Treadmill with Incline: Benefits, How It Works and What to Look For

In short

A treadmill with incline allows you to simulate walking or running uphill. By adjusting the incline, you can increase the intensity of your workout without automatically having to walk or run faster. The incline and treadmill that suit you best depend on your training goal and fitness level.

What is a treadmill with incline?

A treadmill with incline is a treadmill where the running surface can be angled upwards. This allows you to simulate walking or running uphill. Depending on the model, the treadmill has either a fixed incline or an incline level that you can adjust yourself.

Incline is usually displayed as a percentage. An incline of 5%, for example, means that the running surface rises by 5 metres over a horizontal distance of 100 metres. An incline percentage is therefore not the same as the angle in degrees.

With a manually adjustable incline, you adjust the position yourself, usually before you start your workout. An automatic incline function can be increased or decreased during your workout using the treadmill controls. This allows you to adjust your workout using both speed and incline.

Incline percentage	Angle in degrees (approx.)
2%	1.1°
3%	1.7°
4%	2.3°
5%	2.9°
6%	3.4°
9%	5.1°

What does treadmill incline do to your body?

When you increase the incline on a treadmill, you move not only forwards but also upwards. As a result, your body has to work harder against gravity with every step than when walking or running on a flat surface. This makes the same speed more physically demanding without requiring you to increase your pace.

You notice this additional load in several ways. Your leg muscles have to produce more force to move your body upwards, while your heart and lungs also have to work harder as the effort increases. How significant the difference is depends on factors such as the incline level, your speed, workout duration and fitness level.

This combination is exactly what makes the incline function useful: you can adjust the intensity of a workout by varying not only your speed but also the elevation. Below, we explain separately what this means for your muscles, fitness and energy expenditure.

What are the benefits of a treadmill with incline?

The main benefit of a treadmill with incline is that it gives you more ways to adjust the intensity of your workout. Instead of only increasing your speed, you can also change the incline level. This allows you to make a walking or running session more challenging while continuing to move at a pace that feels comfortable for you.

The main benefits are:

Benefit	What does this mean during your workout?
More intense training	You can increase the training load without relying solely on a higher speed.
Greater muscle activation	Moving uphill requires additional effort from several muscles in your lower body.
Higher cardiovascular load	As the effort increases, your heart and lungs also have to work harder.
Higher energy expenditure	Your body has to do additional work to move upwards against gravity.
More training variety	By alternating speed and incline, you can create different types of workouts.
Gradual progression	You can increase the incline step by step as a workout becomes easier for you.

A treadmill with incline is therefore not only useful for intensive running sessions. You can also use the incline function while walking to adjust the load to your level and training goal. The size of the effect depends on factors such as your chosen speed, incline level, workout duration and fitness level.

Which muscles do you train with incline on a treadmill?

When you walk or run uphill, the muscles in your lower body have to work harder to move your body both forwards and upwards. Your glutes, hamstrings, thigh muscles and calves are particularly involved. Your core helps to keep your body stable while you move.

Muscle group	Role when walking or running on an incline
Glutes	Help extend the hip and move your body upwards.
Hamstrings	Support movement from the hip and bending of the knee.
Quadriceps	Help extend and stabilise the knee with every step.
Calves	Generate force during push-off and help move your body upwards.
Core	Helps keep your torso stable while walking or running.

How strongly these muscles are activated depends on factors such as the incline level, speed and the way you walk or run. A higher incline therefore does not automatically mean a better workout. It is more important to choose an incline that allows you to continue moving in a controlled way with good posture.

Walking or running on an incline can therefore activate your muscles more, but it is not the same as strength training. If you specifically want to build muscle mass or maximum strength, targeted strength training remains important.

Is walking on an incline good for your fitness?

Yes, walking on an incline can be an effective way to improve your fitness. As the effort becomes more demanding, your heart and lungs have to work harder to transport enough oxygen to the active muscles. This increases the cardiovascular load of your workout.

This effect has also been studied scientifically. Research shows that both heart rate and oxygen uptake increased progressively when treadmill incline was increased from 5% to 7.5% and 10% (Hooper et al., 2004). This shows that incline level affects cardiovascular load while walking.

For improving your fitness, however, this does not mean that the highest possible incline is automatically better. The right intensity depends on your fitness level, speed and training goal. Build up the load gradually and choose a level that you can maintain in a controlled way.

Do you burn more calories on a treadmill with incline?

Yes, walking or running on an incline can cause you to burn more calories than exercising at the same speed on a flat surface. On an incline, your body has to move not only forwards but also upwards. This requires additional energy.

Exactly how many calories you burn varies from person to person and from workout to workout. Factors such as your body weight, speed, incline percentage and workout duration all play a role. There is therefore no fixed percentage that can tell you exactly how many additional calories you burn by using an incline.

