Whenever I think of the gym, I think of the same old boring treadmills – and whenever I think of treadmills, I think of the most dreadful and uneventful run I’m about to endure! Have you ever stopped to think about the different possibilities you have when using a treadmill? Especially the different treadmill workouts for beginners? Working out on the treadmill can be really fun and can vary in many different ways. When it comes down to it, the treadmill is just like walking on concrete except you’re staying in the same spot. Looking at it that way opens up so many different ideas and possibilities. Check out some of our ideas below to learn all about different treadmill workouts for beginners.
Alternating Squats
Yup! You read correctly. You can work on your squats the next time you get on that treadmill. For this one, you want the speed to be slow. The slowest you should do is .5, but challenging yourself is a good idea, too. Make sure your form is spot-on and your knees don’t pass your feet. You’re going to want to start on one side and then alternate to the next. Do that repeatedly and I promise you’ll barely be able to walk. You don’t need weights but you can certainly add them in if you’d like.
Walking Lunges
I don’t know about you, but I often catch myself procrastinating walking lunges because I don’t want to run into people while they’re working out. Not all gyms are as big as we want them to be – especially the one I go to! This routine simply removes the obstacles we run into on our gym floor. Get on the treadmill, put the speed up to 3.0 and grab some weights if you want to challenge yourself a little bit more. Note: the speed varies from person to person; we all have different bodies for a reason so make sure you choose the speed wisely. After you’ve chosen the proper speed, simply get started with your walking lunges, and I promise you won’t run into anyone this time.
Incline Pushups
This one is a little different and doesn’t require the treadmill to be on. If you have a broken treadmill at home, this is the perfect use for it. Start off by standing on the side base of the treadmill, placing both hands on top of the handlebars and bending your elbows to perform a pushup. Make sure your body is straight and on a bit of an incline. It’s the perfect way to incorporate an upper body workout after doing some cardio.
Shuffles
Shuffling is a great cardio work out, especially for your outer thighs and calves. But just like walking lunges – there is never enough room on the gym floor to be running around from side to side. Speed should be up to 3.0 as well, but again – choose the speed according to your body. You can also pick up some weights for this one.
Interval Training
Last but not least, interval training. Spice up the same old boring treadmill session by changing it up every few minutes. This is for sure a calorie burner and will get your heart rate up. It can be tough during its peaks, but the good thing is that it always has its breaks. Try a 20-minute interval session, with running every 2 minutes and walking every 1. If you want to get a little crazy, play your favorite song and try to run until it ends. It’s a great way to motivate yourself and have a good time as well. But again, adjust your pace – everyone’s different.
These are some of my favorites, but there are many more to choose from. Just a couple of tips: go at your own pace, don’t try to overwork your body, and make sure you’re being consistent. If you ever feel like slacking off because you’re too tired to get to the gym, here are some more exercises we came up with that don’t include an actual facility. Remember – the only person you should be competing against is yourself!
– By Valentina Lombardo