Will Walking on a Treadmill Tone My Legs?

Looking to tone up your legs and achieve your ideal summer body? You might think you have to get yourself a fully kitted out home gym and weights set to be able to strengthen your legs properly. But depending on your goals, a simple treadmill can achieve some impressive results in no time.

By understanding the key muscle groups and knowing how to structure your workout for maximum pay-off, you’ll be working your way towards lower-body perfection.

How Treadmill Workouts Engage Your Leg Muscles

When you walk, jog or run on a treadmill, your legs are in constant motion, and multiple muscles are being activated. By focusing on your legs, specifically, you can achieve toned thighs, calves and glutes. Here’s how different treadmill exercises engage your leg muscles:

• Walking or Running on a Flat Surface: This targets your calves, quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes, though less intensely than incline workouts.
• Incline Walking or Running: Increasing the incline on the treadmill activates more of those leg muscles, but more intensely.
• Speed Work or Sprint Intervals: High-intensity intervals push all your leg muscles to their limits, offering both toning and endurance benefits.

Key Muscle Groups Activated

Calves

Your calves (the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles) play a pivotal role when you push off the ground during walking or running. Each time your foot lifts off the treadmill belt, your calves are engaged. For toning the calves, running at higher speeds or walking on an incline can offer significant results by increasing the demand on these muscles.

Quadriceps

The quadriceps, located at the front of your thighs, are essential for extending your knees and stabilising your legs. When walking or running, especially at higher speeds or inclines, your quads are heavily engaged. They assist with the push-off motion and help you maintain stability while moving. Treadmill workouts that involve uphill walking or running are especially effective for toning the quads.

Hamstrings

The hamstrings (located at the back of your thighs) are crucial for pulling your leg back during each stride. These muscles work with the quadriceps to allow fluid movement, making them vital for balanced leg toning. Uphill walking or running further engages the hamstrings, leading to stronger and more defined legs.

Glutes

The glute muscles are essential for posture and balance. Walking or running on an incline specifically activates the glutes. The more you increase the incline, the more these muscles are engaged. Toning the glutes helps improve overall posture and adds to your leg muscle definition.

Best Treadmill Workouts for Toning Legs

Beginner-Friendly Walking Routines

1. Warm-up: Start by walking at a moderate pace for 5-10 minutes.
2. Main Exercise: Walk at a brisk pace, adjusting the incline between 1-5%. Alternate between flat surfaces and slight inclines.
3. Cooldown: End with a 5-minute walk at a slower pace to relax your muscles.

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) for Advanced Users

For more advanced users, HIIT on the treadmill can give your legs an explosive workout. The high-intensity intervals push your leg muscles to their limits. Try the following routine:

1. Warm-up: 5 minutes of easy walking or light jogging.
2. Main Exercise: Alternate 30-second sprints at a fast pace (or incline) with 90 seconds of slower walking or jogging. Repeat for 15-20 minutes.
3. Cooldown: Slow down to a gentle pace for 5 minutes.

Steady-State Incline Walking 

Maintaining a consistent pace while walking on a moderate to high incline can target the calves, quadriceps and glutes, strengthening and toning your legs. Try the following routine:

1. Warm-up: 5 minutes of walking at a low incline (0-3%).
2. Main Exercise: Increase the incline to 5-12%, maintaining a steady pace that challenges you but still allows for conversation.
3. Cooldown: Walk at a low incline to recover.

Sprint Intervals for Explosive Leg Power

For fast results, alternate between short, intense sprints and recovery periods. Sprint intervals are fantastic for working your legs explosively, engaging all major leg muscles. Try:

1. Warm-up: 5 minutes of light walking or jogging.
2. Main Exercise: Sprint for 20 seconds at a high intensity, followed by 40-60 seconds of slower walking. Repeat for 15-20 minutes.
3. Cooldown: Slow down for 5 minutes to relax.

Tips for Maximising Toning Results on a Treadmill

Incorporate Regular Incline Adjustments

By adjusting the incline, you can target different leg muscles, especially the calves, hamstrings and glutes. Aim for at least 10-15 minutes of incline walking or running to challenge your legs.

Maintain Proper Posture Throughout Your Workout

Keep your back straight, shoulders relaxed and core engaged. Proper posture ensures that your leg muscles are activated efficiently and prevents strain.

Add Weighted Accessories for Extra Resistance

Consider adding light ankle weights or holding small dumbbells during your treadmill workout to increase resistance and boost leg toning.

enefits Beyond Toned Legs

Aside from toning your legs, treadmill workouts offer numerous other health benefits, such as:

1. Improved cardiovascular health: Walking, jogging or running on a treadmill strengthens your heart and circulatory system.
2. Increased endurance: Regular treadmill workouts improve your stamina, allowing you to exercise longer without getting tired.
3. Calorie burning: Treadmill exercises help you burn calories, contributing to overall fat loss and better muscle definition.

How to Measure Progress and Stay Motivated

Tracking your progress is essential to staying motivated. Measure improvements by checking your leg strength, endurance and visual muscle definition. Take progress photos regularly, and keep track of your speed, incline and workout duration.

Choosing the Best Treadmill for Leg Toning

To maximise leg toning, it’s best to choose a treadmill with adjustable incline and speed settings. These features allow you to customise your workouts to target different muscles. If you're ready to invest in a treadmill that can help tone your legs, check out our collection of treadmills for the perfect machine tailored to your needs.