Most people buying a treadmill want one with an incline (also called treadmill elevation).
Walking on an incline burns up to 2X more calories than walking on a flat plan. So you can get faster results by building incline walking into your workouts.
It used to be that incline on a treadmill was a bonus feature. However today, most motorized treadmills come with an incline option.
The difference seems to be in the amount of elevation available.
If you're looking for an economy treadmill (under $1000) you'll probably find most treadmills only come with a 10% incline.
When you get into the mid-priced treadmills you'll start to see elevations of 12-15%. And in most premium treadmills you'll find inclines of mostly 15%.
If you're in top shape and really want a challenge, then you'll probably want a 15% incline. However if you just want a treadmill for gentle walking, a 10% incline might suit you perfectly.
(For some of the best incline treadmill reviews in all price ranges, check out our Best Treadmill Buys.)
Of course, the mother of incline machines is the incline trainer treadmill. These machines give you up to 30% incline. You can burn as much as 3 times the calories or approximately 500 calories in 20 minutes and super-charge your workout results.
You've probably heard about the Bowflex Treadclimber. This is one version of an incline tread mill. Nordic Track also has an incline trainer available that lets you walk on inclines of up to 30%. It also doubles as a treadmill and also gives you upper body arm cables.
So what are the benefits to high treadmill inclines?
Walking on an incline can help super-blast your calorie burn. You can burn up to twice or even 3 times the calories by walking on an incline vs. walking on a level surface.
Plus if you're looking to build intervals into your workout, walking on an incline for 30 seconds to 2 minutes can be a great way to interval train and boost your calorie burning after working out.
So in general an incline on a treadmill is a great tool to have. It can help you get in shape and burn calories much faster than simply walking on a level surface.
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