A treadmill is a versatile and convenient exercise equipment to have at home. But let’s be honest, how many of us tend to let it gather dust in a corner after a while? That’s why it’s essential to have a proper workout plan when it comes to sweating it out on a treadmill.
According to fitness professionals, the best method of treadmill training is getting the best results with the least amount of impact on the body in the shortest time. Here are a few ways to use your treadmill to achieve an optimal calorie-burning workout.
HIIT (High-intensity interval training) on the treadmill
In a study by the World Obesity Federation, HIIT is a time-efficient workout that can effectively reduce body fat and burn calories. Generally, the HIIT system comprises short periods of high-intensity exercises with rest in between.
You can implement HIIT routines on a treadmill:
- Start with a flat incline on your treadmill.
- Warm-up by walking 2 mph for 5 minutes
- Run at 10 mph for 30 seconds
- Walk at 4 mph for 60 seconds
- Repeat up to 10 times if you can. Do at least 5 sets.
- Cool down by walking 2 mph for 5 minutes.
If you want a more intense workout, alternate between jogging and sprinting or increase the speed a little.
Caution
“Anytime anybody begins or changes a workout or adds something like an incline, they have to do it slowly; otherwise, they are certainly at significant risk for an overuse injury.”
Source: Dr Dennis Cardone from NYU Langone Health via today.com
12-3-30 Workout
Made popular by social media personality Lauren Giraldo, the 12-3-30 treadmill workout has helped her lose 30 pounds (kg). She tells today.com about how she discovered the workout: “I’m not a runner, and running on the treadmill was not working for me. I started playing around with the settings, and at the time, my gym’s treadmill had 12 inclines as the max. The three miles per hour felt right, like walking, and my grandma had always told me that 30 minutes of exercise a day was all you needed. That’s how the combination started.”
If you would like to try this workout, use these three settings on your treadmill:
- Incline: 12
- Speed: 3
- Time: 30
Do this five times a week for the best results
The BITE Method
The Balanced Interval Training Experience (BITE) method created by elite runner, running coach and creator of Precision Running David Siik blends intervals of sprint-training with distance running. It’s similar to HIIT workouts – but while HIIT focuses on short, intense bursts of fast exercises followed by easy recovery, BITE uses a leisurely sprint pace paired with a more strenuous recovery period by incorporating a slight incline.
Here’s a brief BITE 30-minute treadmill workout from Siik:
- 3 min warm up
- 1.5 min starting speed 1.4 mph @ 2% incline
- 1 min recovery walk/jog @ 2% incline
- 1.5 min increase starting speed 1.6 mph @ 1% incline
- 1 min recovery walk/jog @ 1% incline
- 1.5 min increase starting speed 1.8 mph @ 0% incline
- 1 min recovery walk/jog @ 0% incline
- 1.5 min increase starting speed 2.0 mph @ 0% incline
- 1 min recovery walk/jog @ 0% incline
- 1.5 min increase starting speed 2.2 mph @ 0% incline
- 1 min recovery walk/jog @ 0% incline
- 1.5 min increase starting speed 2.4 mph @ 0% incline
- 1 min recovery walk/jog @ 0% incline
- 1.5 min increase starting speed 2.6 mph @ 0% incline
- 1 min recovery walk/jog @ 0% incline
- 1.5 min increase starting speed 2.8 mph @ 0% incline
- 1 min recovery walk/jog @ 0% incline
- 1.5 min increase starting speed 3.0 mph @ 0% incline
- 1 min recovery walk/jog @ 0% incline
- 4-5 min cool down
An Incline is one of the greatest tools a treadmill has to offer. There is a right incline for the right speed, so don’t overdo it. A healthy dose of 1-5% inclines is preferred, especially for the BITE method.
Source: David Siik in his book The Ultimate Treadmill Workout
