3 Treadmill Workouts You Need to Try in Stormy Weather

04/26/2024

Below are the top 3 treadmill workouts that you can hit irrespective of the weather outside. In case you don’t have a treadmill at your place, you can get in touch with your nearest fitness center to kick off these workouts. If you are unsure how to do these workouts, please reach out to a professional for help.

1. Interval workouts

Do you always prefer to train and work out outside your home? However, bad weather conditions are not allowing you to head out of your home. No worries, interval workouts have got you covered. High-intensity interval training, commonly known as HIIT, is not just limited to weightlifting or the gym. In order to improve the utilization and absorption of oxygen, try including short periods of high-intensity sprints or strides in your treadmill workouts. 

Absorbing more oxygen allows you to run longer while managing a high heart rate. HIIT, also known as high-intensity interval training, can help you revive your running strength and endurance. It takes less time to perform HIIT as compared to other traditional treadmill workouts. Remember that your body can only bear intense activity for a certain amount of time. Therefore, follow the recommended schedule and opt for rest afterward. 

Sprinting is not the only exercise that can be performed during high-intensity interval training. To keep yourself away from boredom and monotony, you can also go for inclines and walk laterally. 

Make a plan/schedule that stands perfectly with your workout objectives. Go through the below-listed example to ease your routine to build muscle strength and training ability: 

• Start by using the treadmill for running or light jogging for at least 5 minutes. After spending 5 minutes on a light walk or jog, look forward to increasing speed moderately for the next 5 minutes. 

• So after this, try to sprint as fast as you can for an additional 15 to 30 seconds only. 

• You won’t be able to go longer than this. 

• Start again by getting back to a normal pace for walking or light jogging for another 2 to 5 minutes. 

• Start sprinting again at a maximum speed for 15 to 30 seconds only, and then cool down. 

• Continue the same process for 20 to 30 minutes, then end the training with a brisk walk or jog for 2 to 5 minutes. 

2. Aerobic and strength workouts

We get bored easily when we follow the same routine. To kill the boredom and make your workout session enjoyable, try adding strength training to take your strength training to the next level. 

Kick in by jumping on a treadmill for a brisk walk or jogging for at least 5 minutes. After completing 5 minutes, get off the treadmill and go for strength training for at least 30 to 60 seconds. 

For strength training, you can include sit-ups, push-ups, or squats. If you don’t know how to do these exercises, please reach out to a professional. Performing any exercise in the wrong posture or method can lead to injuries. Therefore, be careful while doing any strength training. It would be better if you do it under the supervision of a professional. 

Try including 3 to 4 exercises in each break. Repeat the same with a round of strength training. You can also utilize bands and weights to get the maximum results during your session. 

For the first five minutes of your workout, go back on the treadmill and switch to weight training. Depending on your strength, repeat these intervals for thirty to sixty minutes. Don't forget to cool down with a brisk walk or jog of one to three miles.

3. Hill Climbs

If training outdoors on hills or thrills is your cup of tea, but bad weather conditions have put a dent in your plans, no worries—we have got you sorted. You can’t completely replicate your outdoor schedule on the treadmill, but altering the inclination can help you feel the burn. The incline on the treadmill replicates the slope found on public roadways. For example, a 5% is supposed to elevate your elevation by 5 feet for every 100 feet of walking or running. 

If you are aware of the percentage grade of the incline you typically train on, feel free to adjust your program. To modify your treadmill time, try a one-hour hill-climb workout on the Triathlete website. Warm up with one to three miles of brisk walking or running. Then, you can do six strides, which are short periods of fast running for at least 20 seconds. 

Now, it’s time to go climbing. To begin, increase the incline to 6 to 8% of your treadmill and try to accomplish 6 to 8 half-mile “climbs.” On the other hand, if you are a newbie or walker, commence with a lower grade to find a challenging yet safe incline. 

A triathlete advises running at your 10k pace, which is approximately nine minutes for men and ten minutes for women. Take a 3 to 4-minute flat run to recover between each half-mile. Cool down with a mile or three of easy walking or running to wrap up. 

Conclusion: 

You can try the above-listed treadmill walking workouts during bad weather conditions. However, if you are a novice, it's better to seek professional guidance. The professional will help you to perform the above-listed workout in a safe and effective way. Doing any workout without the right knowledge and advice can lead to serious injuries. You can continue with your old workout regimen once the weather conditions get back to normal. ​

FAQs:

1. Can beginners try these treadmill workouts?

Beginners can definitely try the above-listed workouts if the weather outside is less than ideal. However, if they don’t know how to perform these workouts properly with the right posture, they should seek professional help. The professional will help you perform these workouts in the right way with the correct posture. 

2. Are treadmill workouts as effective as outdoor workouts?

You can't completely replicate outdoor workouts on a treadmill. When the weather is not suitable for going out, you can hit the nearby gym or do these workouts at home if you have a machine. Treadmill workouts will help you continue your workout routine even when the weather outside is against you.

3. What are 12 inclines on a treadmill?

When you increase the incline to 12%, you're not just making the treadmill workout more intense; you're also boosting your heart rate, replicating the challenge of a steep hike. Just like when we climb a hill, this intensifies the workout, increasing heart rate, respiratory rate, and potentially caloric expenditure.