Treadmill Tricks

Sometimes summer is just to warm to workout outside, so instead of skipping it, sweat in the cold air inside on the treadmill!

Too boring, you say? I have the antidode: action on the machine.

Minutes 1–3 (Warm up) Walk at 1.5 incline and speed of 3.5

Minutes 3–6 (Steady state) Jog at same incline at speed of 6.

Minutes 5–15 (Intervals!) Run one minute at 7.5 fast interval, one minute at 5.5 recovery interval. Repeat several times.

Minutes 15–27 Toning — forward works glutes and calves, backward works quads! Set uphill incline at 15 (as high as it goes) and speed at 3. Walk forward for 2 minutes.

If you are coordinated and feel strong enough to try this (I take no responsibility for tripping) LOWER speed to 2 and turn around while steadying yourself on the handles. Walk uphill backwards and pick your feet up high to avoid tripping. It will feel faster than the speed reads so I encourage starting at a low speed and increasing it only if you want more of a challenge). Do this for 2 minutes (or 100 steps, don’t turn your neck around to look at treadmill clock, you culd loe your balance.)

Turn back around and repeat faster forward uphill walk and slower backwards uphill walk several times.

Minutes 27–30 lower speed to 2.5 and cool down. Follow with a stretch of your calves, quads, hamstrings glutes and hip flexors (there is a free 5 minute stretch video at www​.YouTube​.com/​N​i​k​k​i​F​i​t​n​ess).

Do this 30 minute multitasking machine workout twice a week along with my Booty Camp DVD (works arms and abs along with buns and thighs in every single move, available at www​.nikkifitness​.com) on alternate days, and you’ll get cardio, intervals and toning for your summer shape!

Fitness, fit it in!

Nikki

Tags: cardio summer treadmill