If you want to lose weight, training on an incline can help increase your energy expenditure during a workout. However, incline alone does not cause weight loss. Ultimately, your total energy expenditure, diet and amount of physical activity over a longer period all play an important role.

The table below provides an estimate of energy expenditure for a person weighing 70 kg who walks for 30 minutes at a speed of 5 km/h.

The estimates were calculated using the ACSM formula, a calculation model for estimating energy expenditure while walking. The calculations include total energy expenditure during the workout, including resting energy expenditure.

Incline	Estimated calorie expenditure in 30 minutes
0% (flat)	Approx. 124 kcal
2%	Approx. 156 kcal
3%	Approx. 172 kcal
4%	Approx. 187 kcal
5%	Approx. 203 kcal
6%	Approx. 219 kcal
9%	Approx. 266 kcal

Source: calculated with the ACSM walking equation (American College of Sports Medicine, ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription), for 70 kg, 5 km/h and 30 minutes, with 1 litre of oxygen ≈ 5 kcal.

These are calculation examples, not exact measurements. Your actual energy expenditure may vary due to factors such as your walking technique, fitness level and use of the handrails.

Want to know approximately how many calories you burn during different treadmill workouts? Read our blog How many calories do you burn on a treadmill with incline?

Walking on an incline or walking faster: what is the difference?

If you want to make a walking workout more intense, you can either increase your speed or add incline. In both cases, the workout becomes more challenging, but the way your body is loaded differs.

When you walk faster, you cover more distance in the same amount of time and have to maintain a higher walking pace. When walking on an incline, your speed can remain the same, but you have to move upwards with every step. This allows you to increase the effort without having to keep walking faster.

	Walking faster	Walking on an incline
Speed	Higher walking pace	Can remain the same
Adjusting the load	By walking faster	By increasing the incline percentage
Movement	Mainly forwards	Forwards and upwards
Suitable for	Training pace and walking speed	Increasing intensity without having to walk faster

Which option suits you best depends on your training goal and preference. You also do not have to choose between the two. On a treadmill with adjustable incline, you can adjust speed and incline independently to create different types of walking workouts.

What incline should you use on a treadmill?

The right treadmill incline depends on your fitness, experience and training goal. There is therefore no single incline percentage that is best for everyone. Are you just starting to train with incline? Start low and only increase the incline once you can continue walking comfortably and in a controlled way.

A slight incline may already be enough to get used to walking uphill. If you want to make your workout more challenging, you can then gradually increase the incline. Do not focus only on the percentage shown on the display, but especially on how you move. If you can no longer maintain your normal walking technique or constantly need to lean on the handrails, the chosen combination of speed and incline is probably too demanding.

The options available also vary by treadmill. The Sportconic S7 Walking Pad, for example, has a fixed incline of 5%. If you want more variation during your workouts, the P106FA Pro offers an adjustable incline of up to 9%. The T140 and T155 offer different incline settings, allowing you to adjust the load for different workouts.

Sportconic Insight: Do not look only at the maximum incline of a treadmill. Think mainly about how you want to use the incline. If you want to regularly vary the intensity during your workouts, an adjustable incline offers more options. If you mainly use the treadmill for daily walks, a fixed incline may be sufficient.

More incline is therefore not automatically better. Later in this guide, we compare Sportconic treadmills with incline so you can see which model best matches your training goal.

How do you walk correctly on an incline?

A higher incline only really adds value if you can continue walking comfortably and in a controlled way. Keep your body in as natural a walking posture as possible, look forwards and try not to force your stride to adapt to the incline. Increase the incline gradually and adjust your speed when necessary.

Try not to lean on the handrails constantly

Handrails are important for additional support and safety, for example when stepping on and off the treadmill or when you temporarily need more balance. However, try not to constantly support your body weight on the handrails while walking when this is not necessary. Doing so supports part of your body weight and changes the way you perform the workout.

Do you notice that you need the handrails to maintain the selected incline? First reduce the incline or speed until you can walk comfortably and in a controlled way again. Safety is always more important than achieving the highest possible incline percentage.

Build up speed and incline step by step

Ideally, do not change everything at once. For example, start at a speed that feels comfortable and then gradually add incline. This makes it easier to notice how a change in incline percentage affects the intensity of your workout.

Ultimately, a good setting is not the highest level you can maintain, but a combination of speed and incline that allows you to complete your workout with stable posture and controlled movement.

What is the 12-3-30 treadmill workout?

During the 12-3-30 workout, you walk for 30 minutes at a 12% incline and a speed of 3 miles per hour, approximately 4.8 km/h. It is an intensive walking workout in which the incline is the main factor increasing the effort.

