Treadmills are an amazing tool to implement into your run training. They are especially useful when it is freezing outside or it is pitch dark and difficult to run outside.  However, when getting on the treadmill, the first thing you see are all those buttons. The two main buttons are the speed buttons and the incline buttons. The speed button has a little easier to figure out, but what incline should you be using on the treadmill?  Well after doing some research and personal testing I found that running on a 1 to 2% incline is the ideal incline when running on a treadmill.  In this article, we will be breaking down all you need to know about incline on the treadmill.

What Does Incline Mean On The Treadmill?

When running on a treadmill most people know what speed means.  Simply, the more you increase the speed the faster you have to run.  However, incline is a little more tricky. A 1 or 2% on incline does not mean level 1 or level 2 but rather it means 1% and 2%.  The reason that treadmills are designed like this, is because percentages are used when categorizing the incline of hills. To give you an example, the most famous hill in San Francisco, Lombard Street, has an average gradient or incline of 27%.  This incline is so great that most cars would have difficulty driving straight up this hill. Thankfully as runners, we typically do not have to run up gradients or inclines of this magnitude. By increasing your incline on the treadmill 1 or 2%, you are increasing the gradient making your run slightly uphill.  This slight incline will help you have a more enjoyable treadmill workout.

Benefits of Using Incline on a Treadmill

1. More Realistic Running Experience

In my own personal testing, I have found that using incline on treadmill actually helps replicate a more realistic running experience.  Research shows that using a 1 to 2% incline will help simulate a more realistic running experience because this incline will account for the wind resistance that you do not get when running on a treadmill. When running outside, you are constantly pushing your body through the air while the wind is pushing you in the opposite direction. Therefore, this 1 to 2% incline will make you feel like you are running outside, while in the comfort of an indoor gym.

2. Injury Prevention

Have you ever tried to run on a 0% incline and felt like your legs were actually hurting?  During one of my most recent treadmill runs, I ran on a 0% incline and I felt like I was starting to get shin splints and other leg pains.  As a result, I tried out the recommended 1 to 2% incline and noticed that these pains started to go away. This is because when running outdoors you are usually not running on a completely flat surface.  Therefore, the 0% incline will feel almost like you are running downhill. Additionally, running downhill causes tremendous stress on your legs and joints which can cause long-term injury. These additional stresses are why your legs are more likely to start hurting when running on a 0% incline than on 1 or 2% incline.  So, for your next run make sure to slightly increase your incline to relieve this stress and prevent potential injury.

3. Increased Strength

Just like running up a hill, running on a percent incline on the treadmill is a great way to increase strength.  In addition to a 1 or 2% incline, most treadmills can go up to a 10% or 12% gradient. This gradient range is sufficient enough to help you get a great hill workout while on the treadmill.  Running uphill requires more oxygen intake which will help your overall endurance. Additionally, running on an incline requires your muscles to work harder and will build more strength in your legs as compared to a 0% incline.  After implementing hill workouts into your running schedule, running on flat ground will feel like a breeze. Therefore, by running on a percent incline on the treadmill, you will build strength in your legs that will help you run stronger and faster.

Downsides to Using Incline On The Treadmill

1. Injury Possibility

Using the incline function on the treadmill can be very beneficial, however, there are also some downsides that you should consider before your next workout.  Using the recommended 1 to 2% incline on most workouts will help reduce possible injury, but if you increase this gradient too much then you will put yourself at risk of injury.  For long run workouts, you want to stay within this recommended incline range. In general, you will want to stay away from the higher-end percentages such as 10 to 12%. If you happen to do a workout that requires these percentages, make sure you listen to your body and do not run on these high gradients for an extended period of time. 

2. Shorter Workout

Similarly to running uphill outdoors, running on an incline can cause you to become tired faster.  Again, you will want to make sure you’re using the recommended 1 to 2% incline. This incline range is not steep enough to cause you to become significantly tired has compared to a 10% or 12% inclines.  In many situations, this recommended incline allows you to run longer because your legs will not hurt as much as the simulated 0% downhill slope. However, once you get above a 2% incline, this gradient will start to make your legs more tired and can result in a shorter workout.  If you are training for a long-distance race, you will want to maintain a low percent incline so that you can maximize your long run workout.

3. Less Speed Training

In addition to a shorter workout, increasing your treadmill incline will cause you to run slower.  If you’re trying to work on your speed and turnover, you will want to be cautious of how much incline you are using.  A key tip to remember is that the higher the incline you run at, the slower your turnover will be. Even as little as a 0.5 increase on incline can cause your turnover to become much slower.  If you decide to do a workout with a high percent incline, make sure to also incorporate a fast, low percent incline into your workout. This will allow your legs to build strength on the uphill section while also getting them used to a faster turnover.

The Perfect 24 Minute Treadmill Workout Using Incline

While there are many great treadmill workouts, I have found an amazing workout that combines hill and speed training.  The nice thing about treadmill workouts is that they could be tailored to your specific speed and running level. Use the recommended workout below and adjust it to your personal speed and effort level.  Each time you do this workout try to increase your speed in each section to get faster over time.

Table 1. The Perfect 24 Minute Treadmill Workout

Verdict

When running on a treadmill, the recommended percent incline is 1 to 2%.  This incline range allows you to simulate an outdoor run by using treadmill gradient to account for the amount of wind resistance you would experience while running outdoors.  As long as you avoid extremely high incline percentages, using incline on the treadmill will help you build strength while also giving you a realistic running experience.