HIIT workout on treadmill
There’s no reason that a treadmill workout has to be boring. You can spice it up with a HIIT workout on the treadmill so it doesn’t seem monotonous.
I am not a fan of running indoors. I am definitely not a fan of the treadmill for long runs. I am all about taking it out to the pavement. But there are times when it is just too cold for me to run outside that a fun workout makes the time on the treadmill go by much faster.
If I am resorting to treadmill training, a high intensity interval training workout is at the top of my list. It’s quick and relatively easy.
How to spice up your treadmill workout
The first way I think of is to continuously change the speed and elevation.
I am not saying that you need to try and run a World Record pace, but speed it up for a minute and then lower it for two. Add some steep inclines to hit muscles differently and then bring it back down.
By doing so you are also mimicking elevation changes when you are outside whether you are running in your neighborhood or in a park somewhere.
You can run longer intervals or run at a higher intensity for shorter periods of time. Either way, HIIT training is one way to try something different during treadmill training.
What is high-intensity interval training?
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) means that you’re alternating all-out efforts with periods of recovery time.
By alternating all-out efforts with periods of rest, you are designed to burn fat and build muscle in an incredibly short amount of time.
During your recovery, you either work out lightly or completely rest. You then alternate between high-intensity intervals and low-intensity intervals throughout the workout.
The goal is to push your body past its comfort zone followed by a period of rest to let your body prepare for the next work interval session.
A HIIT workout made for the treadmill
When I am bored on the treadmill I am always playing with the elevation by a couple beats and the same for the speed during an indoor training session.
You might not feel this workout right when you get off the treadmill, but you will a little later on.
What are the benefits of treadmill HIIT workouts?
There are a number of benefits of HIIT including:
They are not boring. Unless you really like running indoors on a treadmill, spicing it up with intervals will keep the boredom away.
Efficient. Interval workouts are an excellent way to burn the same amount of calories in half the time of steady-state cardio.
Increase weight loss. Alternating sprints with recovery periods will help you burn more calories faster than steady-state cardio and increase fat loss.
Ways to incorporate HIIT sessions?
Adjust the speed
One of the best ways that you can add it into your HIIT treadmill routine is to adjust the treadmill speed. Speed is very easy to change on a treadmill requiring only a press of a button.
Adjust the incline
Another way to change your interval training with a treadmill is to adjust the gradient of the incline the treadmill is set at.
At a 0 incline, it’s like walking on a flat surface or ground. When you increase the number, it is increasing the incline percentage, not the level of difficulty. So if you adjust to a higher incline such as to 5, it’ll be set at 5 percent, not level 5.
Adjust running and rest periods
Your running intervals and rest periods will vary depending on your fitness level. You may start out with longer rest periods than running intervals. However, as your cardio improves, you will be able to increase your running interval length and your rest times shorter.
This way, you’ll be doing more with fewer breaks.
How long should HIIT treadmill workout be?
The amount of time will depend on how much time and your fitness level A good treadmill HIIT workout can range from 4 minutes to 30 minutes.
How often should you do a treadmill high-intensity workout?
You should do about two to three HIIT workouts a week.
Wrap up
A HIIT workout on a treadmill is a great way to get a change of your workout in less time. Using a treadmill will allow you to run higher inclines than road and trail running. Eventually, you find yourself running at a faster pace.
The intensity of your workout and your running intervals will give your body a change of pace.
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