You hear treadmill, you think long runs pounding a moving walkway, while trying to feign interest in whatever’s showing on the TV in front of you. It all gets a bit tedious.
Well, it’s time to change your mindset. I’m here to tell you that the benefits of running on a treadmill are numerous: you can lose fat, tone up and get fitter in just 20 minutes by mixing up the treadmill speed and incline. If you can snag one of our best treadmill Black Friday deals, you can hit the ground, er, running with these great treadmill workouts, whether beginner or advanced.
Simply take your pick from one of the routines below, ensure you’ve properly stretched – focusing primarily on your lower body – and get going! But first, a word on form…
- Search our Best Treadmill buying guide to find the right one for you
- Pick up a bargain machine with the best Black Friday treadmill deals
- Track your progress with our Best Fitbits
- Best running shoes for women and best runnings shoes for men
Perfect your treadmill workout form
Andy Baddeley, two-time Team GB Olympian and Strava runner, gives his top tips on running right...
Posture
Run tall – a lot of us sink at the hips when we get tired, or run with our shoulders hunched over.
Watch your footing
Most of us contact the ground in front of our body as we reach out and over-stride. Instead, use hamstrings and glutes to actively pull your legs back under your body – ideally your foot should hit the ground directly underneath your hips.
Keep knees over toes
Make sure your knees don’t buckle inwards on landing, and that they stay aligned over toes.
Don’t neglect your arms
Your arms should move forwards and backwards to help propel you forwards, rather than across your body.
Treadmill workout for beginners
5 minutes: Run at a pace that challenges you, but still allows you to hold a conversation - about a 6 intensity on a scale of 1 to 10.
2 minutes: Add a slight incline and continue at intensity 6.
1 minute: Drop the incline and speed to a light jog. Intensity 4.
2 minutes: Increase speed to intensity 6.
2 minutes: Remain at intensity 6, adding a slight incline.
1 minute: Drop incline and speed to a light jog. Intensity 4.
2 minutes: Increase speed to intensity 7.
2 minutes: Remain running at intensity 7 and add slight incline.
1 minute: Drop incline and speed and walk at an intensity of 2 to 3.
2 minutes: The final push! Increase speed to run at an intensity of 8.
Intermediate treadmill workout
4 minutes: Run at an intensity of 6 to 7.
1 minute: Walking pace on a medium incline. This should challenge you a fair bit. Intensity around 5.
7.5 minutes: Maintain the medium incline throughout. Complete 5 sets of 30 seconds running at intensity 7, each followed by 60 seconds walking – intensity around 5 again.
2.5 minutes: Lose all incline, and up the speed. Run at an intensity of around 8.
30 seconds: Drop the speed and recover. Lightly jog at intensity 4.
5 minutes: 3 sets of 30-second sprints at intensity 9, each followed by 45 seconds walking recovery.
Advanced treadmill workout
4 minutes: Run at intensity of 7-8 at a slight incline.
1 minute: Decrease speed to intensity 5. Drop incline slightly but keep it slightly above flat.
10.5 minutes: 4 sets of 30-second sprints at intensity 9 to 10, each followed by 60 seconds walking.
4.5 minutes: Run at intensity 6 with an incline that challenges you.
Whichever treadmill workout you choose to do, don’t forget to cool down for around five minutes after your workout. Remove the incline and drop your speed to a walking pace.
- MORE: Want a workout without the impact? Try one of the best elliptical machines
Lucy is Health and Fitness Editor at various women's magazines, and also Editor of Woman&Home Feel Good You. She has previously written for titles including Now, Look and Cosmopolitan. She lives and breathes all things fitness; she works out every morning, and mixes it up with runs, weights, boxing and endless box jumps. She is also a Level 3 personal trainer and teaches classes at various London studios, primarily Digme Fitness. Lucy is pre- and post-natal trained and helps new mums get back into fitness after the birth of their baby. Lucy claims that good sleep, plenty of food, and a healthy gut (seriously, it's an obsession) are the key to maintaining energy and exercising efficiently. Saying this, she's partial to the odd Negroni on the dance floor with her friends.
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