Treadmill Workouts Can Be Fun

Exercise on a treadmill has long been thought of as boring and tedious, by beginners and experts alike. There are some changes you can make to your workout to really add a kick to walking in place. Below are four changes you can make to add fun to the time you exercise on a treadmill.

Speed up your workout. Run or walk comfortably for 10 minutes, then speed it up to 20 seconds per mile faster than a recent best. Run or walk at this pace for 3 minutes then recover at a comfortable pace for 3 minutes. Repeat three to five times then finish with a 10 minute comfortable pace.

Be progressive in your workout. After a warm up, set your pace to your fastest pace. Stick it out at that pace for 5 minutes then recover for 4 minutes. Speed back up for 3 minutes, recover for 2 minutes. Speed up again and add 20 seconds per mile for 1 minute. Finish off with 10 minutes at a comfortable pace. Each week in your progressive workout, add 20 seconds to your starting time.

Add some hills. After a warm up, set your pace to a comfortable one. Run or walk for 10 minutes or so at 0° incline. Change the elevation 1° for 2 minutes; elevate to 2° for 2 minutes, then return to 1° for 2 minutes. Working in 2 minute increments, gradually bump up your elevation in this pattern: 1-2-1-3-1-4-2-5-2-6-2-7. Finish with a 10 minute comfortable pace jog or walk.

Weight it out. While a few home treadmills come with resistance cords, you might find a better way to get some additional benefit from your workout is to walk or run with small dumbbells. Start with 1 pound, then progress to heavier weights. You can walk while punching straight out in front of you, do military presses and raise your arms straight out to the side with weights in hand to add an arm workout.

If these four don’t give you enough to get excited about, you can always walk backwards to give your calves a burn. A change here, a tweak there, and exercise on a treadmill doesn’t have to be dull any longer.