Mix Up Your Treadmill Workouts With These Programs

By Marnie Kunz, NASM-certified trainer, USATF-, RRCA-certified running coach

If you’re looking for treadmill workouts to step up your fitness and add variety to your routine, you’ve come to the right place. As a running coach and trainer, I enjoy coming up with different workouts and helping people improve their fitness. And I know firsthand how monotonous the treadmill can be, so I came up with these workouts to make the treadmill more fun while also adding intensity and variation to training.

Whether you want to improve your cardio fitness and get in your recommended daily steps, boost your strength and burn calories, or become a faster runner, I am including a mix of workouts to suit different goals and fitness levels.

Benefits of Treadmill Workouts

Although the treadmill may not be the most exciting piece of fitness equipment, it offers more benefits than you may realize. Here are some of the rewards you can enjoy from doing regular treadmill workouts:

Improves heart health. Treadmill workouts boost your heart health and help cut down on your risk of chronic diseases like high blood pressure and heart disease.
A convenient way to get in cardio workouts at any time of the day regardless of the weather. The treadmill is a great option for days when it's too hot, cold, rainy, or snowy to run or walk outside.
Lower impact than running or walking on paved surfaces. The treadmill provides a cushioned, even workout surface that is easier on the joints than pavement and asphalt. Learn more about the pros of the treadmill in our Guide to Running on Different Surfaces.
Boosts overall fitness. Whether you’re a runner or just beginning a walking program, treadmill workouts will help improve and maintain your fitness level.

Workouts Overview

You can do treadmill workouts at a gym or home, wherever you have access to a treadmill. These are the treadmill workouts included in this guide:

Walking Workout for Beginners: A walking workout that will improve your aerobic fitness level and heart health.
3-2-1 Treadmill Speed Workout for Runners: A running speed workout that includes fast intervals and segments of slow recovery running. If you want to become a faster runner, this workout is for you.
Hill Workout for Runners and Walkers: This mixed interval hill workout will improve your leg strength and endurance and can be done by walking or running.
Strength Workout - Treadmill Circuits: Adding bodyweight exercises to your treadmill workout gives you an extra boost of strength training while also getting in a cardio workout.
Endurance Workout for Runners: This treadmill tempo run will improve your running efficiency, speed, and endurance.
Lateral Workouts for All Levels: Most people do not do enough lateral movements, which improve your stability and balance and can reduce injuries. This treadmill lateral workout will increase your lateral strength.

Walking Treadmill Workout for Beginners

If you’re just starting a fitness program, new to the treadmill, or coming back after a long break, this walking workout will help you strengthen your heart and muscles and improve your endurance and fitness level. This workout also counts toward the 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity exercise recommended by the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans.

Here is the workout:

Warm up by walking for 5 minutes at a relaxed pace of 2 mph at a 0 percent incline.
Walk for 10 minutes at 3 mph with an incline of 1.0
Walk for 10 minutes at 4 mph with an incline of 1.0
Cool down by walking for 5 minutes at a relaxed pace of 2 mph at a 0 incline.
Total Workout Time: 30 minutes

3-2-1 Treadmill Speed Workout for Runners

If you want to get faster, this interval workout will improve your speed and also mix up your treadmill run with an easy-to-remember formula that includes 3-minute segments, 2-minute segments, and a 1-minute portion of the workout. Adjust your treadmill to a 1.0 incline for this running speed workout:

Warm up by jogging for 5 minutes at a relaxed pace.
Run for 3 minutes at a challenging pace, about 80 percent effort level.
Jog for 3 minutes to recover, at about 40 percent effort level (Zone 2 if you're training by heart rate. Zone 2 is 60 to 70 percent of max heart rate).
Run for 2 minutes at a challenging pace, about 80 percent effort level.
Jog for 2 minutes to recover at a comfortable pace.
Run for 1 minute at a challenging pace, about 80 percent effort level.
Jog for 1 minute to recover.
Cool down by jogging for 5 minutes at a relaxed pace.
Total Workout Time: 22 minutes

Maintain a steady pace for each rep of this ladder workout. Do not go at an all-out sprint for the fast segments as you'll need to maintain your pace throughout the intervals. The jog segments are for active recovery and should be low-intensity, at a conversational pace.

If you’re an advanced runner, you can add more mileage to your warm-up and cooldown or repeat the speed session to do two rounds of the 3-2-1 workout.

Related Post: Complete Guide to Zone 2 Training

Treadmill Hill Workout for Runners and Walkers

This hill workout will build your stamina and leg strength and is more comparable to running and walking on outdoor terrain than most treadmill workouts. Add this workout to your treadmill routine to prepare for outdoor races or to strengthen your lower body, including your glutes, calves, hamstrings, and quads.

