Setting a certain speed on a treadmill and running until you are tired is not the only way to use the treadmill. This steady state type of cardio exercise is not the most effective way to burn calories either. Other methods and uses for the treadmill are available, including high intensity interval training.
Why
According to IntervalTraining.net, high intensity interval training, or HIIT, is a method of interval training that uses short bursts of intense exercise -- usually less than 20 minutes -- that burn up to nine times as much fat as a typical cardio workout. This type of exercise trains both your aerobic and anaerobic systems. HIIT also gets you into better shape than steady state cardio and all in a shorter period of time.
How
Utilizing HIIT will raise your heart rate to near maximum levels. According to the Brian Mac Sports Coach website, you can determine your maximum heart rate by multiplying your age by .85 and subtracting that number from 217. Your target heart rate zone for HIIT is 80 to 90 percent of your maximum heart rate. You can wear a heart rate monitor during exercise to ensure that you are hitting the proper rate.
Workouts
You can do HIIT-style workouts by running on a treadmill. According to the website My Treadmill Trainer, performing HIIT-style workouts on a treadmill requires you to determine the top speed that you can run for 30 to 60 seconds. Start with a light five-minute warm-up. One routine calls for four minutes at 85 percent of your top speed, followed by two minutes at 65 percent, repeated four times. Another routine calls for 30 seconds at 100 percent of your top speed, followed by one minute at 65 percent, repeated 10 times. It will take the treadmill around 10 to 15 seconds to go up or down to the desired speed with each change, so factor that in to your times.
Tabata
Another example of HIIT was named after researcher Izumi Tabata, Ph.D., of the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Kanoya, Japan. According to the Brian Mac Sports Coach website, a Tabata is a four-minute routine, not counting the warm-up and cool-down, that consists of eight rounds of 20 seconds of exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest. The exercise periods are done at the highest level of effort you can muster. Tabata-style workouts have been shown to improve aerobic and anaerobic capacity markedly, whereas jogging shows no ability to increase anaerobic capacity.
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