Jogging certainly burns more calories than walking, but you can actually burn more calories by making small changes to your walking pattern. By adding a little bit of intensity and changing up the pace, you can burn even more calories than if you were jogging at a consistent speed. So, next time you hit the pavement, don’t be afraid to mix things up and really challenge yourself!
When it comes to running vs incline walking, which is a better workout? If you’re trying to figure out which form of exercise offers more benefits, or are looking for a way to lose some weight, keep reading. Incline walking and running are both excellent exercises that can help improve your overall health. However, they each have their own unique benefits.
Before you start upping your daily steps, it’s crucial to make sure you have the right shoes to protect your joints. Without proper footwear, you may experience pain in your knees, hips, and back. Investing in a good pair of walking shoes will help you avoid any potential discomfort and injuries.
If you want to know which form of exercise is better for you or how to lose weight, we’ve got you covered here.
RUNNING VS INCLINE WALKING: WHICH IS EASIER?
As we’ve heard, you can walk on an incline or find a hill outdoors to get a great cardio workout. Likewise, you can run outside or at home on a running machine to get your heart pumping.
There’s no need to choose between running and incline walking – both are great for your cardiovascular system and will help to improve your heart and lung health! However, walking on an incline is far kinder on the joints and may be a better option for anyone who is new to running or has knee issues. Walking on an incline can help reduce the impact on the knees, which may be beneficial for people who are just starting out with running or have knee problems.
When it comes to deciding between running and walking, it depends on your fitness level. If you’re new to running, you may want to build your stamina and endurance up first by walking on an incline. This will help prepare your body for the impact of running and make the transition easier.
RUNNING VS INCLINE WALKING: BURNING CALORIES
Depending on your velocity, walking up an incline can be nearly as efficacious as running on a level plane. The more incline gradient you have on the treadmill, the more energy your body has to expend. This helps boost calorie burn significantly.
If you’ll notice speed walkers have the lowest body fat percentage of any athlete competing in the Olympics. Their low body fat percentage gives them an advantage in speed and endurance. This is because their sport requires them to be lean and efficient in order to move quickly. A heart-pumping walk at a fast pace or on an incline helps your body to most effectively use fats for energy.
If you want to burn a lot of calories, running at a moderate pace is also a great way to do it. Your body will use more carbohydrates and fats as fuel, but you’ll still be able to keep going.
RUNNING VS INCLINE WALKING: MUSCLE BUILDING
When you walk at an incline, you add resistance to your workout. This forces your glutes and quads to work harder than they would if you were walking on a flat surface. As a result, you’ll end up with a firmer, more toned butt, and stronger thighs.
In a study that compared incline walking and running, it was found that both activities use repetitive weight-bearing movements to target the quads, glutes, and hamstrings. This research suggests that either activity could be beneficial for people who want to tone these areas of their bodies.
If you were to walk on a treadmill at a 14% incline until your legs felt heavy and you couldn’t continue, you would be experiencing a build-up of lactic acid. This is like when you lift a weight for a number of repetitions until you can no longer move the weight. This is strength training or ‘muscle building. When you lift weights, your muscles are working against gravity and growing stronger with each repetition.
Incline walking can either be a form of cardio or muscle building, depending on the gradient of the incline and your speed. If you walk at a slower pace with a steeper incline, it will be more of a cardiovascular workout. If you walk faster with a shallower incline, it will be more focused on building muscle. The gradient of your walk can impact the intensity of your workout.
If you want to build muscle through running, you can do so by sprinting until you start to slow down. This is because you’re using your muscles for a short period of time at a high intensity, which is similar to lifting a weight for a number of reps. By using your muscles for a short period of time at a high intensity, you are able to work them harder and improve your strength more effectively.
RUNNING VS INCLINE WALKING: COST
The best thing about incline walking and running is they are both free. The only potential cost is the price of a treadmill, but checking out the best treadmills guide will help you find something within your budget. Incline walking and running are great exercises to improve your cardiovascular health and lose weight.
If you’re serious about taking up walking or running as a form of exercise, then you’ll need to invest in a decent pair of shoes. If you can stretch your budget to include a fitness watch as well, then that’s even better, as it will allow you to track your progress in terms of distance covered and calories burnt, and set new goals to improve upon. Having that tangible evidence of your progress is often just the motivation you need to push yourself that little bit harder.
RUNNING VS INCLINE WALKING: BENEFITS
The benefits of exercise are far-reaching and impact both your physical and mental health. Exercise provides a host of immediate physical benefits, chief among them being a reduction in your risk of developing chronic illnesses like heart disease and osteoarthritis. In addition, regular exercise can improve your mood, cognitive function, and overall sense of well-being. When you engage in activities that make you feel good, your body releases a chemical called endorphins. This chemical provides a feeling of happiness and positivity. You might not experience the benefits of working out right away, but soon after you finish your workout, you will start to feel more energetic. As you continue to exercise regularly, your fitness level will improve and you will feel better overall.
So what are the pros and cons of getting started with incline walking vs running?
Incline walking is an excellent full-body workout that can help improve your muscular strength, especially in your legs, abs, and core. Your muscles will thank you for walking on a treadmill at an incline, as it engages and works out your hamstrings, glutes, quads, and calves. Not only will you be strengthening these important muscles, but you’ll also be toning them for a better appearance. This also means that, compared to running on the flat, you will burn more calories and body fat when you run uphill because your heart rate will be increased. If you find running to be painful or unpleasant, then incline walking is a great form of aerobic exercise for you! This type of exercise boosts both strength and endurance without placing stress on the joints, making it an excellent substitute for running for people recovering from injury. However, downhill walking can actually be quite tough on the knees due to the increased impact that occurs on a declining terrain or treadmill. In fact, the impact on the knees is three times greater than when walking on level ground.
Training on an incline or decline puts extra stress on the front and back lower leg muscles, which can lead to Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) until the body adapts to the training. DOMS usually occurs 12-24 hours after training and is characterized by muscle soreness, stiffness, and sometimes swelling. The best way to prevent DOMS is to gradually increase the intensity of your training over time. If you suffer from lower back pain, you might need to work with a physiotherapist to set an incline that doesn’t aggravate your condition. Simply put, the higher the gradient, the more strain there will be on your back and hips. Running can also be tough on your joints and bones, since every time your foot hits the ground, the force of impact carries all the way up your leg. This can lead to falls and injuries, especially if you’re not careful.