Warm up by jogging or walking for 5 minutes at a relaxed pace.
2 minutes at a 3.0 percent incline (running at your regular base run pace or walking at your regular walking pace).
2 minutes recovery at 0 percent incline at a relaxed pace.
1 minute at 5.0 incline at your regular base run/walking pace.
1 minute recovery at 0 percent incline.
1 minute at 5.0 incline at your regular base run/walking pace.
1 minute recovery at 0 percent incline.
2 minutes at 3.0 incline at your regular base run/walking pace.
2 minutes recovery at 0 percent incline.
Cool down by jogging or walking for 5 minutes at a relaxed pace.
Total Workout Time: 22 minutes

This is one of the best treadmill workouts to build lower body strength and power. As you tackle this hill workout, shorten your stride for the steep incline segments. This will help you maintain your balance on the uphill stretches. Do an easy jog for your recovery intervals.

Related Post: Hill Workouts Guide + Tips

Treadmill Strength Workout: Circuits

If you want to get in a great workout that improves your cardio fitness and strength, this circuit workout is for you. You don’t need any equipment besides a treadmill for this workout. For the running/walking portions, you can go at a relaxed pace, one that you typically do on your base run days or regular walks.

Warm up by jogging or walking for 5 minutes at a relaxed pace.
3 minutes running or walking at a relaxed pace, at 1.0 percent incline.
30 seconds of squats
3 minutes running or walking at a relaxed pace, at 1.0 percent incline.
30 seconds of push-ups
3 minutes running or walking at a relaxed pace, at 1.0 percent incline.
30 seconds of lunges
3 minutes running or walking at a relaxed pace, at 1.0 percent incline.
30 seconds of squats
3 minutes running or walking at a relaxed pace, at 1.0 percent incline.
30 seconds of push-ups
3 minutes running or walking at a relaxed pace, at 1.0 percent incline.
30 seconds of lunges
Cool down by jogging or walking for 5 minutes at a relaxed pace.
Total Workout Time: 31 minutes

Related Post: Circuits Training Workout Guide

To make this a high-intensity interval training workout (hiit workout), run at a faster pace, at 80- to 90-percent effort level. This hiit treadmill workout will burn more calories and help with weight loss goals.

Treadmill Endurance Workout for Runners

If you want to build your running endurance, this treadmill workout will give you a boost while adding more variety to your program than just pounding away at the same pace the whole time. Set the treadmill to 1.0 percent incline for this workout.

Warm up by jogging for 5 minutes at a relaxed pace.
3 minutes running at your regular base run pace.
10 minutes running at your tempo run pace (at about 70 percent effort level, or your 10K race pace).
3 minutes jogging at a recovery pace.
10 minutes running at your tempo run pace (at about 70 percent effort level, or your 10K race pace).
Cool down by jogging for 5 minutes at a relaxed pace.
Total Workout Time: 36 minutes

If you’re training for a long-distance race such as a half marathon or marathon and need to get in more miles, add more time to your warm-up and cooldown. You can also do more repeats of the tempo pace and recovery jog to add more distance to your run.

Lateral Treadmill Workout for All Levels

This lateral workout will help improve your balance and stability, making you less likely to get injured in workouts and daily life. You can run or walk for this workout. Set the treadmill to 1.0 percent incline for this workout.

Warm up by jogging or walking for 5 minutes at a relaxed pace.
Run or walk for 3 minutes at your regular pace.
Set the treadmill at a walking speed (between 2.0 and 3.0 mph) and turn sideways and shuffle for 30 seconds. Don’t cross your feet or legs but just allow your legs to walk sideways with your body facing to one side of the treadmill.
Run or walk for 3 minutes at your regular pace.
Face the other side of the treadmill and sidestep/shuffle at walking speed.
Run or walk for 3 minutes at your regular pace.
Turn sideways and lower into a squat position. Now sidestep with your knees bent, in a squat position.
Run or walk for 3 minutes at your regular pace.
Turn sideways in the other direction and lower into a squat position. Sidestep with your knees bent, in a squat position.
Cool down by walking or running for 5 minutes at an easy pace.
Total Workout Time: 24 minutes

Have you tried any of these treadmill workouts? Share your training by following and tagging @Runstreet on Instagram to get cheered on.

Need a training plan to help you crush your fitness goals? Head to the Runstreet Training Center for custom training plans designed by a certified trainer and running coach.

Marnie Kunz is a NASM-certified personal trainer and USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach based in Brooklyn, NY. Marnie likes helping people get and stay active to enjoy a better quality of life. When she’s not doing fitness things, Marnie enjoys exploring with her dog, a mischievous rescue Akita.

Best Treadmill Workouts to Get Results