Written by Garett Reid | NSCA, CSCS, CISSN, M.S.E.S.S
Fact checked by Kirsten Yovino, CPT Brookbush Institute
FACT CHECKED
Remember the days when running required braving the harsh weather conditions outside? You had to watch out for everything from rain and snow storms to inattentive drivers to uneven sidewalks and misplaced rocks and sticks.
Now, don't get us wrong. We love running outside as much as the next guy, but there is something to be said about reaping the many benefits that running and walking provide while avoiding any sort of impending doom from Mother Nature.
Now before you hop on a treadmill and start walking aimlessly, let's talk through some of the best treadmill workouts that will help you shed pounds and torch fat. We're about to discuss the best treadmill workouts to lose weight, which will increase your calorie burn during exercise and optimize your weight loss.
This post will cover:
- Benefits of a treadmill workout for weight loss
- 4 best treadmill workouts for weight loss
- When and how to use a treadmill workout for weight loss
- Who should use treadmill workouts for weight loss
Looking for a great weight loss treadmill workout? This article is for you!
What is a Treadmill?
Treadmills have become very common pieces of gym equipment. Each machine is different, but the concept is simple and remains the same. A tread revolves around a mechanism that allows you to run while stationary.
If you're wondering how much a treadmill costs, it completely depends on what you're looking for. Modern treadmills have significantly evolved, introducing many different features to enhance your training. This includes things such as an incline setting, preprogrammed workouts, an integrated entertainment system, and fans.
What once used to be a single option has transformed into a piece of equipment that offers a huge variety of training programs. Whether you're looking for a great folding treadmill for small spaces or an ultra-fancy one with all the bells and whistles, we promise there's a treadmill out there that has all the features you're looking for.
4 Benefits Of Using Treadmills For Fat Loss
The treadmill is an incredible piece of workout equipment packed with benefits. Here are 4 benefits highlighting why using a treadmill walking workout for weight loss is a good idea.
1. Treadmill Workouts Improve Overall Health:
Walking at a brisk pace is one of the best treadmill workouts you can do to maintain or improve your health. It trains all of the muscle groups in your lower body and effectively increases your heart rate with minimal stress on the joints (more on this below).
Now, imagine if you added a few treadmill workouts per week in addition to your muscle-building leg workout? Hello, lower body definition!
At the same time, with the best treadmill workouts for weight loss, you can easily increase the intensity either by ramping up the speed or increasing the angle. Elevating your heart rate for prolonged periods is key to improving all aspects of your cardiovascular system.
2. A Treadmill Workout For Weight Loss Is Joint Friendly:
Running on pavement hurts. Even when you run with great form, most runners can even feel the difference in their joints when they switch from running on the pavement to dirt.
While a treadmill obviously isn't as soft as running on sand, most treadmills have a soft track that gives a little as you run. This allows you to run at a faster speed while mitigating the stress you place on your joints.
If you have exceptionally bad joints, try taking a brisk walk up a steep incline instead. This is a great idea for a lose weight treadmill workout that's very challenging yet still saves your joints.
3. You Can Control Your Training Variables:
With a treadmill workout, you can control several training variables. Whether you're looking for a LISS workout or something that will have your heart pounding, you can increase the treadmill incline or speed to create the perfect routine for you.
In addition, because the treadmill is a machine, you will have to maintain that speed until you change the variables. Many people find that this allows them to push farther and harder than when left to their own devices. This can make treadmill weight loss come much easier.
Last, treadmill workouts can be easier. While we think you should be present for the majority of your training, sometimes it's nice to simply turn your brain off and watch some TV or listen to music. A treadmill routine makes that possible.
4. The Weather Doesn't Matter:
Last, assuming you don't have your treadmill sitting outside, you can get your treadmill fat burn workout in no matter what the weather is like. You also won't be able to use "it's raining" as an excuse!
Even better, many newer treadmills come with built-in fans to help keep you cool. Combine this with the fact the gym (or your house!) is temperature-controlled, and you have a safe haven regardless of whether you live in the heat or cold.
This allows you to continue your treadmill weight loss year-round!
4 Best Treadmill Workouts For Weight Loss
Ready to hop on the nearest treadmill to start losing weight? Whether you're looking to ramp up your intensity or you're in search of a great walking treadmill workout for weight loss, here are 4 treadmill workouts, covering everything from HIIT to steady state.
As a reminder, if weight loss is your goal, nutrition is key. Check out our macros counting and 80 20 rule diet articles for some nutrition inspiration!
1. Treadmill HIIT Workouts
In search of a flat stomach treadmill workout for weight loss? Look no further!
High-intensity interval training, or HIIT, has become a phenomenon in the fitness industry. It's defined by interval training that utilizes short bursts of maximal intensity (maximum heart rate) between longer recovery periods.
Generally speaking, these recovery intervals involve walking but may also include periods of activity with very low workout intensity. Regardless, the primary factor of HIIT workouts is that the rest intervals don't allow for total recovery.