Are you just starting to walk on an incline? You do not have to start with the full 12-3-30 workout straight away. Choose a lower incline or shorter duration first and build up gradually. Reduce the intensity if you can no longer walk in a controlled way.

Want to try the 12-3-30 workout? You can also adapt the workout to the capabilities of your treadmill. With the Sportconic P106FA Pro, which has an adjustable incline of up to 9%, you can, for example, maintain the same speed and workout duration while adjusting the incline to your level. This allows you to benefit from walking on an incline and gradually build up the intensity without needing the full 12% incline.

What should you look for when buying a treadmill with incline?

When choosing a treadmill with incline, the maximum incline percentage is not the only important factor. Also consider the following features:

Incline adjustment: check whether the incline is fixed, manually adjustable or automatically adjustable. If you want to change the incline during your workout, it is important that you can adjust it without stopping. Also check which incline settings are available.

Motor power: choose a motor that is suitable for how you plan to use the treadmill, whether you mainly walk or also run regularly. Do not look only at the stated power, but also at the intended use.

Maximum user weight: check whether the permitted maximum user weight is sufficient for the person who will be using the treadmill.

Running surface dimensions: a sufficiently long and wide running surface gives you enough room to move comfortably, especially when taking longer strides or running.

Shock absorption: look at the cushioning of the running surface and whether it feels comfortable while walking or running.

Noise level: take into account both the sound of the motor and your footsteps, especially when using the treadmill at home.

Foldability: check whether the treadmill can be folded and how much space it takes up during use and storage.

Which treadmill with incline is right for you?

Which treadmill with incline suits you best mainly depends on how you want to train. Do you mainly want to walk, regularly vary the incline or also be able to jog and run? Do not look only at the maximum incline percentage, but also at the speed, running surface and how you want to use the incline.

Training goal	Sportconic model	Incline	Why this choice?
Daily walking	S7 Walking Pad	Fixed 5% incline	A compact choice for daily walks when you do not need adjustable incline.
Walking and varying the incline	P106FA Pro	Up to 9%	Gives you more freedom to adjust the incline and gradually build up your walking workouts.
Walking, jogging and running	T140	2%, 4% and 6%	Suitable if you want to combine different types of training and switch between several incline settings.
Regular and more intensive running	T155	3% and 6%	Suitable for more intensive running workouts and also offers a larger running surface.

The highest incline does not automatically make a treadmill the best choice. A model should primarily suit the way you want to train. By comparing incline, speed, running surface and intended use together, you can choose a treadmill that not only suits your current level but also offers enough options as your training changes.

Not sure which model suits you best? Answer a few short questions in our interactive treadmill finder and receive personalised advice that matches your preferences and the way you train.

Frequently asked questions about treadmills with incline

Is a treadmill with incline better than a treadmill without incline?

Not automatically. A treadmill with incline mainly gives you more ways to vary your workout. In addition to speed, you can adjust the incline level to change the training load. If you only want to walk calmly on a flat surface, you may not always need this additional option.

Is a treadmill with incline suitable for beginners?

Yes. As a beginner, you can start with a low incline and gradually increase it as you get used to it. Always choose a combination of speed and incline that allows you to continue walking comfortably and in a controlled way.

Is a higher maximum incline always better?

No. A higher maximum incline gives you more options for variation, but it is only valuable if you actually use it. When choosing a treadmill, do not focus only on the maximum incline percentage, but mainly on your training goal and the way you want to train.

Can you use a treadmill with incline without the incline?

That depends on the type of treadmill. With a treadmill that has adjustable incline, you can usually also train on a flat surface and only use the incline when you want to. If a treadmill has a fixed incline, the running surface always remains at the same angle. When choosing a treadmill, therefore, do not only consider the maximum incline percentage, but also how the incline can be adjusted.

Can you run on a treadmill with incline?

Yes, provided that the treadmill is suitable for running and the combination of speed and incline matches your level. Not every treadmill with incline is automatically designed for higher running speeds. Also consider features such as maximum speed, running surface and treadmill stability.

Sources

• Hooper, T.L., Dunn, D.M., Props, J.E., Bruce, B.A., Sawyer, S.F. & Daniel, J.A. (2004). The effects of graded forward and backward walking on heart rate and oxygen consumption. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 34(2), 65–71. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15029939/
• American College of Sports Medicine. ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription (metabolic equation for walking).

Conclusion

A treadmill with incline gives you more ways to adjust the intensity and variety of your workouts. Whether you mainly walk or also want to jog and run, the right incline is not necessarily the highest setting, but a level that suits your fitness, training goal and the way you move.

When choosing a treadmill, do not focus only on the maximum incline percentage. Speed, running surface, incline adjustability and the type of training you want to do also determine which treadmill is right for you.

Want to know which model best suits your situation? Explore our range of treadmills or read our complete buying guide to choosing the best treadmill for home use.