We all know we need some of that heart-pumping exercise to stay healthy and attain that fat-free body for summer that’s fast approaching.

And while we can always go outdoor and take a run, we always don’t have the time or sometimes bad weather says you can’t. This is why treadmills are becoming a must-have in any home gym.  Read Here: Top 10 Best Treadmills Under $1000

But, frankly speaking:

Running on a treadmill can sometimes (well, most of the time) get really booooring. Most people think that treadmills only provide you limited exercise— running or walking. Is it really?

Well, you’re in for a surprise.

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10 Workouts To Spice Up Your Treadmill Sessions

Here are 10 best treadmill workouts that should increase your stamina, strength, heart rate, speed, and endurance as well as giving you variety so you do not have to dread stepping into your treadmill anymore.

Take note: Make sure to warm up before you even start working out and running on the treadmill in order to prevent future injuries. To do so, you can do some stretches first and start walking at a speed between 2.5 and 3.5 MPH for a minute. Then start making the bigger pace and stretching out longer than usual.

You can continue doing this for at least 5 minutes. Then, put an incline to 6 percent, taking some normal steps. After that, you’re ready to try out at least one of the following workouts on your treadmill.

Treadmill Hike, Hike, Hike

As you notice, this treadmill workout is all about increasing the incline as time passes and focusing on your backside. Make sure that the speed fits your skills so you can safely execute this exercise that increases in difficulty.

Here, you can choose either the 20- or 40-minute workout so you can be flexible about your schedule.

How To Do It:

  • Begin with at least 5 minutes of warm-up with a 3 MPH speed and a 2 percent incline.
  • For the rest of your workout period, exercise with the speed limits from 3.5 – 4 MPH and increasing incline level from 4 – 12 percent. For specialty incline trainers such as the NordiTrack Commercial x22i, you can try much higher inclines, going from -6 – 40 percent for increased calorie burn.

Take note: Make sure to keep your rhythm from start to finish.

Climbing The Treadmill Hill

Love running up a hill? Maybe you want to experience how to run over hills but suffer less that actually running over one? Well, this one’s for you! The treadmill hill workout will challenge your stamina, speed, and endurance.

How To Do It:

  • For the first 5 minutes, your treadmill speed should be 5 MPH with a 1 percent incline.
  • For the next 30 minutes, change both speeds and incline by 3 – 6.5 MPH and 1 – 5 percent, respectively.

Take Note: The intervals where you run up a steeper incline or speed up can just be 30 seconds of running and 90 seconds of walking. But, if you’re more experienced and want to challenge yourself, do 90 seconds running and 30 seconds of recovery walking.

  • For the remaining 5 minutes, start cooling down by setting the incline to 1 percent with a speed level of 4 MPH.

Whole-Body Gauntlet Workout

Want to train your whole body on a treadmill? It’s possible with this treadmill workout.

This one combines several kinds of workouts that challenge different parts of the body. It provides strength and endurance to the lower and upper body but also burning more calories effectively.

Take note, however, that beginners might find it extra challenging and difficult, so this one is best left to the more experienced treadmill runners and those who regularly workout.

How To Do It:

  • Do a 5 – 10 minutes workout, jogging or walking at 3.5 – 5 MPH.
  • Follow up with a minute running at speed between 5 – 5.7 MPH.
  • Moving away from the treadmill, take the kettlebells and do a 30 seconds kettlebell swing.
  • Still away from the treadmill, do push-ups for 30 seconds.
  • Then do a plank for another minute.
  • Going back to the treadmill, run for a minute at a speed between (4 – 5.5 MPH)
  • Repeat the entire process at least 5 – 6 times.
  • Cool frown for 5 minutes at a speed between 2.5 – 3 MPH.

Slimming-Down Sprint Intervals

Want to really push your treadmill workouts, shedding pound per pound for that bikini-ready slim bod? Well, here’s a treadmill workout just for you!

The ultimate calorie burner, the Slimming-Down Sprint Intervals Workout will get your heart pumping like crazy (well, not too crazy), raising your anaerobic capacity while lowering your fat amount.

How To Do It:

  • Begin with a 10-minute warm-up, slowly increasing speed from 3 to 5 MPH.
  • Continue with the sprint until your heart rate reaches 85 – 90 percent of its maximum. From there, slowly increase the speed from 5 to 9 MPH.

Take note: To calculate your heart rate, you only need to remove the age number from 220

  • Do a 2-minute walking at a speed of 3.5 – 4 MPH, ensuring that your heart rate is at least 120 – 130 beats a minute.
  • Continue the remaining 20 or 30 minutes alternating between sprints with a speed of 5 – 9 MPH and walking at a speed of 3.5 – 4 MPH.

Take note: Aim for an interval of 2 minutes walking then 1-minute sprint. For beginners, you can stick with 2 minutes of walking and 30 seconds of sprinting. Make sure to listen to your body and modify the workout per your needs.

  • End the workout with at least 5 minutes of cooling down at a speed of 2.5 – 3 MPH.

Stabling Sidewinder Workout

Having difficulty finding your stability? Well, increase your balance while pumping your heart rate with the Sidewinder Workout. But, if you have a treadmill with less than 20 inches width, then skip this one.