The high-intensity intervals are usually around 30 seconds. Some trainees may increase this up to one minute, but when you go higher than this, you start to mitigate the primary function of a HIIT routine, which is to allow you to use a maximal workout intensity consecutively.
It's a very effective form of speed work that can increase your VO2max in a minimal amount of time. In addition, you'll be able to burn calories quite quickly.
Who Should Use HIIT Treadmill Workouts?
While treadmill HIIT is very effective for torching fat, we believe way too many people use it. In order to gain the greatest benefits from a HIIT treadmill workout for weight loss, you must have an advanced fitness level, to begin with.
You will be demanding your body perform consecutive maximal high-intensity bursts of running, meaning it's ultra-challenging and there is an adequate injury risk. This is why some people who do HIIT would be far better off using another form of treadmill workout (Hang with us, we'll get to those!).
With this in mind, only trainees with a decent fitness base should engage in a treadmill HIIT workout for weight loss.
How To Use A Treadmill HIIT Routine:
One of the issues with high-intensity training with treadmill workouts is the track can take some time to slow down and speed up. Remember your rest intervals are short, so by the time the treadmill reaches a slow pace, you will need to continue with your high-intensity interval.
For this reason, when the high-intensity intervals are finished, jumping off and standing to the side your treadmill is a much easier option. You don't need to try and push a bunch of buttons, nor must you wait for the track to slow down. Jump off and slow the pace down, allowing yourself to recover. When you have about five seconds of rest time left, jump back on at a slow pace and then begin slowly increasing the speed.
When first beginning HIIT-style workouts, use a 1:3 or 1:4 work:rest ratio with shorter work intervals, such as 20 seconds. This would have you run at your maximum heart rate for 20 seconds, followed by 60-80 second rest intervals. Do this for 10 rounds.
From there, you can start to shorten the rest interval until it's actually shorter than your work recovery. Looking for some more HIIT inspiration to help you shed pounds? Check out these fat burning HIIT workouts for weight loss.
2. Tabata Treadmill Workouts
Tabata is a form of interval training that's often associated with a HIIT routine yet has some distinct differences. Similar to HIIT, Tabata treadmill workouts utilize short, high-intensity bursts followed by a shorter recovery period.
However, Tabata has a specific template that prescribes eight rounds of:
- 20 seconds work at maximum heart rate
- 10 seconds recovery at a comfortable pace (brisk walking)
In other words, you never stop with Tabata. It's a very effective form of cardio exercise that was initially designed to improve the VO2max of an elite speed skating team in a minimal amount of time.
In reality, it was never intended to be used for weight loss but that doesn't stop it from being a great fat burning treadmill workout!
Who Should Use Tabata Treadmill Workouts?
In addition, just like HIIT treadmill workouts, Tabata requires an advanced fitness level to get the most out of it. Keep in mind that even though it's an extremely hard workout, this treadmill interval workout for weight loss only lasts 4 minutes.
In other words, while it has been proven to increase various fitness variables such as VO2mx, it doesn't burn more calories than 20-30 minutes of steady-state cardio workouts.
But, if you're already lean and want to burn a good chunk of calories quickly, HIIT and Tabata are awesome. In addition, Tabata is very effective at preserving lean muscle mass while following a cutting workout and diet plan.
How To Use A Tabata Treadmill Workout:
Tabata has a similar issue to HIIT in that you need to be able to start and stop your intervals quickly. This is not possible with treadmill workouts. Therefore, you won't be able to run a true Tabata, but you can use a modified version.
You will run your Tabata using rolling intervals. Begin running at a comfortable pace and then increase the speed to your maximum speed. Hold this for 15 seconds and then decrease the speed to a leisurely pace, making sure it's faster than walking. Stay there for 5-10 seconds and then increase your pace again.
While the intervals won't be exact, the basic premise is still there.
3. Incline Treadmill Workout Routine
We are huuuuuge fans of using a best incline treadmill workout for weight loss. In this inclined treadmill workout to lose weight, trainees of all fitness levels can instantly increase the intensity of a treadmill's incline for extra fat burn.
At the same time, it mitigates a lot of the pounding that can occur from sprinting, making an incline treadmill workout for weight loss a joint-friendly, low-impact routine, and one of our favorite treadmill workouts.
In fact, we believe that incline treadmill exercises for weight loss are the best for beginner fitness levels. Often, you'll see a personal trainer put a beginner client on some sort of HIIT routine, but as mentioned above, HIIT is only beneficial if you already have a sufficient level of fitness.
If you don't have this and attempt HIIT, you may end up running for a few minutes before becoming completely wiped out. In the end, you'll accomplish minimal exercise and likely hate it.
In comparison, you can get on a treadmill and increase the incline to your preferred angle. This will increase the intensity even as you continue walking. As a result, there is minimal stress on your joints even though your calorie burn will skyrocket.
