The Best Cardio Workouts for the Treadmill

Running or walking on a treadmill is an easy way to get your recommended amount of cardio exercise each day. However, simply jumping on and going at the same speed for a set amount of time can make you feel tired quickly; you may also find yourself getting bored with the workout after a few days. It's important to vary your treadmill workouts to keep you motivated.

  1. Incline Intervals

    • Running or walking on an incline gives your leg muscles more of a workout than running or walking on a completely flat surface. Start by warming up on a flat surface and then increasing your incline every few minutes as you go along. Decrease the incline in the middle of your workout to give your muscles a bit of a break before increasing the intervals once again. Cool down on a flat surface. When you walk or run on inclines, you will notice your leg muscles strengthening and becoming more toned.

    Speed Intervals

    • Alternating your running speed changes your heart rate throughout the workout, which increases your metabolism and gives you more energy. Warm up with a quick walk or slow jog and increase to a comfortable running speed. Increase the speed every few minutes. Sprint for one minute before returning to your running speed for another few minutes. The bursts of speed burn more calories, giving your metabolism a reason to kick in and give your body an energy boost.

    Long Runs

    • Doing a longer run once in a while on the treadmill gives your body a chance to build up endurance while burning calories. You can also do lengthy runs to increase your cardiovascular strength by keeping your heart rate up for a longer period of time. Warm up with a fast walk or slow jog and increase to a running speed you feel you can maintain for more than 30 minutes. After at least 30 minutes or an hour of running, begin to decrease your speed slowly until you come to a stop.

    Treadmill Muscle Safety

    • Don't start running without warming up in some way. Take time to stretch before and after your time on the treadmill to avoid muscle injury. Run in athletic shoes that offer good support to your legs and lower back while running or walking.