Secrets to Take the Dread Out of the Treadmill
There are two kinds of people in life: those who love the treadmill and those who can’t stand it. In case it wasn’t already obvious from this blog’s title, I’m in the latter group! I will run outdoors in a foot snow, below freezing temperatures, 90-degree heat, and even torrential rain before I will run on the treadmill. But I do draw the line somewhere: ice. When conditions are icy (OK, also if temps hit single digits), I’m not willing to risk injuring myself by running outside. Luckily, this winter has only forced me inside (count ’em) three times, and with spring on the way, I have my fingers crossed that I won’t have to use the treadmill again until next year.
Usually, I can only muster about 10 or 15 minutes on the treadmill before boredom wins and I leave the gym feeling frustrated with myself. So I had to come up with some new ways to make the most of the treadmill. And to my surprise: These tactics really worked. I’m not talking about listening to music or watching TV either. If you really want to have fun on the treadmill—or at least pass the time more easily—this is how you do it.
1. Add Intervals – This is my #1 tip for beating treadmill boredom. I tend to tell people that I have exercise A.D.D. because I can’t do any one thing for long before I get really distracted. To me, simply being on the treadmill is boring. Why add to it by running (or walking) at the same pace or incline the entire time? Intervals are by far the BEST way to pass the time on any cardio machine. Rather than 30 minutes of running (or walking) at one continuous pace, you can break up your run into six 5-minute intervals, for example. It really helps the time fly by and gives you something to focus on. Now if you’re not sure what to do, don’t worry. Interval training is not rocket science. All it means is that you work harder, then you work easier by changing up your speed and/or incline. Here are some examples of how I incorporate intervals on the treadmill to pass the time. Note that you may need to adjust the speeds here to suit your fitness level, as these are just examples to give you ideas.
Interval Example #1
Run at 7 mph for 1 minute.
Run at 7.5 mph for 1 minute.
Run at 8 mph for 1 minute.
Sprint at 9 mph for 30 seconds.
Recover at 6 mph for 2 minutes.
Repeat until you reached your workout goal (30 minutes, 3 miles, etc.)
Interval Example #2
Run or walk at a moderate pace for 2 minutes.
Run or walk at a challenging pace for 1 minute.
Run or walk at an easy pace for 1 minutes.
Repeat until you reached your workout goal (minutes or miles).
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