When most people think of using a treadmill, they do one long session at a constant speed. But if you want a more effective workout in less time, then you should use your treadmill for interval training where you alternate between explosive bursts of speed and active rest.
Interval Walking
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to sprint to do interval training — you can simply alternate between walking and brisk walking, which makes this the perfect workout for anyone that is elderly, or someone who can’t jog due to a bad knee for example. Start by warming up with a slow walk followed by a five minute stretching session. Next set the treadmill to a comfortable walking speed and continue for three minutes. Now increase the speed to a brisk walk for one minute. Rinse and repeat for about 30 minutes each workout, three to five days a week. Don’t forget to increase the speed over time as well, so that you can maintain the intensity of the workout for optimal results.
Interval Walking and Jogging
If you’re in better physical health, then you can start with a more challenging interval training routine that involves walking and jogging. To start out with, walk for about 2 minutes and 40 seconds and then jog for 20 seconds. Keep repeating this rotation for about 30 minutes. Over time as your fitness improves, you’ll want to increase the speed. You can also change things up by working out for longer or shorter sessions and changing the interval lengths. For a 20 minute workout, walk for two minutes and jog for one minute. For a 45 minute workout, jog for 10 minutes and then walk for five. For a 60 minute workout, try walking for three minutes and then jogging for two minutes.
Hill Simulation
If you really want to supercharge your interval training on the treadmill, then you’ll want to simulate running up and down hills. Not only does this increase the intensity compared to running parallel to the ground but it tones and firms your buttocks even more, bonus! Start by walking at a one percent incline for about four minutes and then move up to a six percent incline for one minute. If you want to simulate a longer hill, then stay at the one percent incline for four minutes and then increase to a seven percent incline for three minutes. Keep repeating this process for 45 minutes. If you really want to get crazy, switch things up constantly by changing the incline level and the amount of time you spend at each interval, which will help to maintain the intensity and keep your body from becoming too accustomed to any one routine.
