The treadmill is a common piece of fitness equipment in both homes and gyms, known for being one of the simplest and most classic home gym machines. However, when you bring a treadmill home and do the same exhausting workout every day, it can become monotonous and hard to stick with over time. Especially if you stick to slow, steady runs, your progress will be limited. In reality, you can use some of the treadmill's functions and combine different exercise methods to create new training stimuli, offering a variety of training benefits. If you're interested, here are some simple tips to help you maximize the effectiveness of your treadmill workouts.

1. Try Interval Training

Interval training involves alternating between high-intensity activity and low-intensity recovery periods, which can help elevate your heart rate and burn more calories on the treadmill. While running at a consistent pace is great for longer workouts, you can increase intensity in shorter workouts by adding speed intervals. Alternate between running at a moderate pace for a few minutes and sprinting at a faster pace. This will help you burn more calories, build endurance, and become a faster and stronger runner. Generally, this type of workout will push you out of your comfort zone, but there will be enough recovery time between sprints to allow you to regain control of your breathing.

2. Increase the Incline

Increasing the incline on the treadmill while running or walking is a great exercise for beginners. Incline running can activate your glutes and hamstrings more than running on a flat surface. When you add some extra incline, your legs have to work harder to push your body upward, which is more challenging for the heart and lungs, thereby strengthening the cardiovascular system. It also helps to sculpt better leg muscles, burn more calories, and improve endurance. To match the intensity of outdoor running, set the incline to at least 1%. You can also increase the speed by 0.1 to 0.3 mph. Additionally, you can gradually increase the speed or add more time to make the workout more challenging.

3. Incorporate Strength Training

Adding weight to your workouts forces your body to work harder, increasing the number of calories burned. The heavier you are, the more effort it takes to move your body. However, this type of training is best used for short-term workouts rather than extended periods. Wearing a weighted vest is a safe way to add weight and make your workout more challenging. The weight can be evenly distributed in the vest, preventing it from affecting your stride or balance. Hand weights can also be used, but they may increase stress on your arm joints. Keeping the weights close to your body can reduce this stress. Alternatively, you can pause running and use resistance bands, lift weights, or do bodyweight exercises like push-ups or squats. Incorporating strength training into your treadmill workout this way is safer.

4. Mix Up Your Training

Adding variety to your treadmill workouts is a great way to overcome plateaus and reduce boredom. Muscles adapt to routine workouts, so doing the same exercises may stop producing results after a few weeks, and repetitive workouts can stress your joints. To avoid this, regularly mix up your workouts. Adding interval training and incline training to your running workouts is a good strategy. You can also set up different types of exercises each day, such as a combination of jogging and strength training, a 20-30 minute HIIT treadmill routine, and of course, don't forget to warm up and cool down. Organizing your workouts based on your fitness level can better help you achieve your exercise goals.

These tips are suitable for exercisers of any fitness level. Now that you know how to improve your treadmill workouts, are you ready to run? I look forward to seeing your transformation on the treadmill.