Interval Workouts For The Treadmill

Yuri Elkaim, BPHE, CK, RHN
myTreadmillTrainer.com

If you want to get the most out of your time on the treadmill in the gym, don’t simply jump on, go for a light jog for ten minutes, and jump off, proclaiming your cardio portion to be complete.

This is the running equivalent of a fast food burger; yes, it qualifies if you’re in a hurry, but it’s cheap and mostly without benefit to your body.

Interval workouts for the treadmill don't need to be boring...

Instead, try coming up with an interval workout schedule that works best for you, and use the treadmill to its full potential. Here is a two-week program that will give you some good interval workouts for the treadmill and getting you working to your optimum.

Week one, it’s all about getting into the routine. The first day should be spent with an employee of the gym, going over your chosen treadmill. Get to know the particular model and make that you will be using, and find out what sort of features it has.

Besides basic speed control and distance measuring, does your treadmill offer an incline function? Does it have a built-in heart rate monitor?

Go for a test run, and play with the functions as you go.

Don’t push it - this run is simply to get you used to being on the machine, knowing where to look for the controls and displays. Don’t do more than a ten minute run at low intensity. If you’re new to running altogether, you will still feel this run the next day.

Take that day off, and concentrate on other exercises.

On day three, come back for your first real treadmill workout. Plan to be on for about twenty minutes, but allow yourself a little leeway in case you are in the zone when the timer goes off, and you want to continue for another mile or so.

Don’t push the speed - keep it right around the pace that feels comfortable, and right on the verge of having to push too hard. Make a note of that speed.

Week two is going to be your baseline week. Now that you’re familiar with the machine and know what your comfortable speed is, you can begin to build your running schedule.

The key to a sustainable schedule of interval workouts for the treadmill is...

To alternate between three types of runs on a regular basis, and rest on the days in between them. On all of these days, allow yourself a short run before hand, to make sure that your muscles are warm and ready for the work try for 25% of your maximum speed, at about 24% effort for around five minutes, or until you feel warm and loose.

One day should be spent on sprints - going 90% of your maximum speed for very short time frames, with a rest period of slow jogging in between. Day two should be your regular run - going 75% of your top speed, for approximately half an hour, or until you feel fatigued enough to stop.

And day three can be reserved for your long run - going about 60% of your top speed for at least an hour, without stopping, if possible. If you need to stop, don’t stop completely, but reduce your speed until your lungs catch up, and you’re ready to begin again.