If you’re under the impression treadmill workouts are “snooze fests” reserved for gym goers who don’t know how to use equipment or want to catch up on TV, you’re not doing them right.
Sports performance coach and senior coach at Mile High Run Club Andia Winslow has a favorite routine for whipping athletes into better shape. It may not look like much (it’s short!), but this treadmill routine will have you burning in no time.
“This is a conditioning workout that capitalizes on maximum gain in minimum time,” Winslow says. It will take you anywhere from five to fifteen minutes to complete depending on how many rounds you’re up to take on. “It benefits distance runners, elite athletes, and average gym-goers alike by combining speed and incline intervals.”
Warmup: Take some time to shake out your limbs, jog, and complete some dynamic stretches and mobility drills.
The Ultimate Fat-Burning Treadmill Workout:
Prescription: Complete the following speed to hill builds x 3—or for however long you have. Each bout will take 4-4.5min.
– 30sec steady-state run (a conversational pace—about 50% effort) at 1% grade (essentially flat ground on a treadmill; it’s how you equalize for not being outside.)
– 2min lactic threshold* at 1% grade
– 1min lactic threshold at 6% grade
– 30sec-1min recovery
*Lactic threshold = Run Forest, Run! You want that deep muscle burn, so your perceived exertion should be anywhere from a 7-8.5/9 out of 10.
Cool down: Shake out any muscle stiffness, jog a bit to cool down, and end with stretches for recovery.