4 Quick and Effective Treadmill Workouts

30-second Sprint Intervals

Whenever I do this workout, the time flies by and I’m soaked in sweat by the end. If you’ve never done any speedwork before, make sure you follow these rules for speed training.

• Set the treadmill at a 1% incline. Start by walking at an easy pace for one minute. Continue warming up with an easy jog for 5 minutes. You should be at a conversational pace. This will get your blood pumping and your muscles warm and ready for a workout.
• Pick up the pace to a hard effort (heavy breathing) for 30 seconds. Recover with 90 seconds of easy jogging.
• Repeat the sprint/recovery intervals 9 more times (18 minutes total).
• Finish with a 4-minute cool-down at an easy pace – easy jog or brisk walk.

Total treadmill time: 30 minutes

Side Stepping Workout

This workout combines running and walking with some good old side shuffles, which will really work your glutes and quads.

• Set the treadmill at a 1% incline. Warm up by walking at an easy pace for one minute. Continue warming up with an easy jog for 4 minutes.
• Return to walking pace and then, as you hold onto the side rail, turn your body to the side, get low in a squat position, and then start side-shuffling your feet. Don’t try to get fancy and cross one foot over the other. Continue side stepping for 30 seconds and then return to walking forward.
• Pick up the pace to an easy, conversational running pace for 2 minutes. Then bring the pace back down to walking for a 30-second interval of side shuffles on the other side.
• Continue with 2 minutes easy running/30 second of side shuffles (alternating sides) until you’ve been at it for 20 minutes.
• Finish with a 5-minute cool-down at an easy pace.

Total treadmill time: 30 minutes

Walk the Hills/Run the Flats

If you like alternating between running and walking, this is a good one for you. You’ll really work your glutes with the hills.

• Start with a 5-minute warm-up of easy jogging or brisk walking at a 1% incline.
• Increase the incline to 2% and walk for 1 minute.
• Lower incline to 1% and run at a comfortable pace for 1 minute.
• Increase the incline to 3% and walk for 2 minutes.
• Lower incline to 1% and run at a comfortable pace for 2 minutes.
• Increase the incline to 4% and walk for 3 minutes.
• Lower incline to 1% and run at a comfortable pace for 3 minutes.
• Increase the incline to 4% and walk for 4 minutes.
• Lower incline to 1% and run at a comfortable pace for 4 minutes.
• Finish with a 5-minute cool-down of easy jogging or brisk walking.

Total treadmill time: 30 minutes

Calorie-Blasting Pyramid Workout

This workout combines running and walking intervals and burns a ton of calories. Set the treadmill incline at 1% and start with a 3-minute warm-up of easy jogging or brisk walking. Then do the following intervals:

• 30-second medium-paced running/30-second walk
• 1-minute medium-paced running/1-minute walk
• 2-minute medium-paced running/1-minute walk
• 3-minute medium-paced running/1-minute walk
• 4-minute medium-paced running/1-minute walk
• 3-minute hard running/1-minute walk
• 2-minute hard running/1-minute walk
• 1-minute hard running/1-minute walk
• 30-second hard running/30-second walk

Finish with a 2-minute cool-down of easy jogging or brisk walking.

Total treadmill time: 30 minutes