What are the Best Treadmill Workouts?

I can't use the treadmill anymore because it bothers my knees, but my husband makes good use of it. He is in great shape, so he does running treadmill workouts.

He used to run down our street, but it has become unsafe. Escalating crime has forced him to exercise indoors, so the treadmill keeps him from getting flabby.

He does something that I could never do, and that is running on the highest degree of incline. I get out of breath in about ten seconds of running uphill, and my knees start to pop. I wish that I could do this workout, because his legs have become solid muscle.

@shell4life – I also do walking treadmill workouts, even though I have the physical ability to do more intense workouts. I think that longevity and persistence are key with any workout, so I don't want to commit to something extreme that I won't be able to maintain.

I have a couple of music playlists that I listen to while working out. They are tailored to determine the rhythm of my walking.

I intermix slow songs with fast ones and mid-tempo ones to keep my heart rate up without tiring out too soon. I increase the incline on some of the slow songs for an added challenge, but for some of them, I just cool down a bit.

I don't have the endurance or lung capacity to run or jog, so I just use the treadmill for walking. I start out slow to warm things up, and then I progress to a brisk walk after about five minutes.

I do ten minutes of fast-paced walking, and then I slow it back down for another five. The last few minutes of my treadmill workout are spent walking very slowly so that I can stretch my leg muscles.

I realize that I may not be burning lots of calories or building muscle this way, but it keeps me active. I think that this simple treadmill workout will help me live longer and stay positive. I have read that even simple walks every day can stave off depression.

@gravois - I've heard that a treadmill or other interval workout is really good for your heart as well as fitness goals. It doesn't necessarily have to be every time - you might do a steady pace once or twice a week and intervals once or twice. You can also do intervals on any other cardio equipment; I've done a rowing class that was interval-based, for instance.

If you are just getting started, your intervals might all be walking. You could walk faster and up the incline, then slow down and flatten out. Gradually, you can start to jog during your intervals if your health permits it. Alternating interval training with more of an endurance workout is a great way to avoid boredom.

I also enjoy working on improving my time on a set distance, say a mile or two (I usually just do one). This is a nice way to gauge the improvement in your fitness and, again, to avoid boredom. (Because let's face it - the treadmill gets reeeeally boring after a while.) Makes a nice change once a week.

The best thing about running on a treadmill is that you can engage with various speeds and inclines in a way that would be impossible on real land.

Picking the best workout depends on your goals. You need to determine if your goal is weight loss, muscle development or improved endurance.

The treadmill workout plan that I have seen the best results with involves interval training. You basically sprint for thirty seconds and then jog for a minute and then sprint for 30 more seconds repeating until you are exhausted. It really gets the heart rate going and it has made me both faster and able to run further.