Winter Treadmill Workouts

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winter treadmill workouts

8 Winter Treadmill Workouts to Keep You Going

Like me, no form of exercise feels as enjoyable or as fulfilling as running outdoors. I love the change of seasons for the pleasure of cooler temperatures and winter skiing. Unfortunately, that exact change of seasons can keep me from getting in my weekly mileage if the weather turns nasty. Don’t let the cold winter months keep you from adequately preparing for an early spring race. With these eight winter treadmill workouts, you can stay off the icy roads, feel satisfied with your activities, and continue to meet all your fitness goals.

1. Increase speed with an interval workout

For maximum cardiovascular benefits, try an interval workout. Start with a 10-minute warm-up period, then progress into a pyramid of intervals (i.e., 2-4-6-4-2 minutes) at your 5k race pace. Allow 2-minutes of complete rest or active recovery between each faster segment.

2. Improve your running cadence

It can be easy to lose focus on stride efficiency with a treadmill doing some of the work for you. To help maintain a quick turnover, try counting your steps for 1-minute at a 5k or 10k tempo pace. Rest for 1-2 minutes, then repeat. Try to maintain or increase the number of strides you take in the 1 minute (aim for 180 steps per minute). Fight the urge for the treadmill to take over the workout.

3. Vary your stride length

Still focusing on your stride, warm-up easy for 10-minutes, then break up your workout with a total of 6-10 repetitions of 30-second ”bursts.” While maintaining a proper foot strike, alternate between longer and shorter strides to work different sets of muscles. This variation in stride length will help simulate more running on the roads or trails. It will also contribute to improving flexibility and strength.

4. Complete a strength and aerobic combo workout

The winter months frequently mean a switch to strength training or recovery from a long training and racing season. Instead of losing cardiovascular gains, try mixing your strength and aerobic training. Walk or run at a comfortable pace for 5-minutes on the treadmill. Then step off the treadmill and complete 30-60-seconds of exercises such as sit-ups, push-ups, lunges, burpees, or jumping jacks. The time on the treadmill should be recovery time from the strength exercise that you complete. Switching between training stimuli will keep your heart rate up and allow your muscles to feel like they are not constantly pounding away.

5. Explore the workouts on your treadmill

Many treadmills today have preset workouts that vary the speed and incline automatically for you. Remember, no road or trail is entirely flat, so a flat treadmill is far from ideal. Have fun exploring these workouts and challenge yourself to complete the most challenging training the treadmill can throw at you before the end of the winter. As you progress, visualize yourself taking down your next hill-infested race or cruising into the finish line of a 5K faster than ever before!

6. Change directions on your treadmill, be careful

Facing forward on the treadmill is not the only way it can use it. Walking backward and sideways can help improve strength, balance, and flexibility. Try adding some short segments of one or the other into your warm-up or cool-down period. Set the speed very slow at first and use caution, as it will feel very uncomfortable. With practice, you may be able to add a slight incline to gain more strength benefits.

7. Add in stair climbing intervals

If you live in a multi-story house or attend a multi-level gym, take some breaks from running on the treadmill to walking up and down the stairs. Start with a 30-minute workout and alternate 5-minutes on the treadmill with 5-minutes of stair-walking. The change in speeds will increase your cardio and give your quadriceps and hamstrings that additional burn like when you’re coming into the finish line of a long race! Alternatively, if your gym does not have stairs, find the nearest StairMaster, and complete the same workout.

8. Improve your mobility

Our last excellent winter treadmill workout combines both aerobic training and mobility. Mobility impacts your stride length, running posture, turnover, and risk of injury. Since you might not focus on always running hard during the winter, it may be an excellent time to improve your mobility. First, complete a warm-up for 10-minutes on the treadmill. Then step off to complete 5-10 minutes of drills such as high knees, lunges in all directions, hip openers, butt kicks, etc. You could easily alternate this workout like number four above, substituting strength exercises for drills.

The dark, cold hours of winter combined with the treadmill can be a daunting challenge for many avid outdoor runners, so we hope these winter treadmill workouts will help keep you motivated till spring. Occasionally, bundle up in warm clothes and brave the bitter cold for a run. The winter months can be full of beautiful sights and various wildlife that you do not usually see. Getting out once in a while will remind you how much you love running and preventing cabin fever.

Feel free to comment below with your favorite ways to make use of the treadmill during the winter.

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