Running or walking on a treadmill for days on end might not result in weight and fat loss after all. Why so? As a form of cardio exercise, it may suffice. This can improve your cardiovascular strength and endurance. But if your goal is to lose weight and tone up, it is not enough.
To lose fat more efficiently, you also need to gain muscles. The more lean mass you develop, the faster your metabolism gets. And while weight training is intended for this purpose, you are not limited to just this.
Did you know that you can also develop lean mass in your lower body even with treadmills? With the right program you can, this will fast track your weight and fat loss program.
Standingdesktopper's pick
Our favorite treadmill workout for fat loss
Incline training
The incline setting of a treadmill targets various muscles of the legs. It is more effective and also more challenging compared to running on a flat surface. Walking on a steep incline can burn more calories than running on a flat surface. From your legs, glutes, and calves to your hamstrings, all these muscles are mobilized resulting in more effective fat loss.
And to get you started in climbing the hills, here is a basic incline training that you can try.
- Step 1:
Start by walking at a comfortable pace on a flat surface for about 5 minutes. This serves as your warm-up. This also prepares your heart and muscles for progression.
- Step 2:
Set the treadmill to a 1 percent incline then increase your speed of walking. Continue to walk briskly for 4 minutes. Your rate of perceived exertion (ROPE) at this point should ideally be between 3 and 4.
- Step 3:
increase the incline to 5 percent while maintaining the speed. The ROPE should be between 6 and 7. Do this continuously for 3 minutes. At this point, you will notice the change in the incline and the level of resistance becomes more challenging for your lower body. This is also where you start burning more calories as your body traverses through more uphill steps.
- Step 4:
Reduce the incline by 1 percent and begin lowering the speed. Walk lightly for 2 minutes. This period allows your heart rate to gradually lower a bit and prepare it for the next incline interval.
Repeat steps 2 and 3 for 30 minutes. This results in optimum fat burn.
This mix of high intensity and recovery will keep your heart rate elevated. Thus helping your body burn more calories and fat.
- Step 5
This Is the cooldown. Start slowing down your pace and walk at a light speed on a flat surface. Don’t skip this as this helps gradually lower the heart rate so you will not get lightheaded.
This also prevents muscle stiffness. Remember that the cooldown is as important as the other parts of any workout.
Protip:
This can be a challenging routine, so always listen to what your body tells you and how it feels. Take a step back if it’s becoming overwhelming for you. You can just do just one round of intervals and see how your body responds to it.
30 second Sprint Intervals
This routine can help you burn as much fat as HIIT training. It can help you lose fat and half the time, but be ready to sweat a lot!
Step 1:
Set the treadmill at a 1 percent incline. Walk at an easy and light speed for a minute. This serves as the warm-up and gets the blood and stretches the joints and muscles too.
Step 2
Pick up the pace and increase the speed to a sprint, jog continuously for five minutes. Afterward, recover to an easier jog for 90 seconds. Do this sprint easy jog interval nine times. That will take you around 18 minutes.
Step 3
Do a cool down for 5 minutes by brisk walking or easy jogging.
Side Stepping treadmill exercise
This is a challenging routine that really works out the glutes and squats. It has shuffle movements that combine both running and walking.
Step 1:
Let’s start with a warmup.
Set the treadmill at a 1 percent incline and walk at a light and easy pace for a minute. Do this continuously for 4 minutes.
Hold onto the side rails and slowly turn your body to one side. Get low down to a squat position with the knees slightly bent and the core tucked in. Then begin side shuffling your feet. Do this continuously with steady movements for 30 seconds.
Return to a slow walking pace.
Then start to shuffle to the other side, and do the same side running for 30 seconds. Do 30 seconds before switching sides.
Step 3
When you’ve finished 20 minutes of side shuffling, turn to face the center. Do a 5 minute cooldown.
This entire sequence lasts for about half an hour.
Protip: As you progress through this workout, you can also opt to pick up the pace and increase the speed to brisk walking. But be careful not to make fancy movements, especially if you are side shuffling.
Alternating walking on the hills and running on a flat surface
This alternating running and walking on different terrains is an intense workout for your glutes and legs.
Step 1:
Begin with a 5-minute warm-up of easy jogging or brisk walking. Increase the incline of the treadmill to 1 percent.
Step 2:
Walk for 1 minute with the treadmill incline set to percent. Then lower the incline to 1 percent and run at a comfortable slow pace for 1 minute.
Step 3:
Walk for 2 minutes with the incline set to 3 percent
Step 4:
Run for 2 minutes with a treadmill incline set to 1 percent
Step 5:
Walk for 3 minutes with an Increased incline of 4 percent
Step 6:
Lower the incline to 1 percent and run lightly for 3 minutes.
Step 7:
Walk for 4 minutes to an Increased incline of 4 percent
Step 8
Lower the incline to 1 percent and run lightly for 4 minutes.
Step 9:
It’s time for a cool down, do an easy jog or brisk walk for 5 minutes. This entire routine takes about half an hour.
These treadmill tricks can help you lose fat and gain mass at the same time
While dumbells and equipment can help you gain lean mass, a curated treadmill workout can also help you develop muscles in your lower body.
Of course, if it’s your first time to try it, listen to what works best for your body and adjust the progression as tolerated. Also make sure that if you have any cardiovascular condition or issues, you seek approval from your physician first.
