4 Treadmill Workouts that Won’t Bore You
There’s nothing wrong with a good walk or jog on the treadmill, but sometimes it can feel a little boring and redundant. If you’re looking for something new, I’ve got you! Here are 4 fresh workouts you can try out.
For each workout below, always start with a warm up at a comfortable walking pace for 2 – 3 minutes before trying the workouts.
If there’s an exercise, you’re not sure how to do in one of the workouts, check out the Exercise Descriptions section at the end.
Workout #1: Hill Challenge
Start the workout with 0% incline on your treadmill for your 2 – 3 minute warm up before starting the hill challenge. Then, for the next 5 minutes, you’re going to go up the hill. Increase your speed to challenging but doable walking pace and increase the incline to 1%. From there, increase the incline by 1% every :30 seconds, until you reach a 10% incline. This should take 5 minutes!
Once you’ve gone up the hill, reset back down to your warmup pace and to 0% incline to recover for 2 – 3 minutes. When you’re ready, bring your pace back up and the incline to 10%. Now, you’ll do the same thing – but down the hill! Decrease your incline by 1% every :30 seconds until you reach the bottom.
Go back to warm up pace again to cool down, or to recover before attempting the hill again for a longer workout!
Workout #2: Intervals
If you want to try getting into running, but are a little intimidated, this is a great way to start. For this workout, you’ll be doing intervals of walking and running.
After warming up, increase your speed to a slightly uncomfortable, but doable walking pace. This is your fast walk. Hold this pace for 2 minutes. Now, you’re going to go into a slower running pace, i.e. your jogging pace, for 1 min. It should be more challenging than the walk, but less intense than a full run. Finally, increase the pace to your running pace for 1 min!
Repeat this cycle, of 2 minutes fast walk, 1 minute jog, and 1 min run again.
Slow your walk down to your warm up pace for 2 – 3 minutes to recover, then try this set of intervals:
1 min walk, 2-minute jogging, 1 minute run. Repeat 2 times total!
Finish with a recovery walk to bring the heart rate down.
Workout #3: Descending Reps
This circuit is very customizable and a great mix of cardio and simple body weight exercises! Here’s how to do it:
After your warmup, increase your speed to a fast walk, jog, or run for 4 minutes. Then, stop the treadmill and perform 40 repetitions of each exercise in the circuit listed below. Go back to the treadmill walk, jog, or run for 3 minutes. Stop the treadmill and do the circuit again, with 30 repetitions of each exercise. You’ll continue like this for 2 minutes and 20 repetitions and finally finishing with 1 minute and 10 repetitions!
Circuit:
Alternating lunges
Incline mountain climbers
Jumping jacks
Workout #4: Dumbbell Circuit
As the name suggests, this workout involves dumbbells. You will be using them on the treadmill as you’re walking. Because this involves a little more coordination, there are a few important pieces of advice before getting into the circuit: 1 – I recommend walking at a slower walking pace so you can maintain control. 2 – practice the dumbbell exercises ahead of time, if you’ve never done them before, so that you’re more confident in them when you do the circuit and 3 – go light with the dumbbells and move slowly, with control. You can also try wrist weights instead for a lighter, handsfree option, so you can grab the treadmill handles when needed.
Now, onto the workout! For this dumbbell circuit, you’ll be walking with the dumbbells hanging by your sides, like a farmer’s walk for 1 minute. Then, performing an upper body exercise while walking for 1 minute. You’ll continue going back and forth, 1 minute of each, for the circuit:
Minute 1: Walk
Minute 2: Arm circles forward
Minute 3: Walk
Minute: Arm circles Backward
Minute 5: Walk
Minute 6: Hammer curl
Minute 7: Walk
Minute 8: Overhead press
Minute 9: Walk
Minute 10: Upright row
Repeat this circuit 2 times total for a 20-minute circuit!
Exercises Descriptions:
Alternating lunges: Stand with feet shoulder width apart. Take a long step back with your right foot, landing on your toes. Drop your right knee towards the floor, so that both knees are around 90 degrees. Make sure to not lean forward or backward. Step forwards with right foot again back to the starting position. Repeat again, leading with the left foot. Continue alternating for the total number of repetitions.
Incline mountain climbers: Place your hands either on the base of the treadmill or treadmill handle. Bring your feet back into tall plank position. Engage your core and drive one knee at a time towards your chest. Alternate sides while keeping your back flat and hips square.
Jumping jacks: Start in a standing position with your feet together and hands by your sides. Jump your feet out wide, keeping a small bend in the knees, while bringing your arms up above your head. Jump your feet back in. For a low impact variation, try a step jack, where you step your feet out and in instead of jumping.
Arm circles: Stand with good posture and extend your arms out to your sides and palms down. While keeping your arms straight, create small, controlled circles with your arms.
Hammer curls: Start with your dumbbells at your sides, with palms facing in towards your legs. Bend at the elbow, lifting the weights towards your shoulders. Lower the weights down to the starting position. Remember to keep your upper arms stationary throughout the entire move.
Overhead press: Start by lifting your dumbbells so they’re at your shoulders with palms facing forward. Engage your core and press the dumbbells up so that your arms are straight. Lower the dumbbells back towards the shoulders.
Upright row: Hold a pair of dumbbells in front of the body with palms facing in towards your legs. Pull the elbows up towards the ceiling, keeping the dumbbells close to the body. Lower the dumbbells with control.