Incline Treadmill Walk

A steady uphill walk on an inclined treadmill belt, keeping one foot in contact with the belt throughout so the glutes and hamstrings work hard with almost no impact.

How to do it

1. Start the belt at a slow walking speed and step on, then raise the incline to your target gradient.
2. Walk with a long, deliberate stride, rolling from heel to toe and pushing the belt away behind you with each step.
3. Stand tall and lean from the ankles with the hill rather than folding forward at the waist.
4. Keep at least one foot on the belt at all times — walk the hill, do not break into a jog.
5. Let your arms swing naturally, or rest them lightly on the rails for balance without carrying your weight on them.
6. Hold the gradient for the desired time, then lower the incline and walk level for a few minutes to finish.

Tips

• Pick a speed you can still walk at. As soon as you need a flight phase to keep up, drop the speed or the incline — it is a walk, not a run.
• Hanging your bodyweight off the handrails removes most of the work the hill is there to create; touch them for balance only.
• The steep grade is what moves the effort from the quads into the glutes and hamstrings, so raise the incline before you raise the speed.

Muscles

Primary: Glutes (max), Quadriceps

Secondary: Calves (gastrocnemius), Hamstrings, Calves (soleus)