3 Ways to Train Harder on a Treadmill
iStock/Thinkstock It might be best known as a warm-up, a cool down, or a last resort when all of the ellipticals are taken, but the treadmill is making a comeback: In fact, the machines account for nearly 60 percent of annual home fitness equipment sales , according to the most recent data from the National Sporting Goods Association. And a few trendy gyms are getting in on the action with group treadmill classes like Tread and Shred at Equinox and Tread Bootcamp at Crunch Gyms. Here’s why you might want to give this throwback another go: Treadmills allow you to customize your workout, speed, and terrain in a way that just isn’t possible on a trail , says Jessica Matthews, M.S. an exercise physiologist with the American Council on Exercise (ACE). With a few buttons you can switch it up and challenge your body in new ways—which makes it an essential tool for staying fit. What's more, treadmills tend to calculate the number of calories you burn with more precision than o...