Treadmills are one of the best cardio equipment around. At the turn of the switch all you need to do is either walk or run and you're on your way to a great fat-burning session. Add in some music and you're on the road to boosting your metabolism for one great aerobic exercise workout. Treadmill workouts are effective for cardiovascular fitness and since they can be done at the comfort of your own home, treadmills are among the most widely purchased fitness equipment in the market. Working out on a treadmill has been widely acknowledged to be effective for melting away those extra pounds, but an oft-asked question is this: Can a treadmill be used for toning the muscles in the body? For a machine that's been touted as commonly used for cardiovascular fitness, the answer may come as a bit of a pleasant surprise.

Yes, toning with a treadmill is possible. It is especially beneficial for shaping the legs-- from glutes to quads to thighs to calves. To get great-looking glutes, try doing a treadmill workout by warming up your body while walking for about five minutes. Then, at an incline of about five percent, walk for seven minutes and run for three minutes. Do this for about five times. End your session with a cool down exercise by setting the treadmill at no-incline and walking for about five minutes. Keep your quads looking lean and mean by simulating a hill running workout at five percent incline on the treadmill. Incorporate 90 second sprints into any of your treadmill workouts to give your thighs and quads that toned look. For stronger calves that can kick butt, set the treadmill at a steep incline (what you are most comfortable with) and do brisk walking at that particular slope for at least fifteen minutes. This should really tighten those calves to give you the shapeliest legs possible.

The above exercises on toning with a treadmill are obviously meant for lower body workouts. What about for the upper body? Can the treadmill do the same? Since there is no provision in a treadmill for an upper body toning regimen, you're just going to have to get a little bit more creative. You can still experience the treadmill's toning benefits by bringing free weights, such as three to five pound dumbbells, as you run or walk during your lower body exercises. This requires a bit more stamina, endurance and more balance on your part, but the results are well worth it. If you are a beginner in treadmill training workouts, it would be advisable to focus on your running or walking regimen first before attempting to incorporate weights into your routine. Make sure that you have a good pair of cross-trainers on so you won't slip from the treadmill easily and get injured. Observe good posture and fluid strides to maintain good balance and obtain the maximum benefits form toning with a treadmill.

The treadmill is not just a cardiovascular fitness equipment. It's perfect for toning the body as well.