4 Awesome Workout Plans To Eliminate Treadmill Boredom

Tired of your same ho-hum treadmill sessions? Do you hop on the treadmill only to perform stride after stride without much variation in between? Are you tired of the status quo?

If so, your body is probably tired too. Here’s the secret about seeing great results from your fitness plan: Something needs to change. Simply put, if nothing ever changes, you are going to be seeing the same results over and over again.

By adding variation to your workout routine – and combating boredom at the same time – you can help avoid this. It’s definitely a win-win. So if you haven’t changed things up in a while, now is definitely the time. And, we have some great workouts to help you do just that.

Let’s take a look at four awesome treadmill workouts that will enable you to not only improve your fitness level, but regain that lost interest you have in your workouts once again.

The Interval Circuit

Most of us know by now that one of the most effective types of workout programs out interval training. This involves very intense bouts of exercise with active rest periods. By training this way, you can dramatically enhance your post-exercise calorie burn (a process called EPOC) while also helping to improve your fitness level dramatically. The harder you push yourself while doing the intervals, the greater the fitness benefits will be.

What we’re going to do in this workout program is actually double up on the benefits by adding some circuit training within the intervals. This is going to help bring some resistance training into the mix to ensure you reap optimal benefits.

You will still be getting some rest between the interval and the circuit training movement however as you do want to keep that circuit training exercise to a decent level of intensity. This helps prevent fatigue accumulation, causing you to stop the entire workout short.

This is a more advanced protocol however so one that should be done by those who have some experience under their belt.  

Remember to always perform a light warm-up before this workout and finish off with some proper stretching and a cool-down.

5 minutes walking at a moderate speed to warm-up

30 seconds running at an RPE (rate of perceived exertion on a scale of one to ten) 8

20 seconds rest

30 seconds push-ups

10 seconds rest

30 seconds running at an RPE (rate of perceived exertion on a scale of one to ten) 8

20 seconds rest

30 seconds bodyweight squats

10 seconds rest

30 seconds running at an RPE (rate of perceived exertion on a scale of one to ten) 8

20 seconds rest

30 seconds bicycle crunch

10 seconds rest

30 seconds running at an RPE (rate of perceived exertion on a scale of one to ten) 8

20 seconds rest

30 seconds step ups

10 seconds rest

30 seconds running at an RPE (rate of perceived exertion on a scale of one to ten) 8

20 seconds rest

30 seconds mountain climbers

10 seconds rest

30 seconds running at an RPE (rate of perceived exertion on a scale of one to ten) 8

20 seconds rest

30 seconds walking lunges

10 seconds rest

30 seconds running at an RPE (rate of perceived exertion on a scale of one to ten) 8

20 seconds rest

30 seconds chair dips

10 seconds rest

30 seconds running at an RPE (rate of perceived exertion on a scale of one to ten) 8

20 seconds rest

30 seconds supermans

10 seconds rest

5 minute cool-down

To progress this workout program, you’ll simply track how many reps you do of each circuit move and how fast you are running. Over time, if you can completely more reps and run faster, you’re improving!

The Long Hill Climb

One of the best ways to challenge yourself on a treadmill but one that many people forget far too often is uphill walking. Uphill walking is great because it’ll work the glutes, hamstrings, and quads, while also targeting the core and calves as well. It’s a full lower body strengthener! It also adds significant improvement to your cardiovascular fitness level as well, so it can be just as good as running for improving your conditioning.

Finally, it torches calories. If you put the treadmill on a steep incline and walk at a brisk pace, you will be burning just as man, if not more, calories than you would if you were running.

This is also a perfect workout for those who are struggling with bad knees or back and who can’t take the impact that running dishes out. Do it and get quick relief.

5 minute warm-up

2 minutes walking at 4 mph, incline 4

2 minutes walking at 4 mph, incline 6

2 minutes walking at 3.5 mph, incline 8

2 minutes walking at 3.5 mph, incline 10

2 minutes walking at 4 mph, incline 2

2 minutes walking at 3.5 mph, incline 8

2 minutes walking at 3.5 mph, incline 10

2 minutes walking at 3 mph, incline 12

2 minutes walking at 3 mph, incline 14

2 minutes walking at 4 mph, incline 2

5 minute cool-down

The Acrobat Treadmill Workout

If you’re someone who’s gotten a good feel for running on the treadmill but you want to boost your agility and body awareness, sometimes it’s actually wise to slow down and do some different moves on the treadmill. Perhaps you’ve seen someone walking sideways before and wondered what the heck they were doing. There can be some merit to doing this. It not only challenges your muscles in a different manner, but helps you enhance your overall balance capabilities as well.

This acrobat treadmill workout is not about going as fast as you can, but rather, maintaining total body awareness. It’s a good one to do on an easier workout day where you are still feeling mentally fresh to change things up and give your body a break from the high impact nature of your other workout sessions.

5 minute warm-up

5 minutes walking at 4 mph, incline 4

2 minutes walking sideways in a bent knee position (shuffling your feet) at 2 mph, incline 0

2 minutes walking to he other side in the same manner at 2 mph, incline 0

5 minutes walking at 4 mph, incline 4

1 minute walking backward at 1.5 mph and incline 2

5 minutes walking at 4 mph, incline 4

5 minute cool-down

This workout may seem like not that big of a deal, but see it and watch if you aren’t sore tomorrow.

The Ab Blaster Interval

This workout is similar to the circuit training workout only this time, you’re entirely hitting your core. Many people cite that their abs are their trouble spot and in order to get good abs, you need to do two things: strengthen your core muscles and burn fat. This workout accomplishes both of them.

Because core exercises aren’t that cardiovascular demanding, you won’t be resting much between the interval and the ab move. You should be able to rest from the interval during the ab exercise, while still focusing on strengthening your core.

Keep in mind these intervals, being that they are longer as well, won’t be as taxing on the body either, reducing the need for rest between them. You’ll be going at a rate of perceived exertion of 7, which means on a scale from one to ten, you are working at an effort level of seven. Everyone will have their own level at this point as each person’s overall fitness level is different. If you feel like this level of intensity is to great for you, drop it down to RPE 6 so you can complete this workout session.

5 minute warm-up

1 minute running RPE 7

1 minute front crunches

1 minute running RPE 7

1 minute bicycle crunch

1 minute running RPE 7

1 minute prone ball roll ins

1 minute running RPE 7

1 minute mountain climbers

1 minute running RPE 7

1 minute crunches on an exercise ball

1 minute running RPE 7

1 minute lying side to side twists

1 minute running RPE 7

1 minute lying leg raises

1 minute running RPE 7

1 minute left side plank

1 minute running RPE 7

1 minute right side plank

1 minute running RPE 7

1 minute front plank

5 minute cool-down

So there you have some fresh new workouts to try next time you hit the gym. Don’t ever be afraid to change things up with your treadmill workouts. Too many people get stuck in their ‘zone’ and just do the same workout over and over again, trying to improve marginally on it.

Break free. Don’t worry that you’ll ‘lose’ fitness from trying something new. 99% of the time you will actually gain fitness and you might reduce your injury risk as well since now you are doing something that is different and not stressing your body out in the exact same way.

Photo credit: Alexander Lukatskiy/Shutterstock; ozero1504/Shutterstock; Ljupco Smokovski/Shutterstock