The first thing many people envision when they think about cardiovascular exercise is running on a treadmill. A number of different workouts can be performed with a treadmill, each useful for a different set of goals. Traditional steady state cardiovascular exercise is generally used to improve aerobic fitness or to increase caloric consumption. Other training methods help you more effectively reach such goals as fat loss, improved anaerobic fitness or enhanced muscular endurance, or they simply counter the monotony of steady state exercise.
Simulated Hiking
Increasing exercise difficulty by increasing the incline is equally effective compared to increasing movement speed. Walking at a moderate to brisk pace up an incline can be just as physically demanding as running. In addition to garnering virtually all the same benefits as jogging on the treadmill, the impact on joints is substantially less. If running is contraindicated because of joint pain, this form of exercise provides an alternative way to use the treadmill.
High-Intensity Interval Training
High-intensity interval training involves interspersing segments of maximal exercise with active recovery periods. For example, you might jog at 5 mph for 45 seconds, followed by a sprint at 12 mph up a 5 percent grade for 15 seconds. This is generally repeated eight to 12 times, not counting a warm-up and cool-down. A work-to-active rest ratio of 2, 3 or 4 to 1 is typically recommended. According to Lyle McDonald, Ph.D., anaerobic interval training is superior to aerobic exercise at mobilizing stored fat into the bloodstream, making this technique ideal for individuals looking to decrease body fat. Additionally, this method more closely mimics the demands of a number of sports, allowing more specific fitness gains.
Pushing the Treadmill
The treadmill can also be used as part of a circuit training program. When used for this function, it is more convenient to just push the belt while the treadmill is off. Hands should be placed on the side handles or the panel in front, while you push as fast as possible for 15 to 30 seconds. It is essentially a resisted sprint. For example, you might perform 50 jumping jacks, 100 jump ropes, 15 pushups, and a 30-second treadmill sprint, resting briefly in between each exercise but never allowing for full recovery. This method is most effective for someone trying to improve muscular endurance and anaerobic fitness while still seeing improvements in fitness and fat loss.
Cruise Intervals
Cruise intervals are generally used to raise the lactate threshold, the point at which the body switches over to anaerobic metabolism, which is a better predictor of distance running performance than VO2 max. Cruise intervals involve repeated bouts at or near the lactate threshold, with short active recovery periods in between. Bill Foran, author of "High-Performance Sports Conditioning," recommends that each threshold interval should be about four to 15 minutes in length, with a recovery period about one-fifth that duration. The length of each session should be 25 to 40 minutes. For those who don't know their lactate threshold, it doesn't have to be overly complicated: Just run the maximum pace allowed based on the duration of each higher intensity segment. This method of training is most appropriate to include in a program geared toward improving race times.
References
- "The Stubborn Fat Solution"; Lyle McDonald; 2008
- "High-Performance Sports Conditioning"; Bill Foran; 2001
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