It’s important to have a plan when it comes to attacking the ‘mill. Start with a recovery-style workout like “The Easy Workout” first and continue with something with more intensity (like the “Interval Workout”) on day two, and so on and so forth. Try not to do two high-intensity workouts back-to-back for optimal training and recovery.
The Easy Workout
Set the treadmill elevation at one percent and run or power walk for 40 to 60 minutes at a light intensity level. You cannot work out hard every day. You need some easy recovery days so your muscles will be fully recovered and ready for harder workouts.
The Interval Workout
Set the treadmill elevation at one percent. Do 2 minutes easy with 1 minutes hard for no longer than 30 minutes. As your fitness level increases, your pace at the hard level will also increase. That means you’ll be consistently improving your calorie-burning ability.
The Distance Workout
Set the treadmill elevation at one percent and run or power walk at a moderately hard level for about 20 minutes. Initially, you will probably be able to do only one 20-minute workout. As your fitness level increases, you’ll be able to do two or three 20-minute repeats with five minutes of easy running/walking after each repeat for recovery. You’ll also find your pace increasing as you get into better condition.
The Hill Training Workout
This workout is great for building lower body strength and sculpting those butt muscles, calves and thighs. Set the treadmill at four percent elevation and run or power walk at a hard level for five minutes. Then decrease the elevation to two percent and run or walk for one minute at a light level. Now, increase the elevation to five percent and run or walk for five minutes at a hard level. Then decrease the elevation back to two percent for one minute at a light level. Increase the elevation to six percent for five minutes at a hard level before decreasing the elevation back to two percent for one minute at a light level. Keep up this pattern until you reach 10 percent elevation. Then cool down with five minutes at two percent elevation. You’ll probably need to decrease your pace as you increase elevation. Adjust your speed rather than the elevation to maintain your goal RPE during this routine.
The Workout:
Intense Power Walk or Run, 4% Incline: 5 minutes
Recovery Walk or Jog, 2% Incline: 1 minute
Intense Power Walk or Run, 5% Incline: 5 minutes
Recovery Walk or Jog, 2% Incline: 1 minute
Intense Power Walk or Run, 6% Incline: 5 minutes
Recovery Walk or Jog, 2% Incline: 1 minute
Continue pattern until you reach 10% elevation
Cooldown, 2%: 5 minutes
Calculating Calories Burned
Most treadmills give you an estimate of how many calories you are burning. But these numbers are frequently inaccurate. Here’s an easy way to estimate the number of calories you’re burning. If you are working at a pace that feels easy, you are burning about three to five calories per minute. At a moderate pace, you’re burning six to 10 calories per minute and at a hard pace, 11 to 15 calories per minute.
FACT OR FICTION? Hill running builds killer glutes and sculpts the legs
Hill running on the treadmill is a great way to build strength and tone the muscles in your legs. But for sculpting your leg muscles and achieving that “ripped” look, strength and toning isn’t enough. You need to burn more calories and decrease your body fat so the muscles will stand out. Hill running is an ideal way to increase the calories burned in your workout. Each one percent increase in the treadmill elevation will raise your rate of calorie burn by four percent to 15 percent depending upon your weight, pace and the efficiency of your stride.
Reader Question: Oftentimes I get shin splints about ten minutes after I begin running. Once the pain sets in I can no longer run efficiently and I have to cut my workout short. This happens no matter if I run on the pavement or on the treadmill. What could be causing the shin splints and how can I remedy this?
Answer: “Shin splints can be related to a number of intrinsic or extrinsic factors. Extrinsic being running on uneven ground, up or down hill, too rapid of a rise in training intensity, incorrect shoes or running surface. Intrinsic factors include over pronation, gastrocnemius tightness, core weakness, muscle imbalances or bodyweight. Other causes of similar pain that you should rule out first include exertional compartment syndrome and stress fracture. If you’re having persistent pain see a physician. If you are diagnosed with shin splints or medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS), physical therapy with gastrocnemius stretching, anterior tibial strengthening, core exercises, modalities and deep tissue massage can help. Also, go to a good specialty shoe store, such as a New Balance store, and have a sales associate help you find the right shoe for your foot type.” – Dr. Victor Prisk, Board-certified Orthopaedic Surgeon.