Favorite Treadmill Workouts

If you’re looking more like Homer on the treadmill these days it might be time to give one of my favorite workouts a try. I much prefer running outdoors, but when weather conditions are not to my liking it’s to the trusty old treadmill I head.

Workout #1 was actually featured on Brit + Co so you know it’s a good one 😏

1. It’s an interval routine (HIIT) and works best when you can program in 2 speeds for your sprint and recovery.

I start with about 2 minutes of casual jogging.

• Then it’s a 45 second sprint (mine is about 12 to 13 mph)

• Then 30 second active recovery (mine is about 6.0 mph)

I repeat that sequence for about 8 to 10 sprints. (Note you can increase or decrease the sprint and recovery paces to be able complete the 8 to 10 sets).

Then cool down for about 3 minutes around 7.0 mph.

2.) My other favorite thing to do on treadmills is pace runs with an incline. As a former sprinter it’s good work for me to get on a treadmill and kind of be forced to stay at a pace for an extended distance. These type of workouts have been great in conditioning my body to run longer distances are more event splits. The target time for this workout is 10 to 15 minutes. Heads up, like race time, this workout is a sprint from the start.

(Note: To gauge the speed you should be at, work from your current fastest mile time. To start the run look to add somewhere between one minute to 90 seconds to that time.)

• I go out at about 6:40 mile pace with a 2.0/2.5 incline - maintain for ½ mile.

• Increase the pace to about 6:30 mile pace and drop the incline to 1.5 - maintain for ¼ mile

• Decrease pace by 10 to 15 seconds and take incline back to 2.0 - maintain for ¼ mile

• Increase pace by 15 to 20 seconds and drop incline to 1.0 - maintain for ¼ mile

• Decrease pace by 5 to 10 seconds, increase incline to 1.5 - maintain for ¼ mile

• Increase pace by 10 to 15 seconds, drop incline to 1.0 - maintain for ¼ mile

• Increase pace by 10 to 15 seconds, drop incline to 0.5 - maintain for ¼ mile

• Increase pace by 5 to 10 seconds, drop incline to 0 - maintain for ½ mile (the sprint to the finish, can increase pace additionally as you see fit)

• Cool down jog for 2 minutes around 5.0 mph pace

And there you have it - two great treadmill workouts to try on your own. Just don't be like these epic fails on the treadmill . . . .