At-Home Treadmill Workouts

By Selene Yeager.

Q.

Is there a walking program for those of us who have a treadmill at home?

A.

Yes! And it’s a great idea to seek out some structured workouts. Most of us have a love–hate relationship with the treadmill; it can get pretty boring walking all the way to nowhere in your living room. These routines blast fat, build endurance and make you stronger. Bonus: there’s never a dull moment!

Speed Play

After warming up, walk at a moderate pace (4.5 to 5.5 km/h) for 5 minutes. Increase your speed to a fast walk (5.5 to 6.5 km/h for 1 minute), followed by 5 minutes at a moderate pace (4.5 to 5.5 km/h). Repeat the fast–moderate intervals three times. Finish with a cool down. To challenge yourself, make the fast walking bouts 2 minutes longer.

Hill Repeats

After warming up, walk at 4.5 to 6.5 km/h for 5 minutes with your treadmill at an incline of 0 or 1. Next, increase the incline to 4 or 5 for 5 minutes. As you raise the incline, you may need to slow down to maintain good form. You’ll repeat the flat–incline sequence twice. Then walk at 0 or 1 for another 5 minutes before cooling down. As you become comfortable with the ‘hills’, increase the incline, first to 6 or 7, and then to 8 or 9 after two or three months.

Pyramid Power

After warming up, start with a speed pyramid. Walk at 5.5 km/h for 30 seconds; increase to 7 km/h for 30 seconds. Bring it back down and walk at 5.5 km/h for 45 seconds; increase to 7 km/h for 45 seconds. Bring it back down and walk at 5.5 for 1 minute; increase to 7 km/h for 1 minute.

Next, try a hill pyramid. Start at an incline of 4 and walk for 1 minute. Elevate to 5 for another minute. Continue to increase the incline every minute up to an incline of 8, and then decrease the incline every minute, back down to 4. Try to maintain 4.5 to 6.5 km/h throughout.

Recover at 4.5 to 6.5 km/h (no incline) for 5 minutes. As you get fitter, start repeating parts of the program until you can do the entire workout twice in one go.

Trim and Tone

Strength-train on your treadmill! Perform the following exercises while walking at a very slow speed (about 1 to 1.5 km/h), then stop the treadmill for the squat. If time permits, repeat the exercise.

Sidestep With the treadmill moving slowly and your right hand on the console, turn to the left so your right shoulder is facing forwards. As the belt moves your feet to the left, step your right foot to the right, and then step your left foot to the right. Continue sidestepping for 30 seconds. Repeat, facing the right side for 30 seconds more. (Sidestepping works your inner and outer thighs and hips.)

Giant Strides Hold the front rail and let the belt take your feet back until your arms are extended, then take a big step forwards with your right leg. Bending your right knee, lower your left knee towards the belt, then press off with your left foot and stand back up. Continue by stepping forwards, alternating legs, for 30 seconds. (Giant Strides work your thighs and bottom.)

Squats Stop the treadmill and straddle the belt so you’re standing on the treadmill frame. With your hands lightly resting on the front rail, sit back (as if to sit on a chair), but don’t extend your knees past your toes. Press into your heels and stand back up. Repeat 12 times. (Squats work your bottom and thighs.)