Training on a treadmill can be monotonous or glorious, depending on how you like to enjoy running your miles, and yes, there can be pros and cons of both scenarios. When it comes to the treadmill though, there are some obvious benefits!
Treadmills have the ability to get you out of any nasty weather conditions and put you in a climate-controlled environment. These machines also allow you to set a specific speed and incline that aren’t able to be determined if you’re exercising outside. Working out on a treadmill also tends to be a bit nicer on your joints, since the belt is able to absorb shock, unlike the concrete or asphalt outside.
Let’s break down twelve different workouts that you can do on a treadmill during the holiday season to switch up your routine a bit!
Day 1: Strength Building
Lots of hills! Right under ½ hour, this strength workout starts with a 5 min warm up, then quickly increases the incline every minute (5-6 min at 2%, 6-7 min at 4%, 7-8 min at 6%, and 8-9 min at 8%) while running at a quick pace. Halfway through (9-11 min), walk slowly and catch your breath; then, repeat minutes 5-11 twice more! Remember to end with a decent 5-minute cool down to lower the heart rate and get breathing under control.
Day 2: Ladders
Set the treadmill to a comfortable working pace, then attack the ladder! 5 minutes to begin with a light warm up, then the ladder goes as follows: one minute of side shuffling with left foot leading then one minute with right foot leading, one minute of power skipping, one minute of lunges, and 1 minute of jogging. It might not seem like much, but after 3-5 rounds you’ll notice a burn, especially if you bump up the incline a bit each round! Cool down with a 5-minute walk.
Day 3: Sprint Intervals
If you’re wanting to push yourself and test those sprints, this is it! Warm up for 5 minutes at a light pace, then do a 15 second sprint at around 90% of your max running capacity. Immediately following, take a breather with a 1-minute walking break, and repeat this cycle for up to ½ hour. Slowly get your pace and breathing down with a cool down at the end.
Day 4: Steady State Walking
This type of active recovery still allows you to move, while not going at 110% on the treadmill. Pick a speed that you can sustain for ½ hour, while still getting the heart rate up and getting a sweat going. This kind of workout helps to improve overall endurance, and can beat the boredom that can follow on rest days.
Day 5: Tabata Intervals
This workout will be done in no time! Tabata intervals can be done in 4 minutes or less, so you can choose just how many rounds you want to do depending on your schedule. Warmup for 5 minutes while gradually increasing speed, then begin. Run for 20 seconds at your fastest speed, then rest for 10 seconds (you can put your feet on the sides of the treadmill for the rest). Repeat this same interval for a total of 8 times, and that will be a full four minutes of work! Do as many rounds as time allows, then slowly decrease speed to cool down.
Day 6: Sidewinder
Another workout perfect for an active recovery day or a day to just walk and work on balance and coordination. The Sidewinder involves a 5-minute warm up, followed by alternating minutes of walking forward, walking sideways with the left foot ahead, and then walking sideways with right food ahead. You can play around with the speed here, but it doesn’t need to be fast. You can hold onto the rails of the treadmill if needed for balance as well!
Day 7: Hill Endurance
It’s one thing to run for 30-45 minutes on flat ground and completely another to do it on a hill. This workout begins with a good warm up, and then begins with a minute run around a level 8 RPE. The second minute is on a 7% incline at the same RPE, and then follows with a 2-minute light run. This series of 4 minutes is repeated up to eight times, so pace yourself appropriately and be ready for a hill burn!
Day 8: Weighted Walking
Who would think that holding on to the handrails of a treadmill would be a bad thing? If they’re used for a quick moment of balance recovery, no big deal, other than that, holding on while you’re walking can lead to an underutilized core, and can initiate poor posture. That’s where a set of hand weights comes in – hold on to light dumbbells during your walk, and you’ll notice a difference in your heart rate and RPE all in one, and while getting some resistance work in at the same time!
Day 9: Speed Ladder
This ladder slowly bumps up how many minutes you’re running, then gives you the same amount of break afterwards. Start with a good warm up, then run at a moderate pace for 2 minutes. Recover for 2 minutes, then run for 3 minutes. Recover for 3, then continue the process for your choice of time, depending on fitness level. Granted, you can always cut your break time down but, this gives you a chance to play with upping the speed during the work phase, and then jogging or walking during the rest.
Day 10: Hills and Flats
This workout can be done in thirty minutes or less, and alternates running at no incline and resting while walking on a hill. Start with a good 5-minute warm up, then walk at 1% for a minute. Run for a minute at 0%, and alternate this cycle with 2% for 2 minutes, 3% for 3 minutes, and so on until you’re at 4% for 4 minutes. Lots of lower leg and glute work here, so be prepared!
Day 11: Endurance Run
Although endurance training runs can be qualified as boring, sometimes they are necessary if you’re needing or wanting to build your aerobic base. Starting with a good warm up at a light pace, slowly push your running pace to a moderate level that you can hold for 15-20 minutes before beginning a cool down. This time frame can increase as your base builds, as can the speed at which you’re running.
Day 12: Make it Fun
The treadmill doesn’t always have to be used strictly for running you can always incorporate movements like butt kicks, walking lunges, and skipping in order to get your heart rate up and boost your cardiovascular capacity. As with running in general, if you’re switching it up to add fun movements on the treadmill, just be aware of your surroundings and don’t step off the back or sides of the machine too quickly – and remember, have fun with it!
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