How to make the most out of 20 to 30 mins on a treadmill

Raise your hand if you hate the blasted treadmill. 

IS THIS YOU???

I kind of have a natural despise for the treadmill, but I decided a long time ago not to let it own me. I would own IT! and it would be a slave to ME! hehe. A lot of people have asked me for treadmill training...so I am getting this post out of the way. 


Running along at 6 mph on the mill like LA TEE DA makes me nuts and the time drags....so one day a couple years ago or so...I decided to start making my run interesting. I began experimenting with those little speed and incline buttons. I would challenge myself in small increments of time which helped me get through the grueling process because my goals were much smaller and they were a challenge I could take on. What I didn't realize was how vastly it increased my endurance, my speed, and my overall level of fitness. I really had no purpose for training like this other than boredom.


Then, I decided to randomly run in a 10k on a beach. It was my first race ever and I felt ridiculous cause I looked out of place and called my mom laughing at what a joke I was. Long story short...I end up winning the darn race! How the heck did I do that? Well, I trained myself for a race through sand on a beach without even knowing! Ever since then...I have come to appreciate my time on a treadmill (even though it's a love hate relationship) because it can condition and shape my body in fantastic ways and I'm trying to get back to it!


I will share my favorite 30 minute interval format for the treadmill. This is a great way to train for a race if you want to improve greatly on your time....or heck! WIN IT! It's also a great way to increase fat burn because your body is never in a continuous state. You are up and down with your heart rate. When you are done...you are wiped. And you WILL feel like a bad a*#. 


Also note that I am putting down my speeds and inclines and times. You can adjust each of these according to your level of fitness. Just make sure that you are challenging yourself. A workout should NEVER be easy. :)

1. Warm Up for 5 mins:
Fast walk. Pump your arms. At 2 mins take it to and incline of 5. This will warm up your hamstrings

2. Quick stretch of the arms and legs

3. Hill Interval: 7mph
1 min: 0 incline
2 min: 3 incline
3 min: 0 incline
4 min: 4 incline
5 min: 0 incline
6 min: 5 incline
Go back down the inclines the same way you went up. Mins 7-10

5. Rest for one minute. Feet off to the side. Breathe!

4. Sprint Interval (Mins 11-20)
8 mph for one min
rest 30 seconds
9 mph for one min
rest for 30 seconds
10 mph for one min
rest for 30 secs
Go back down the sprints the same way you went up

6. Cool Down (5 mins)
walk or slow jog

NOW...GO TRAIN like a WINNER!

Kind of a proud moment. ;)

PS. I paired this treadmill circuit with power yoga today and I have an AWESOME conditioning exercise to show you that I learned. I'll try to get pics up tomorrow.