When I was undergoing three months of physical therapy to learn to walk again, my physical therapist had me walk on an incline treadmill at the start of almost every session. One of my favorite walking trails to take my two little dogs has an area where you have to walk uphill, and I can definitely feel my heart rate going up, and I require more energy to get to the top. Walking is good news for your blood sugar, brain health, and overall wellness, and walking on an incline also provides benefits. So, which burns more calories? What are the evidence-based benefits of incline walking?
With the rising popularity of the 12-3-30 incline treadmill workout, I was curious to learn more about the science behind incline walking. Let’s check out some of the research.
Incline walking increases calorie-burning
The exact number of calories you burn depends on factors like your body weight and the type of movement you’re doing. Walking or running on an incline increases the intensity of the movement, which also typically increases the number of calories burned. Researchers have found that incline walking requires more energy compared to walking on a flat surface.
The steeper the gradient, the more energy or calories required to continue walking, which means that it’s likely you’ll burn more calories walking at a higher incline. Burning more calories could promote weight loss.
Increasing the metabolic energy cost
Researchers revealed that when compared to walking on flat ground, walking at a 10% gradient increased the metabolic energy cost by 22.9%. Walking at a 16% gradient increased the metabolic energy cost by 44.2%. The gradient refers to the incline or the steepness of the treadmill or the ground underneath your feet. With a 6% grade on a road sign, for example, the elevation of the road increases by 6 feet for every 100 feet of horizontal distance covered.
When you’re running or walking outside, the terrain usually changes more frequently, whereas if you’re walking on a treadmill, you can control the incline.
Ramping up your heart rate
Researchers found that incline treadmill walking at 10% and 16% gradients more effectively targeted heart rate and full-body muscles compared to walking at 0%.
Work your lower body muscles
Studies show that incline walking may be more effective for targeting lower-body muscles, such as the hamstrings, quadriceps, and calves. Strengthening and working these muscles can help your knee health by relieving some of the pressure on your knees when walking and running. Incline walking really activates those muscles in your calves.
12-3-30 workout
If you want to try the popular 12-3-30 workout, set the treadmill to a 12% incline and walk for 30 minutes at a pace of 3 miles per hour, hence the name, 12-3-30. The idea is to avoid holding on to the handrails.
