Innovative Indoor Treadmill Workouts

Think treadmills are reserved for long, uninspiring runs? Think again!

If you steer clear of all cardio equipment at the gym for fear of death by boredom, read on. New-generation treadmills are perfect for all kinds of workouts, from strength to upper-body to core training. If you use the right treadmill and get creative, you can easily achieve a full-body workout. Here are just a handful of ways you can supercharge your treadmill routine.

Upper-Body and Core Workout

Are you looking to tone your arms and abs to pair with those chiseled legs? Your treadmill is an excellent tool. All it takes is a little imagination. Below is a sample workout from Max Fitness Club:

Start with a three-minute uphill run to warm up and get the body ready to burn fat. Then perform the following exercises in 60-second intervals:

• Mountain Climber: With your feet on the treadmill and your hands on the sides, focus on your chest, arms and core. Set a speed that’s comfortable for you.

• Plank to Pike: Facing the opposite direction, get into a plank position with your feet on the treadmill and your hands on the sides. Let the treadmill bring your feet up from plank to pike. Then jump back and repeat.

• Reverse Mountain Climber: Place your hands on the floor and your feet behind you on the treadmill. Allow the treadmill to guide your legs in a reverse mountain-climber motion. Bonus: Twist your body at the same time!

• Walking Plank: Put the treadmill on a 10 percent incline to increase resistance and help with body positioning. Kneel at the bottom of the treadmill and walk with your hands. The farther you reach, the tougher the workout will be for your core and upper body.

Fat-Burning Workout

High-intensity interval training is a popular and effective way to burn fat, and a treadmill makes it easy.

You can set an integrated program on your treadmill to make HIIT even easier. Try a 10-minute workout during which you vary the intensity every 60 to 90 seconds with a 30-second lower-intensity interval in between bursts. Vary both the speed and the incline to make this circuit that much more powerful.

If you’re in the rhythm, no one’s stopping you at 10 minutes! And the higher the incline, the more fat and calories you burn. That’s where a NordicTrack Incline Series treadmill can come in handy.

Glute Workout

Want to target your glutes from a new direction? Then turn your treadmill into a booty trainer with a few simple exercises.

The easiest way to use your treadmill for a glute workout is walking lunges. You can lunge as long and as hard as you would like. Set a goal for yourself and feel your thighs and butt burn, or simply add a series of walking lunges into your usual run.

Of course, you don’t have to stick to walking lunges. You can try any type of lunge you enjoy, plus jump squats and more.

For a great glute workout, perform the following exercises in one- to two-minute intervals:

• Walking lunge
• Backward lunge
• Squat jump
• Duck walk

There’s so much more to treadmill workouts than simple running. Why not take all the exercises above and work them into a 40-minute routine with run sessions in between? Or try rotating routines so you run one day and focus on muscle toning the next? These fat-burning cardio and strength circuits are all you need for full-body fitness this winter. As a bonus, you can avoid the rain, wind, sleet, snow and cold!