In addition, although the intensity level may not be equivalent to running, most people can withstand it for a longer period. As a result, an untrained individual can walk on an incline for an extended period of time and easily burn more calories than HIIT.
Who Should Use Incline Treadmill Workouts?
Anyone and everyone! This is great for those just starting their fitness journey and more experienced gym goers who want a low-impact option.
How To Use Incline Treadmill Workouts:
An incline beginner treadmill workout for weight loss is extremely easy to follow . One of the good things is that because you're not running, your warm-up is less important, meaning you can get into your workout faster.
Hop on the treadmill and set it to a comfortable speed. Keep it slow, as it will get much harder once you put it on an incline. Once you're comfortable, begin to slowly increase the incline.
You should start to feel a noticeable difference fairly quickly. Continue this until you find a challenging yet doable pace. Ideally, you can continue your incline and pace for at least 30 minutes, with 45 minutes being ideal.
During your treadmill workout, keep in mind that you can play around with the speeds and incline angle to add some variability. You'll notice that you can use these variables to even do a form of interval training where you can put it on a steep incline and then lower it.
For those looking for great beginner treadmill workouts for weight loss, this is the routine for you! We highly recommend pairing it with a workout split for best results.
4. Steady State Treadmill Cardio Workout
Steady-state cardio exercise, like walking on treadmills and exercises for recumbent bikes, has gotten a bad rep over the last few years, but it's actually an awesome form of treadmill training, assuming it's not all you do. As the name implies, steady-state cardio consists of running at a moderate pace for a prolonged period of time.
Aim for anywhere between 60-90% maximum heart rate when performing steady-state cardio, but in general, closer to the middle at 75% is ideal. Part of this variability will depend on the duration of your treadmill workout. A good steady-state workout will go for at least 30 minutes with 45 minutes being the ideal work time.
Who Should Use A Steady State Workout?
Steady-state workouts are for just about anyone looking to trim some body fat. The one group who might want to avoid it, along with any cardio workout that requires working for an extended duration, is serious bodybuilders.
This is because your body begins to accumulate more cortisol the longer you're engaged in endurance activity. In addition, it puts more stress on the body and can increase the risk of breaking down some muscle mass for energy. Now, this does not happen easily and assuming you're not exercising for longer than an hour, it likely won't be an issue.
But if you're a serious bodybuilder, the risk of losing any muscle building gains may not be worth it. So, if you fall under that category, avoid it. If you're anyone else looking to lose belly fat, steady state treadmill workouts should play a role in your weekly routine.
How To Train Using A Steady State Treadmill Workout:
Steady-state routines are effective treadmill workouts that also happen to be easy to perform. After your warm-up, increase the intensity until you reach what's called your average fat burning zone.
This is an intensity that challenges your cardio system but is low enough that you can utilize body fat for fuel. Your optimal heart rate will be somewhere around 60-75% of your maximum heart rate. Once you find an appropriate intensity within this vicinity, continue running at that pace.
Maintain this speed for the majority of your run. If you feel good toward the end, try pushing your treadmill workout plan for weight loss hard for the last 5-10 minutes for an extra calorie burn.
And if you start jogging regularly, make sure to include some great strength training exercises for runners to avoid injury and improve your overall fitness even more.
Programming A Best Treadmill Workout For Weight Loss
Programming depends on what type of treadmill workout you do. If you are performing a long treadmill routine, such as steady state or an incline workout, it would be best if you performed that on a separate training day.
However, if you're running a shorter HIIT-style workout, you could perform it on the same day as strength training. Just make sure you perform it after your gym session, and not before.
Performing cardio before strength training will fatigue you before you're even able to touch a barbell. This will only decrease the effectiveness of your training and stunt the possible benefits of muscle hypertrophy.
On the other hand, if you run after your strength training, it doesn't really matter if you're tired. This is especially true if your main goal is to simply lose weight.
Worst case, if you get too fatigued and need to stop your best treadmill routine for weight loss or decrease the intensity sooner than you'd planned, you're just missing a handful of calories. This is easy to make up if your goal is to lose weight.
Keep in mind that if you are training for performance, this advice does not apply. You'll want to be fresh for your training sessions if performance is your main goal.
Related: Manual vs Electric Treadmill
Summary Of Using A Best Treadmill Workout For Weight Loss
A treadmill workout is perfect for any fitness routine. Whether your goal is weight loss or preserving more lean muscle mass during a cut, there's a treadmill workout for you.
At the end of the day, when it comes to weight loss, your primary goal is to just move as much as possible. While it's great to have a plan, don't get too caught up in needing the "perfect" workout plan as there is none. The perfect plan is the one you'll stick to.
And if you're feeling inspired and ready to work treadmill workouts into your weight loss plan, check out these folding treadmills, which include everything from a budget friendly version to one designed to increase your incline like crazy!
Looking for another great workout to help you hit your weight loss goals? Check out these awesome elliptical workouts for weight loss!
Garett Reid
Author