How To Give Your Treadmill Workout a Boost

Cardio exercise is an effective method of weight loss, making treadmills popular choices of gym equipment. They’re easy to use; they allow you to customize your workout; and they can even provide you with a full workout from the comfort of your own home. Running in place doesn’t have to be boring or repetitive—here’s how to give your treadmill workout a boost to keep yourself challenged and engaged.

Try Interval Training

For a more intensive routine, break up the monotony by doing different intervals of speeds. For example, a routine could consist of:

• A warmup up with a brisk walk, working up to a light jog for 10 minutes;
• Running up to 10 miles per hour for one minute;
• Walking between three and four miles per hour for two minutes;
• Repeating this cycle seven more times for eight total cycles; and
• Walking for five minutes before stretching and re-hydrating.

If this routine is not sufficiently challenging for you, try adjusting the intervals to find something more to your liking and that pushes your limits.

Try Preset Routes

If you’re not familiar with creating your own route, your home gym treadmill may include preset routines already programmed into the machine. These will provide you with options such as hills or trail running for a varied experience and for new challenges to keep you motivated.

Try Adding an Incline

A great way to give your treadmill workout a boost is to use inclines. Inclines will simulate running up and down hills, which makes use of your glute and hamstring muscles far more than running on a flat surface. An example of this workout would be:

• A five- to ten-minute warmup jog;
• Running at a 0.5% incline for one minute;
• Running at a 2% incline for one minute;
• Running at a 0.5% incline for one minute;
• Running at a 3% incline for one minute;
• Continuing to go up and down until you reach a 5% incline; and
• Repeating in reverse.

Try Going for Distance

Nothing makes a workout feel like a drag more than watching the timer slowly tick downward as you try to endure until it finally hits zero. Instead, give yourself something to work toward by trying to reach a certain distance instead of a time limit. This way, you can run a pace that’s consistent and natural to you. It doesn’t matter how long your workout takes as long as you reach that distance milestone. Gradually, you’ll begin to see improvements such as being able to run faster and reaching your goal sooner.