Some runners see the treadmill as their arch nemesis (“the dreadmill,” if you will), but when it gets chilly, icy, and snowy outside, there’s no need to give up training. We’ve rounded up some treadmill workouts you’ll actually enjoy— multiple clothing layers not required.
- Multi-task! Who says you can’t get in a cardio and strength-training workout all at once. Kind of like patting your head and rubbing your tummy, running while doing bicep curls with 2 to 5-pound dumbbells could challenge your brain as much as your arms and legs. If you’re not the “chew gum and walk at the same time” type, alternate 5-10 minute jaunts on the ‘mill with lunges, push-ups, or planks.
- Make It a Game. Write “run,” “sprint,” “jog,” and “walk” on four separate index cards. Shuffle ‘em up. After warming up, draw one card at a time and do the action on the drawn card for 3-4 minutes. Feeling fearless? Add more tasks to the pile (lunges, uphill, sidestep). Or, add a second stack of times— from one minute to five, for example— and draw one card from each pile.
- Read on for three more ideas.
The Takeaway: Running inside doesn’t have to be boredom city. Make your treadmill workout more effective and distracting by challenging yourself.
Should You Be Training With a Pro?
Professional athletes aren’t the only ones who need one-on-one attention from a trainer. The rest of us can benefit from that specialized attention, too.
Fun Fact:
The treadmill’s grandfather, the tread wheel, was invented for prisoners to satisfy their hard labor sentences in Victorian England.
