Great Treadmill Workout Routine

By Holly Schoch , last updated November 20, 2011

Knowing a great treadmill workout routine can be important for those looking to get into running shape. While running on the treadmill is perhaps one of the best forms of cardio you can do, it can often seem like a boring and daunting task because there is very little variation. However, this doesn’t always have to be the case. You can easily spice up your running routine by turning it into an interval session. Not only will this make the time go a lot faster, but also it is a great way to blast fat. Your body is much more efficient than you realize. Because of our days hunting and gathering, our bodies are programmed to be as energy efficient as they can be. This means that we will quickly adapt to regular activities. For this reason, you need to keep your body guessing in order to keep from reaching a plateau in your fitness results. Interval training on the treadmill is a great way to do this, because your body won’t know what to expect next, and your heart rate will never be able to reach a comfortable level where it can stabilize.
 
If looking to blast fat, there are a number of different ways you can do this. The most common way is to do a minute walking, two minutes jogging, and a minute sprinting, before repeating it 4 to 5 times depending upon your stamina. However, it is important that you realize how jogging and sprinting differ. When you jog, you should be able to have a comfortable conversation with someone. This means that you are getting enough air in your body to burn fat. When you are sprinting, you should be going as fast as you can. It should be difficult to catch your breath, and you shouldn’t be able to say more than a few words at a time.
 
You can alter this interval session however you’d like. Many people enjoy doing two minutes jogging and then two minutes sprinting. For those who are really looking for a challenging and exhausting workout, try jogging for a minute and sprinting for a minute. Then, repeat that for 20 minutes or until you don’t have the energy to complete the interval.
 
You can also use an incline as a form of interval training. This is great for individuals who don’t like to run or who have joint problems and don’t want to put the added pressure on their knees or ankles by running. To begin, you should start out with the treadmill at 0 incline, meaning it is flat. Then, after two minutes, put it to 5. After this point, you should put it to the next incline every two minutes until you reach 10. Then, after every two minutes, decrease it by one until you get to 5 again. This should put you right around 25 minutes. You can either repeat the interval again if you are looking for a longer workout, or simply extend the intervals to three minutes instead of two.
 
The way you set up your workout out is up to you and your capabilities. However, it is important that you continuously challenge yourself in order to keep your body working hard.

Source:eHow

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