Odd title, perhaps. I wouldn’t say I’m necessarily a cardio hater, but I certainly do not usually enjoy running. Sprinting, sure, but sustained running, no. I’m not sure what it is, whether it bores me, I have poor endurance, or I don’t run properly (definitely a combination of the three). So if you’re like me, or if you just want a new great fat-blasting workout, listen up.
56/365 morning run (Photo credit: kharied)
Instead of trying to improve my mile time or extend the amount of mileage in a go, lately I’ve been doing interval training instead. This is perfect for someone like me who is eager for a tough intense workout, but isn’t a huge fan of running for cardio. Using a treadmill for this makes everything a lot easier because you can easily control your speed and monitor it as well.
Treadmill Desk (Photo credit: {platinum})
So go ahead–don’t be scared–jump on that treadmill and get ready for this workout:
25 minutes total
- Start with a 5 minute walking warm up, but make it brisk–3 or 3.5 mph
- Now we begin our interval training. Bump up the speed to 5 mph, a light jog
- After 1 minute, change the speed to 8 mph or something akin to your speed of a sprint
- Sprint for 1 minute at this pace then slow it down back to 5 mph (or slower if you’re really struggling–but never below 3 mph)
- Go off and on like this (switching every minute) until your treadmill reads 25 minutes
This interval training is excellent for burning fat. And more importantly–for me–I don’t get bored, because I’m constantly switching speeds and pushing myself hard. It may seem like a long time for such intensity, but it goes by quickly and you will know the hard work you’ve done after. Your body will ache for nutrients.
Workout room. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Say you can’t bump it up that high? Or perhaps 25 minutes is just too long for you. Be reasonable, listen to your body, if you need to modify it, do so. For beginners, or people who just want to start smart, extend the rest time (the slow jog or fast walk in between the sprints) to 2-4 minutes instead of just 1. This may be the time you need to help you get all the way to 25 minutes.
And for those who just don’t have the time, simply cut it down farther. But make sure you maintain that speed and don’t cheat. You only cheat yourself. Let us know if you have any questions. As always…stay hungry and fit!
I do some of my running intervals on the treadmill, but when I have time, I love to go to the track.
Definitely
I love running intervals when I’m stuck on the treadmill. I do similar workouts. One of my favorites is to gradually increase my “on” pace each minute with a minute or so of rest in between.
Nice!
After my half marathon, I am so tired of long and drawn out cardio – i am going to try this this week! Thanks Lan 🙂
Yay! Of course 🙂
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Great advice and knowledge for me as I am brand new to running. Just got my treadmill today so I will definitly be utilizing a lot of your information on the site. Thank you!
Will.
Thank you!
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