1. 1. The incline
© Ed Yourdon (Flickr) Yes: it says “Run!” What did you think we were doing out here?
© Ed Yourdon (Flickr)
Hill running
Test your calf muscles and your endurance by taking on the uphill challenge. Hill running has long been a tried and tested training method, particularly for those attempting to get back into peak physical shape.
Many professional football teams include incline sprints as part of their pre-season training regimes and sessions including running on a gradient are great treadmill workouts for weight loss. Try slowly increasing the angle as you run to pit your weary limbs against the test of a steep incline!
2. 2. Running backwards
© bacalao (Fotolia) femme entrain de faire un jogging
© bacalao (Fotolia)
Backward running
It sounds rather silly and you may feel a bit stupid, but more people are running backwards on treadmills now in a bid to beat the boredom. Treadmill exercise can be become all too predictable, so you’ll certainly bring a smile to the faces of those around you when you turn around and begin bouncing backwards off the balls of your feet.
Surprisingly easy, this method is great for improving pliability in your feet and strengthening your calf muscles, as well as bringing some much needed fun to your workout.
3. 3. Interval training
© WikiMedia (Wikimedia) A woman on a treadmill (Original caption: ‘Wendy Beeler, Palmer chef,
© WikiMedia (Wikimedia)
Interval running
Running at a set speed for a set period of time if you are trying to get fit to improve your sports performance is not of great benefit as very few sports require you to exercise in such a manner.
Treadmill interval training sees you sprint in short, sharp bursts amongst lower paced jogging or walking, which can help improve your acceleration as you need to react quickly to deal with the change in speed. Most good treadmills can be programmed specifically for this style of workout.
4. 4. The burnout
© Byron Moore (Fotolia) running
© Byron Moore (Fotolia)
Burning out
If you want to walk away from the running machine feeling as if you’ve been hit by a sledgehammer, this is the workout for you. Start with the treadmill on the fastest speed and slowly work your way down, decreasing the level each time you are struggling to keep up or at regular intervals such as every minute. The idea is to give each level your all until even maintaining a walking pace becomes too much to bear!
5. 5. The hard worker’s walk
© Nick Harris1 (Flickr) Walking the bridge
© Nick Harris1 (Flickr)
Walking
For those who have a treadmill at home, but claim they don’t have time to use it, this is the ideal solution. When working from home, lay a plank of wood across the side handles on your running machine, set your laptop up on top and write up those reports while taking a nice long walk!