If you're like me, you've probably got a treadmill in your home gym and don't use it as often as you should. It's an easy way to get some cardio without paying for a gym membership or worrying about traffic—but the problem is that treadmills aren't very fun. They're boring! If you want to add some variety to your workouts and challenge yourself with a more intense routine, here are six ways that treadmill users can incorporate high-intensity interval training into their routines:
Warm Up
It's important to warm up before you start a high-intensity treadmill workout. This will increase your heart rate and prepare your body for the workout. You can warm up on the treadmill or outside--it doesn't matter which way you choose as long as you do some light exercise for 5-10 minutes before starting your high-intensity interval training session.
Interval Training
Interval training is a great way to mix up your treadmill workouts. Thanks to its high-intensity levels, it's also one of the most effective ways to burn fat and improve fitness.
Interval training involves alternating periods of intense exercise with periods of rest, which allows you to work at an elevated heart rate for longer than if you were running at a steady pace for the same amount of time. This workout style gets its name from this "interval" between periods when you're working out hard, then taking breaks before starting again--it's like having multiple sprints within one run!
In addition to burning more calories than other types of exercise, interval training has been shown in studies conducted by researchers at McMaster University in Canada (and others) that it leads directly to improved health benefits such as lower blood pressure levels and reduced risk factors related specifically towards diabetes development among other things too long list here so let's just say there are many reasons why we should all incorporate some kind form into our lives!
Ladders
Ladders are a great way to get your heart rate up and burn a ton of calories in a short amount of time. They're also easy to do, which makes them an ideal option for treadmill workouts.
Ladder workouts involve alternating between high-intensity and low-intensity intervals--in other words, running fast followed by walking slowly or jogging at an easy pace. The length of each interval can vary depending on your fitness level; however, they typically last anywhere from 10 seconds to 1 minute (or even longer).
During the high-intensity portions of ladders, you'll want to run at an intensity that feels challenging but sustainable throughout your entire workout--this will help ensure that you don't fatigue too quickly during these periods!
Hill Sprints
Hill sprints are a great way to build speed, strength, and power. They're also one of the best ways to improve your running form. You can use them as part of any training program that involves running on flat surfaces and hilly terrain.
To do hill sprints: Find an incline about 15 degrees steep (about 2 meters vertical rise per 10 meters horizontal distance). Run up it at a fast pace for 10 seconds, then walk back down slowly for 1 minute before repeating another set of 10 seconds of running followed by 1 minute of walking rest period. Repeat this cycle 3 times total--that's one round! Note: if you're feeling really strong on your first round, go ahead and add another round!
Speed Workouts
Speed workouts are the most common type of treadmill workout and can be done by anyone. Speed workouts often improve overall fitness, increase speed and endurance, lose weight, and build muscle.
Before you start your speed workout:
- Ensure that your treadmill has a speed range of 3.0 to 12 mph (to accommodate faster running speeds) or 5.0 mph (for slower running).
- If you're using an incline feature on your treadmill, ensure an incline range between 0% and 15%. You may also want one with a 1% decline option (which makes going downhill easier).
You can use your treadmill to do high-intensity intervals.
You can use your treadmill to do high-intensity intervals. This is a great way to get in shape, but it's not for the faint of heart!
- Increase the incline: If you want more of a challenge, increase the incline on your treadmill by 2 percent every 5 minutes or so until you reach 15 percent. Then hold that position for 30 seconds before returning to 0 percent and repeating this process (you may need someone else around in case something goes wrong).
- Increase speed: You can also increase speed while keeping an elevated pace by increasing 1 mph every 1 minute until reaching 6 mph, then holding that position for 30 seconds before returning down again (again, be sure someone is around in case something goes wrong). Keep repeating this process as long as possible without stopping due--and remember there are no rules here: if 12 mph sounds better than 8 mph does today, go ahead!
Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed this guide to high-intensity treadmill workouts. Finding the time and motivation to work out can be difficult, but it's important that you do. Exercise is one of the best ways to improve your health and reduce stress levels in our hectic lives today!
