen muscles and prevent soreness.
5. Practice good etiquette: If you're using a treadmill at your gym, make sure to practice proper etiquette. If you notice there's a line of people waiting to use the machine, don't stay on past the gym's time limit and always use wipe down the machine after you're done with your run. You should also make sure that you aren't distracting others by talking loudly to your workout buddy or using your cell phone.

Many who are new to the running scene start on a treadmill. And while it seems easy enough to just turn it on and go, there are three things every new treadmill user should know before starting out.

• It's not the same as running outside: It's actually easier. The moving belt of a treadmill helps to propel the body with each step, allowing muscles to not work as hard as compared to running outdoors. And while a treadmill's softer surface can be easier on joints, the finite running space can alter gait and your form. To avoid injuries, focus on taking a normal stride and make sure the pace isn't causing you to lean forward, creating unnecessary strain on your lower back or knees. Check out more tips on proper running form.
• The readouts are misleading: After a 45-minute run, the machine's summary reads that you burned 400 calories. Step on a different treadmill, and the readout says you burned only 300 doing the exact same workout. What gives? Unfortunately, the readouts on treadmills aren't always the most accurate, especially if you don't plug in your height and weight. For the most accurate stats, use a heart rate monitor when on the treadmill.
• Don't ignore the incline: You hate hills you say? No need to pump the incline up to the highest setting possible, but zero incline on a treadmill can mimic a slight downgrade, making it one way to get shin splints, so to prevent this dreaded issue, be sure to raise the incline slightly to one or two.

If you're not into being drenched in sweat after two minutes of stepping out in the hot Summer sun for a run, then I don't blame you for hitting up the treadmill at the air-conditioned gym. You may be avoiding humidity, bugs, and crazy heat, but stepping onto that moving belt at your local workout hot spot can mean a whole new slew of annoyances in the form of your fellow gym goers.

• Listening to music loudly: Yes, I am a fan of Kanye West's "Stronger," but believe it or not, I don't want to hear it 12 times in a row, and I definitely don't want to hear you singing it. Be respectful and turn your music down so the rest of us can enjoy what we want to hear.
• Looking at my readout: Didn't you learn the major rule in high school: eyes on your own paper! It's insanely rude to glance over and check out my stats, especially when I'm typing in my weight.
• Talking on the phone: It really sounds like you and your girlfriend are having a grand old time reliving your sister's bachelorette party, but guess what? None of us care. Save the loud and giggly conversations for post-workout, please.
• Leaving used tissues in the cup holder: Incredibly gross and a good way to pass germs; just don't do it.

Keep reading for more annoying things people do on the treadmill.

Many people prefer hitting the treadmill to running outdoors, but if you're not careful, along with that toned tush you might end up with a stiff neck, resulting in a nagging headache. Follow these tips the next time you hop on the treadmill to prevent this common running woe.

Keep Your Gaze Forward
One gym perk is its televisions, which allow you to catch up on the news or your favorite TV show. It becomes a problem, however, if your gym mounts its TVs on the wall instead of using individual screens on each machine — if you're looking up and to the right for 30 minutes straight, it's no secret why your neck hurts! Avoid cranking your head upward or all the way to one side by choosing a treadmill directly in front of the TV you're watching. Or better yet, bring in your iPad and place it on the magazine rack of your machine to keep your head directly over your spine. The same goes for chatting with your running buddy on the treadmill next to you — keep the conversation going while looking straight ahead.

Keep reading for more tips on preventing neck pain on the treadmill.

I love running on the treadmill, but let's be honest: it's not the most entertaining workout. I usually distract myself from counting down the minutes with a good playlist, audiobook, or tuning in to the gym's TVs. When I forget to take my running headphones, however, I have to entertain myself in an entirely different way. Here are some ways to keep yourself entertained (not to mention motivated!) when you can't do your normal headphones-on, tune-everything-out routine.

1. Change up your intervals: You should be doing this anyway once you've mastered your current workout, but if you're used to going through the motions, now's the time to change your intervals or the speed of your high-intensity runs.
2. Take a fit test: See how fast you can run in a set period — say, five minutes — without stopping (make sure you don't overdo it, though — stay at a level where you don't feel short of breath, lightheaded, or dizzy). Doing a fit test regularly is a good way to gauge your progress if you've been running regularly and if it's time to pick up the pace. Plus you may be surprised by just how fast you can really go!

Read on for more.

I'm a fan of the treadmill, but I have many otherwise fitness-loving friends who'd rather do almost anything else than a 30-minute gym run. If you're the same, here are other ways to reap the same calorie-burning benefits without a seemingly boring run.

Try a different machine: Think your cardio only comes from the treadmill? Think again. Raise your heart rate with another machine at the gym. Try a spinning class to burn major calories, check out the row machine for an all-body workout, or go full-force on the elliptical. Each of these will burn major calories while being less hard on your legs and knees.

Intervals: Many people say they hate the treadmill because it's boring and don't think that they can run for a long time. High-intensity intervals help in both these cases. And you don't have to stick to the treadmill. Bundle up with your favorite cold-weather running gear and hit the trails, and alternate your vigorous runs with jogging.

More intense cardio ideas after the break.

If you're stuck indoors, treadmills are an excellent way to get in some cardio time — minus wet weather or pollen counts. Whether you're a beginner or an advanced treadmill user, here is everything you need to know to get the most out of this favorite cardio machine.

• Treadmill Workout Routines: These four different treadmill workouts: beginner, intermediate intervals, running hills, and sprint intervals, can be downloaded to accompany you to the gym!
• How to Burn More Calories: From competing against friends to increasing the speed, here are some ways to make that treadmill work extra hard for you!
• The Forty Minute Walking/Running Workout: Perfect for beginners, this workout helps your body ease into it while also adjusting to the physical demands of running.
• Increase the Incline Like Jennifer Aniston: Cranking the incline helps you burn more calories than if you keep the machine set to a zero grade. You can also use the incline button to take yourself for a hilly hike with this walking workout.

Keep reading for more tips.