Did you know you can have fun whilst running on a treadmill? If you get easily bored running or you are ready to supercharge your cardio sessions at the gym, then this article is for you.
Whether you are focused on losing bodyfat, improving your fitness, training for a 5k race event, or you simply love cardio workouts, there are plenty of ways to keep your treadmill workouts fun, effective and totally motivating for your routine. The answer is in variety and knowing what you want to achieve in your workouts.
There is nothing wrong with long steady cardio, there is certainly a time and place for longer running sessions, but it is not necessary. If you need a quick workout, you want to lose bodyfat, you are frustrated with not seeing results in your body shape for the goal you imagined 6 weeks ago, then adding in interval workouts are the solution for you.
Why interval workouts?
Check out this article 5 HIIT Workouts for Women to Get You Fit! to learn more about the benefits.
A pro tip for you: vary the speed and incline, and try quick effective HIIT treadmill workouts. To start having fun and feeling good on the treadmill, try one of these 5 treadmill workouts to get fit and have fun! And who knows, you may even learn to love this machine.
Workout 1: The Simple 5
Warm up: 5 minutes at a walk or gentle jog pace
Workout:
- 1 minute fast run
- 1 minute recovery jog
- repeat 5 times
Cool down: 5 minutes at a walk or gentle jog pace
Workout 2: The Incline
Warm up: 3 minutes walk or jog (3.5 – 6mph)
Workout:
- 1 min run (6-8mph)
- 1 min sprint (8.5+ mph)
- 1 min recover walk (3.5 mph)
- Incline at 2
- 1 min run (6-8mph)
- 1 min sprint (8.5+ mph)
- 1 min recover walk (3.5 mph)
- Incline at 4
- 1 min run (6-8mph)
- 1 min sprint (8.5+ mph)
- 1 min recover walk (3.5 mph)
- Incline at 6
- 1 min run (6-8mph)
- 1 min sprint (8.5+ mph)
- 1 min recover walk (3.5 mph)
Cool down: 3 to 5 minutes walk
Workout 3: The 2 Minute Wonder
Warm up: 4 minutes walk
Workout:
- 2 min uphill walk
- 2 min jog
- 2 min fast run
- 2 min jog
- 2 min uphill walk
- 2 min fast run
- 2 min jog
Cool down: 3 to 5 minutes walk
Workout 4: The Hill Blast
Warm up: 5 minutes walk or gentle jog pace
Workout:
- 1 minute: Easy pace at 4-percent incline (think warm-up speed)
- 1 minute: Moderate pace at 4-percent incline
- 1 minute: Hard pace at 4-percent incline
- 1 minute: Easy pace at 2-percent incline (think active recovery speed)
- 1 minute: Moderate pace at 2-percent incline
- 1 minute: Hard pace at 2-percent incline
- 1 minute: Easy pace at 0-percent incline
- 1 minute: Moderate pace at 0-percent incline
- 1 minute: Hard pace at 0-percent incline
- 1 minute: Recovery jog or walk at 0-percent incline
Cool down: 3 to 5 minutes walk
Workout 5: The Sprint Beast
Warm up: 5 to 10 minutes walk or gentle jog
Workout:
- 15 second sprint (you shouldn’t be able to maintain your pace for much longer at this speed)
- 1 to 2 minute recovery: slow to a moderate walk or jog
- Repeat this for 15 to 20 minutes
Cool down: 5 minutes walk or gentle jog
Mix up your regular running routine with interval workouts to have fun whilst working out. Running on a treadmill doesn’t have to be boring, surprisingly it can be enjoyable whilst getting the results you want for your health and fitness.
Give these workouts a go at the gym this week!
Rebecca is a personal trainer and health & wellness coach who is passionate about helping women to feel healthy, happy and LOVE life. As a coach with a huge passion for vegan nutrition, holistic health, enjoying exercise and self care, Rebecca is on a mission to help women thrive!
