Dusting off the old treadmill!

I think if a poll were taken, the treadmill would likely be the most common piece of gym equipment found in homes today.  But, sadly, so many of them sit unused.  True, walking in place for any length of time is not exceptionally thrilling.  And running on the unforgiving surface of one can be extremely hard on the hips and joints.  But there are ways to spice up your treadmill workout to give you the calorie burn you’re after without the burnout!

• Grab some hand weights and walk with an exaggerated arm pump.  This way you are working the legs, which are a large muscle group and really get the heart rate elevated, but you also sneak in an arm workout!  Once you’ve got a rhythm going, you can start alternating in some curls to hit your biceps.

• Go Anaerobic.  You can squeeze in some interval training, giving yourself small goals that make the time go faster.  Walk with your hand weights {or without them but at an incline} and alternate 90 seconds of walking with 30 seconds to a minute of running.  (When you are at a run, you can put your weights down.)  This way you are giving yourself a chance to recover from the faster pace but still working as you let your heart rate come down some before the next burst.  You’ll get a huge calorie burn anytime you work anaerobically.

• Hook up to iFit.com.  Many newer treadmills are compatible with iFit, allowing you to follow popular trails and routes without ever leaving your home.  This sure beats mindlessly walking or running in place!

• Use an app on your smart phone or ipod that maps out a "trail" for you.  You can even find a 
couch-to-5K plan that will give voice prompts as you make your way through the course.

• Put on some music that inspires you and run/walk to it.  You can walk the verses and then pick up your pace for the chorus.  You’ll be surprised at just how quickly the length of a song (or a bunch of songs) passes this way!  This is one of my favorite treadmill workouts!!

I'm putting together a post with non-traditional ways to utilize your treadmill.  This under-appriated piece of home-fitness equipment has MANY functions beyond simply running or walking on it.  Stay tuned!

What are your favorite ways to use the treadmill?

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