Treadmill Workouts

One of my favorite treadmill workouts is the "90/30" routine. The "90/30" is a workout which consists of 90 second bouts of low/moderate intensity exercise alternated with 30 second bouts of high intensity exercise (for a 2 minute cycle).

An example of a treadmill workout would be walking at 3.5 mph on a flat surface for 90 seconds, and then increasing the speed to 6.0 mph and running/jogging for 30 seconds. One would alternate back and forth in this manner for 20-40 minutes (10-20 cycles). The key to these types of treadmill workouts (and any workout really) is progression. Using the same example, if one completed 10 cycles (20 minutes) running at 6.0 mph for their 30 second high intensity bouts during their first workout, they should try to run all of their high intensity bouts a little faster the next workout, maybe 6.2 mph. Alternatively, they could keep their speed at 6.0 mph for the 30 second high intensity bouts and do 1 or 2 more cycles. Either way, they are doing more metabolic work which is the way to enhance any component of fitness.

The nice thing about the "90/30" treadmill workouts is that they can be tailored to any one's existing level of fitness and then progressed from there. Also, they need not be performed on a treadmill...this could easily be done on a bike, elliptical trainer, stepper, climber, etc. Here is a 6 week example of how one may progress their "90/30" treadmill workouts:

Week 1

Day 1: 10 cycles (20 minutes) alternating between 3.5 mph (90 sec) and 6.0 mph (30 sec)
Day 2: 10 cycles (20 minutes) alternating between 3.5 mph (90 sec) and 6.2 mph (30 sec)

Week 2

Day 1: 11 cycles (22 minutes) alternating between 3.5 mph (90 sec) and 6.2 mph (30 sec)
Day 2. 12 cycles (24 minutes) alternating between 3.5 mph (90 sec) and 6.2 mph (30 sec)

Week 3

Day 1: 12 cycles (24 minutes) alternating between 3.5 mph (90 sec) and 6.5 mph (30 sec)
Day 2: 12 cycles (24 minutes) alternating between 3.5 mph (90 sec) and 6.6 mph (30 sec)

Week 4

Day 1: 13 cycles (26 minutes) alternating between 3.5 mph (90 sec) and 6.6 mph (30 sec)
Day 2: 14 cycles (28 minutes) alternating between 3.5 mph (90 sec) and 6.6 mph (30 sec)

Week 5

Day 1: 14 cycles (28 minutes) alternating between 3.5 mph (90 sec) and 6.8mph (30 sec)
Day 2: 14 cycles (28 minutes) alternating between 3.5 mph (90 sec) and 7.0 mph (30 sec)

Week 6

Day 1: 15 cycles (30 minutes) alternating between 3.5 mph (90 sec) and 7.0 mph (30 sec)
Day 2: same as day 1

The 6 week example above represents exactly what most people DO NOT do...ATTEMPT TO PROGRESS. Most people go to the gym, week in and week out, perform the same activities (whether it be strength training or cardiovascular) at the exact same intensity and wonder why they are not making any progress in any component of their fitness. You have to present your body with progressively greater demands in order to get a response out of it. "Staying the course" isn't going to get you anywhere unless you are, in fact, pleased with where you are and have decided to maintain.

Finally, the treadmill workouts presented above are just an example, probably for someone with a moderate level of existing fitness. For someone with a higher level of fitness, the speeds presented above would have to be modified (maybe the high intensity bouts at 10 mph and the lower intensity bouts at 6.0 mph). The opposite can be said for someone with a lower level of fitness. Where you start really isn't important, but trying to get better and progress is.