Inject Fun into a "Dreadmill" Workout
Too hot to run outdoors? Mark Levine, Personal Trainer from Midtown Athletic Club in Bannockburn, IL, takes over the blog to share some ways to turn an indoor run on the treadmill into an exciting workout. Does this sound familiar? You wake up early, excited for your morning run. You put on your running gear and shoes, grab your water bottle, and step outside. And it feels like someone hit you in the face with a shovel and you can barely breathe. Welcome to summer! You immediately head back inside, grab your car keys, and head to the gym for an air-conditioned run on the functional, but often boring, treadmill. Running on the treadmill, or "dreadmill," doesn't have to be an exercise in frustration. All you need to do is play around with the speed and incline. Running or walking on a treadmill set with a 2% incline is equivalent to running on the street, and running without any incline makes you feel as if you’re running slightly downhill. So, don't be afraid to increase the incline significantly. Here is a sample workout that will turn the dreadmill into a fun run. Feel free to adjust the intensity of this workout based on your capabilities and fitness level.
Time (In Minutes) | Speed | Incline |
0-5 (Warm-up) | 4.0-5.0 | 2.0 |
5-7 | 6.0-6.5 | 2.5 |
7-8 | 7.0 | 3.5 |
8-9 | 5.5 | 2.0 |
9-11 | 7.5 | 3.5 |
11-13 | 5.0 | 2.0 |
13-14 | 8.0-9.0(Sprint) | 2.5 |
14-16 | 3.5-5.0 | 2.0 |
16-18 | 3.5-4.0 (Walk) | 15.0 |
18-20 | 3.5-4.0 | 2.0 |
20-21 | 6.0-7.0 | 7.0 |
21-22 | 4.0-5.0 | 2.0 |
22-23 | 7.0-7.5 | 6.0 |
23-25 | 3.0-3.5 (Cool down) | 2.0 |
This is only a 25-minute run, during which you’re warming up for five minutes, and cooling down for two minutes. However, given the speed and incline adjustments, it's a fantastic workout that will leave you feeling great once completed.