According to the American Council on Exercise, if you want to make the most of your workout on cardio equipment like a treadmill, do interval training. Interval training involves alternating between moderate-intensity exercise and short intervals of high-intensity exercise. Benefits include higher rate of fat burn and improved cardio fitness.
Incline Changes
"Fitness" magazine recommends a 45-minute treadmill interval workout that changes the speed and incline through the training session. For half the time, perform speed intervals where you run up an incline of 8 to 10 percent at a top speed of 4.2 mph. For the recovery intervals, the incline should not go above 2 percent and your speed should not be more than 3.5 mph.
1:1 Ratio
The American Council on Exercise recommends a 1:1 ratio. This means that you spend half the time exercising and the other half recovering. For example, spend two minutes walking at a brisk pace of 3 mph and then two minutes running at 6 mph. If you new to using the treadmill, you can opt for a 1:2 ratio with one minute of running and two minutes of walking. Repeat this pattern for the duration of your workout.
500 Calorie Workout
Robert Pennino, a certified USA triathlon coach, suggests a 60-minute treadmill interval workout in "Fitness" magazine to burn 500 calories. For the first 10 minutes, do a warm-up jog at 5 mph. Then spend four minutes jogging at 5 mph and the next four minutes running at 6.5 mph. The last five minutes is a cool-down period.
Warning
Treadmill newbies should not run at high speeds during the workouts. Consult your doctor before attempting any high-intensity exercise, especially if you suffer from a medical condition. For safety reasons, only use a treadmill with an emergency stop button that allows you to discontinue the workout if you feel overly fatigued.
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