HIIT workouts have become all the rage. They’re time-efficient, they burn fat, and build muscle simultaneously. They even increase your metabolic rate long after you finish working out.
If you’ve been wondering if there’s any way to make your treadmill workout more interesting then HIIT has the answer. Let’s take a closer look.
The Problem With Your Current Treadmill Workout
Treadmills are a great way to exercise. No matter what the weather is doing you can run as many miles as your legs can muster. In the comfort of your own home, you can get fit, lose weight, and improve your cardiovascular health.
But there might be one problem with your current treadmill workout. When it comes to keeping fit and losing weight, most people think that less is more. This leads to steady-state cardio. You might set your treadmill to a brisk walk or a steady jog and go at it for hours.
Unfortunately, this is not the most effective way to be using your treadmill. Prolonged steady-state cardio can start to have negative effects such as:
- It can cause muscle-wasting
- Repetitive nature can lead to injuries
- Calorie burning stops after you finish your workout
- It slows your metabolism
In addition to that, it takes a long time! So how can you ramp up your current treadmill workout into a supercharged fat-burning treadmill workout?
The Ultimate HIIT Treadmill Workout
HIIT workouts work on the basis that you perform an exercise as intensely as you can for a period of time, and then take a short rest before intensifying the exercise again. There are several benefits of training this way:
- Can be performed in a short space of time
- Helps to build muscle as well as burn fat
- Increases metabolic rate
- Metabolic rate remains increased long after you finish exercising
To perform the ideal HIIT treadmill workout, you’re going to combine an incline treadmill workout with a sprint treadmill workout. Before you get started, make sure you adhere to our treadmill safety guide and establish what speed and incline settings you’re comfortable with before starting.
Once you’re ready to start, perform a 10-minute warm-up. This can be a brisk walk or a light jog. As you get going increase the incline of your treadmill to your chosen setting for the whole workout. The aim here is to emulate hill sprints. They’re a great way to burn fat and build muscle in the legs.
Once you’re warmed up it’s time to start your HIIT treadmill workout. Your working sets will be a sprint at your maximum pace for 30-60 seconds. Then set your treadmill to a brisk walk for 60 seconds. Repeat this for 7-10 sets.
As you progress, increase the treadmill incline and speed. In addition, you can extend the length of the working set and decrease the time you spend at a brisk walk.
Ready to Give This Fat Burning Treadmill Workout a Go?
This treadmill workout is a challenge, but it will allow you to get the most from your treadmill in a short period. Training like this helps to build muscle as well as burn fat and increase your cardiovascular health all at the same time.
If you’re in Canada and need a treadmill for your workout then be sure to check out our store.