If you are accustomed to running outdoors, running on a treadmill may seem dull, or not much of a challenge. However, there are plenty of times when running on a treadmill is more comfortable or convenient than running outdoors — during extremely hot or cold weather, for example, or if you’re traveling in an unfamiliar town. Treadmills also offer instant feedback on your speed, distance, time and calories burned, which can be very useful. The key is to create treadmill workouts that will help you meet your training goals.
Fat Burning
If your primary goal is weight loss, treadmills can help activate your body’s fat-burning potential. Walking or running for fitness on a treadmill can be just as effective as training outdoors, according to “Running and Fat Burning for Women,” and you have the advantage of being able to track exactly how far you go, and how many calories you burn. You can start by using your treadmill’s preset fat-burning program. Once you have developed your fitness, you should progress to manual workouts, which are longer in duration or intensity.
Endurance
Treadmills are useful for building both muscular and cardiovascular endurance. The book “Building Strength & Stamina” suggests beginning your training at a pace of a brisk walk or an easy jog, then increase the speed and/or incline of the treadmill to challenge your body. As your endurance grows aim for specific goals, such as completing a 30-minute run, or walking at a 10 percent incline for 15 minutes. Because treadmills track your pace and distance, you can easily monitor your progress.
Hills
There are numerous benefits to hill-training on a treadmill, notes “Be a Better Runner.” Not only can you control the pace and incline during your training, but not having to run downhill helps protect your knees and joints from injury. The book recommends using the treadmill for hill sessions, instead of going outdoors, and suggests the following program: run at a steady pace for 30 or 40 minutes, but vary the incline every three minutes — for example, going from 1 percent, to 5 percent, to 3 percent and so forth. This presents a continuous challenge to your legs and lungs.
Speed
Running on a treadmill can enhance your speed, because it forces you to stick to an exact pace. Alberto Salazar, writing in his book, “Alberto Salazar's Guide to Road Racing,” notes that treadmills help with running mile repeats, or repeats of any fixed distance. After a warmup, you simply increase the speed to your desired pace, and run the determined distance. Because the treadmill sets the pace, you are free to concentrate on maintaining good form, and it prevents you slowing down as you get tired.
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