Beat the Winter Blues: Treadmill Workouts That Won’t Put You to Sleep
When the temperature drops and the snowflakes start falling, it’s tempting to hang up your running shoes and hibernate until spring. But why let a little cold weather get in the way of your fitness goals? With a few creative tweaks, you can turn the treadmill into a fun and challenging workout buddy.
Mix It Up with Multi-Tasking
Who says you can’t get a cardio and strength-training workout all at once? Try running while doing bicep curls with 2-5 pound dumbbells. It’s like patting your head and rubbing your tummy – it’ll challenge your brain as much as your arms and legs. Not feeling coordinated? Alternate 5-10 minute jaunts on the treadmill with lunges, push-ups, or planks.
Level Up with a Game-Changing Workout
Turn your treadmill session into a game show. Write “run,” “sprint,” “jog,” and “walk” on four separate index cards, shuffle them up, and draw one card at a time. Do the action on the drawn card for 3-4 minutes. Feeling adventurous? Add more tasks to the pile, like lunges or uphill climbs. Or, create a second stack of times – from one minute to five, for example – and draw one card from each pile.
Get Personalized Attention
You don’t have to be a pro athlete to benefit from one-on-one attention from a trainer. Consider working with a personal trainer to take your treadmill workouts to the next level.
The Fun Factor
Did you know that the treadmill’s ancestor, the tread wheel, was invented in Victorian England as a form of punishment for prisoners? Today, we get to use it to stay fit and healthy. So why not make the most of it? With a little creativity, you can turn the treadmill into a fun and effective workout tool.
More Ideas to Get You Moving
- Incorporate incline intervals to simulate outdoor hills
- Try a ” Tabata-style” workout with 20 seconds of intense exercise followed by 40 seconds of rest
- Create a playlist with songs that match your desired pace and intensity
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