How to Run On the Treadmill + 3 Treadmill Interval Workouts

Running on the treadmill has some obvious advantages over running outdoors, especially in bone-chilling winter weather.

It's no surprise that many people like running because of its calorie-burning effects. After all, since running is weight bearing and recruits a large amount of muscle, it is the best form of cardiovascular fitness training to burn calories and fat. Besides, when was the last time you saw an overweight runner?

Use Intervals

Treadmill (Photo credits: Best Buy)

Whether you are a hardcore runner is of no importance. You can still benefit tremendously from the treadmill workouts you're soon about to discover. As you'll see, these treadmill workouts are based on interval training.

Interval training is a powerful method of maximizing your peak cardiovascular fitness and burning fat because it enables you to run at a higher intensity for a longer period of time since bouts of high intensity are interspersed with bouts of lower intensity. As a result, you get a cardio fitness training effect and boost your metabolism for several hours after your interval workout.

This post-exercise metabolism boost is known as EPOC or "excess post-exercise oxygen consumption" and can be responsible for several hundred calories expended while you are rest for up to several hours after your interval training workout.

What's even cooler about intervals is that they allow you to spend less time exercising while providing more substantial fitness and fat burning improvements compared to long, boring cardio sessions. In just 15-20 minutes of interval training you can accomplish what most exercisers never come close to achieving in an hour of cardio!

So now that we've established the benefits of interval training, let's have a look at some interval treadmill workouts that will save you time and give you huge fat burning and cardiovascular benefits! I know you'll enjoy them and find them both challenging and invigorating compared to traditional long, boring cardio workouts.

Each of these running workouts should begin with a light 5 minute warm-up (ie. jogging). Note as well that these interval training workouts are fairly challenging so give them a shot and see how you do. Try the first one a few times before you move on to the second, and the same with that before moving to the third. A few weeks from now, you'll be fitter, leaner, and have more endurance!

Interval Workout #1:

Work = 2 minutes @ 85%
Recovery = 1 minutes @ 65%

Repeat 4 times for a total of 12 minutes.

Interval Workout #2:

Work = 1 minute @ 95%
Recovery = 1 minute @ 65%

Repeat 10 times for a total of 20 minutes

Interval Workout #3:

Work = 30 seconds @ 100%
Recovery = 90 minute @ 65%

Repeat 10 times for a total of 20 minutes.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Yuri Elkaim is one of the world’s leading fitness and sports conditioning experts. You can take his Treadmill Trainer interval trainin running programs for a free test spin by visiting http://www.cartville.com/app/?Clk=5153122 and learn more about the best running workouts to get you fitter and running faster than ever before!
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Indoors or Outdoors? Which Is The Better Way To Run?

Let’s start off by saying that there is no bad way to run. Running is an excellent exercise. It burns fat, improves sleep, and reduces stress. The list could go on and on. Inside or outside, it’s all good. However, there are definite pros and cons to running indoors or outdoors. One location may better suit your needs and preferences.

The Benefits of Running Outdoors

#1 Variety – Even if you run the same route every single time, you’ll encounter different experiences outdoors. Animals, people, vehicles and route conditions all change day after day.

#2 Sunshine – Our bodies need sunshine. It helps you produce vitamin D which elevates your mood and makes you less susceptible to disease.

#3 Realistic Conditions – When you run outside your body has to deal with changing terrain. Not only do you have to watch out for obstacles in your path, you also experience hills. Indoors that isn’t always possible. If you’re training for a race it’s likely going to be outside. And real running terrain also helps you build core strength and stability.

The Downside to Running Outside

Snowy weather. (Photo credit: UIC Digital Collections)

#1 Bad weather – While some people do enjoy running in the rain, wind and snow, many do not. You can’t always count on perfect weather.

#2 People, animals, and vehicles – When you run outside you definitely have to keep an eye out for the things around you. It’s not unheard of to be chased by animals, bothered by people or to have to dodge a car or a bike when you run outside.

#3 Lighting – Many runners have to run before or after work and that means running in the dark. Running in the dark brings its own risks to the program.

The Benefits of Running Inside

#1 The biggest benefit to running inside is convenience. This is particularly the case if you run on a treadmill in your home. You can watch television, make phone calls and check your email while you run.

#2 Safety. In general, running indoors is safer. You don’t have to deal with animals, other people, or vehicles.

#3 Privacy. If you run on a treadmill in your home you can run in whatever suits you, including nothing at all. It’s private. If you run in a gym, that’s not the case of course. However, you don’t have to dress for the weather when you run in a gym which may save on fitness attire.

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Downside to Running Inside

#1 Boring. Running inside can get downright boring. You’re either running in circles on a track or you’re running in place on a treadmill.

#2 Lacks social element. There’s just no way to go on a group run on a treadmill. It’s you and you alone on your runs. You can’t even take your dog with you.

#3 No race training. Some runners do supplement their outdoor running program with a treadmill run when the weather gets bad. However, it is difficult to train for a race when you run on a treadmill. An indoor track might be okay however when most people run on a treadmill their running form changes. It’s difficult to replicate an outdoor run.

You don’t have to choose one or the other. Many runners run outside when they can and they run inside when they have to. The important thing to remember is to make time for running, wherever you can.