How To Do It:

  • Begin with a 5-minute warm-up, slowly increasing the speed from 2.4 to 3.5 MPH.
  • Do a sideways walking at a speed of 2.2 MPH for 2 minutes— 1-minute facing left then 1 minute facing right.
  • Do another sideway walking at an increased speed of 2.4 MPH for 2 minutes— 1-minute facing left and 1 minute facing right.
  • Do a 1-minute forward walking at a speed of 4.5 MPH.
  • Do another 1-minute of forward walking and Increase the speed to 3.5 MPH.
  • Do a sideways walking at a speed of 2.6 MPH for 2 minutes— 1-minute facing left then 1 minute facing right.
  • Do another sideway walking at an increased speed of 2.8 MPH for 2 minutes— 1-minute facing left and 1 minute facing right.
  • Do a 1-minute forward walking at a speed of 4.2 MPH.
  • Do another 1-minute of forward walking and reduce the speed to 3.5 MPH.
  • Do a sideways walking at a speed of 2.8 MPH for 2 minutes—1-minute facing left then 1 minute facing right.
  • Cool down for 5 minutes, slowly reducing speed from 3 MPH to 2 MPH.

Take Note: As you perform this workout, be careful on your transitioning between facing different directions. When switching sides, you can try holding on the side rail, in order to help you with your bearing, preventing falls and injuries. 

Weighted Walking

Want to hit 2 birds with 1 stone? I’m talking about doing an aerobic workout while incorporating weights? You can with this workout. Just make sure to do it carefully.

The weighted walking focuses on your upper body, requiring you to hold weights (2 – 5 pounds) in your hands. It is recommended to only walk for your own safety.

How To Do It:

  • Do a 5-minute warm-up at a speed between 2.5 – 3.5 MPH.
  • Do a 5-minute walk while doing 10 reps each of overhead press, front raises, lateral raises, and upright rows.
  • Do a 4-minute walk without weights and waiting for your upper body to recover.
  • Repeat the 2nd and 3rd steps for at least 2 times after setting the incline to 3 percent.
  • End with a 5-minute cool down at a speed of 3 MPH and a 1 percent incline.

Take Note: Do not try to carry the heaviest weights you can manage while standing. Remember, you are walking here while carrying the weight and doing some reps, so make sure that you work with weights that you’re comfortable with and gives you better coordination.

 In addition, at the end of your workout, those weights will feel even heavier than what you thought.

Side Shuffling

Want to strengthen and tone those thighs for a pair of sexy legs? Try the side shuffling workout! Performed at a speed limit in between 3 – 3.5 MPH only, this workout will ensure that stay safe while working those thigh muscles.

How To Do It:

  • Do a warm-up for 5 minutes by walking forward.
  • Turn to the left on the treadmill.
  • Flex your knees, staying low in your legs and make sure to keep your body tall and your eyes up. Do not let your feet cross each other.
  • Walking at the speed limit with a slight squat.
  • After walking for 2 minutes, switch to your right and shuffle.
  • Do this shuffling for at least 10 minutes to feel the burn.
  • Do a 5-minute cooldown by walking forward.

Never-A-Dull-Moment Treadmill Workout

Another effective treadmill workout that burns those calories away and ensuring your you feel that burn, this workout will make your heart pump, pump, pump that you’ll hear it getting louder by the minute.

How To Do It:

  • Do a 3-minute warm-up at a speed between 3 – 3.5 MPH.
  • Run for 2 minutes at a speed of 4.5 MPH and an incline of 7 percent.
  • Run for another 2 minutes at a speed of 5 MPH and decrease the incline at 4 percent.
  • Walk for 2 minutes at 3 MPH but with a 10 percent incline.
  • Walk for another 2 minutes at 3.5 MPH and decreased incline at 6 percent.
  • Run again for 2 minutes at a speed of 4 MPH and an incline of 8 percent.
  • Walk for at 3 MPH with 3 percent incline for a minute.
  • Do 7-minute running-walking intervals at a speed between 3.2 – 6.5 MPH and a 5 percent incline, alternating 1-minute running and 2 minutes speed walking.
  • Challenge your endurance by doing 11 minutes of running at 4 MPH and a 10 – 15 percent incline.
  • Cool down for 3 minutes, slowly decreasing speed from 3.5 – 2 MPH and an incline from 3 – 1 percent.

Crab Walking

Want to challenge your glutes, core, triceps, and hamstrings? Then crab-walking at the treadmill is your best bet. Be warned, this workout can be difficult to perform but is awkwardly fun and goofy.

How To Do It:

  • Set the speed of your treadmill to 1 – 2 MPH.
  • Get into a crab position— hands facing away from the treadmill and on the side of the base and your feet flat on the ground. Your back should be facing the ground and your hips elevated.
  • Place your hands and feet on the running treadmill belt and walk like a crab.

Plank-A-Walk

A minute of plank may cause you to vibrate like crazy, but it certainly works magically on your abs, shoulders, arms, back, glutes, and legs. It is the ultimate full-body ending of almost any workout and so on this list.

This one is similar to ordinary planks. Regular planks are already difficult. But with this one? Get ready to really feel the burning and tremors. This is why it is advisable for beginners to skip this one.

How To Do It:

  • Set the speed of the treadmill at 2 MPH.
  • Get into position like the standard plank, only your hands are on the side of the belt with legs positioned off the treadmill.
  • Once you are ready, place your hands on the belt, and walk with your hands for at least a minute (or 5 if you can). You’ll be surprised how challenging it is to maintain such a demanding position.
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