See what your treadmill incline is worth. Enter speed, incline, weight and time to get the flat-ground pace with the same effort, calories burned, METs and how much elevation you climbed.
Last updated:
%
min
Gait
Enter your values to see the result.
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How to use the Treadmill Incline Calculator
Enter your treadmill speed and choose mph or km/h.
Enter the incline percentage shown on the treadmill.
Add your weight and workout time.
Pick walking or running, or leave it on Auto.
Read the flat-equivalent pace, calories and elevation, and compare other inclines in the table.
ACSM treadmill equations
Quantity
Formula
Walking VO₂ (ml/kg/min)
0.1 × S + 1.8 × S × G + 3.5
Running VO₂ (ml/kg/min)
0.2 × S + 0.9 × S × G + 3.5
METs
VO₂ ÷ 3.5
Calories per minute
VO₂ × body mass (kg) ÷ 1000 × 5
Flat-equivalent speed
(VO₂ − 3.5) ÷ 0.1 (walking) or ÷ 0.2 (running)
Vertical gain
distance × G ÷ √(1 + G²)
S is speed in metres per minute (1 mph = 26.82 m/min, 1 km/h = 16.67 m/min) and G is the grade as a decimal (10% = 0.10). About 5 kcal are burned per litre of oxygen.
Running pace equivalents on an incline
Flat-ground pace with the same effort, from the ACSM running equation.
Treadmill speed
0%
2%
4%
6%
8%
5 mph (12:00 /mi)
12:00
11:01
10:10
9:27
8:49
6 mph (10:00 /mi)
10:00
9:10
8:28
7:52
7:21
7 mph (8:34 /mi)
8:34
7:52
7:16
6:45
6:18
8 mph (7:30 /mi)
7:30
6:53
6:21
5:54
5:31
Frequently asked questions
How is the equivalent flat pace calculated?
The calculator finds the oxygen cost of your speed and incline with the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) equations, then solves for the flat-ground speed with the same oxygen cost. For running, VO₂ = 0.2·S + 0.9·S·G + 3.5, so each 1% of grade adds 4.5% to the equivalent speed.
How many calories does walking on an incline burn?
It depends on speed, grade, weight and time. A 160 lb (72.6 kg) person walking 3.5 mph at 10% for 30 minutes burns about 324 kcal by the ACSM walking equation, more than twice the 140 kcal of the same walk on the flat.
Should I set the treadmill to 1% incline?
A 1% grade is often used to make treadmill running feel closer to outdoor running, because there is no air resistance indoors. Research by Jones and Doust (1996) found that 1% best matched the energy cost of outdoor running at speeds from about 6.5 to 11 mph (2.92–5.0 m/s).
What does incline percent mean on a treadmill?
Incline percent is the grade: the rise divided by the horizontal distance, times 100. A 10% incline rises 10 m for every 100 m forward, which is an angle of about 5.7°.
How much elevation do I gain on a treadmill?
Vertical gain is about distance × grade. Walking 1.75 miles (2.82 km) at 10% climbs about 280 m (920 ft), roughly 90 floors of stairs.
How accurate are these numbers?
The ACSM equations estimate steady-state oxygen cost for average adults and are accurate to within roughly ±10% for most people. Holding the handrails lowers the real effort considerably, so the estimates assume hands-free walking or running.
Walking or running: which equation is used?
Auto uses the walking equation below 4.5 mph (7.2 km/h) and the running equation at or above it. Between about 3.7 and 5 mph either can apply, so choose the gait you actually use.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.