Running 4 Quick and Effective Treadmill Workouts By Christine Luff, ACE-CPT Christine Luff, ACE-CPT Christine Many Luff is a personal trainer, fitness nutrition specialist, and Road Runners Club of America Certified Coach. Learn about our editorial process Updated on May 01, 2024 Reviewed Verywell Fit articles are reviewed by nutrition and exercise professionals. Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by John Honerkamp Reviewed by John Honerkamp John Honerkamp is an RRCA and USATF-certified running coach, celebrity marathon pacer, and recognized leader in the New York City running community. Learn about our Review Board Print Treadmill workouts allow you to burn a lot of calories in a short amount of time. Below are four quick, effective, and fun plans you can start at home or the gym. Each workout plan includes how you should program the treadmill and what pace you should target as well as the timing breakdown so that you know exactly how to maximize your minutes. Treadmill Workouts 30-second sprint intervals: Speed work using fast running intervals and joggingSide-stepping workout: Combines walking, running, and side shufflesWalk the hills/run the flats: Alternate between running and walking on an incline or flatCalorie-blasting pyramid workout: Combine running and walking to burn calories fast Best Treadmill Running Shoes Verywell / Alison Czinkota 1 30-second Sprint Intervals Time is going to fly by with this treadmill workout. If you haven't yet done speedwork, follow these rules for speed training. Set the treadmill at a 1% incline. Start by walking at an easy pace for one minute. Continue warming up with an easy jog for 5 minutes. You should be at a conversational pace. This will get your blood pumping and your muscles warm and ready for the treadmill workout. Pick up the pace to a hard effort (heavy breathing) for 30 seconds. Recover with 90 seconds of easy jogging. Repeat the sprint/recovery intervals nine more times (18 minutes total). Finish with a 4-minute cooldown at an easy pace. Total treadmill time: 30 minutes 10 Treadmill Walking Mistakes to Avoid 2 Side Stepping Workout This treadmill workout combines running and walking with side shuffles, which target glutes and quads. Set the treadmill at a 1% incline. Warm up by walking at an easy pace for 1 minute. Continue warming up with an easy jog for 4 minutes.Return to walking pace and then, as you hold onto the side rail, turn your body to the side, get low in a squat position, and start side-shuffling your feet. Don’t try to get fancy and cross one foot over the other. Continue side-stepping for 30 seconds and then return to walking forward.Pick up the pace to an easy, conversational running pace for 2 minutes. Then bring the pace back down to walking for a 30-second interval of side shuffles on the other side.Continue with 2 minutes of easy running/30 seconds of side shuffles (alternating sides) until you’ve been at it for 20 minutes.Finish with a 5-minute cooldown at an easy pace. Total treadmill workout time: 30 minutes We've tried, tested, and reviewed the best treadmills. If you're in the market for a treadmill, explore which option may be best for you. The 9 Best Treadmills 3 Walk the Hills/Run the Flats If you like alternating between running and walking, this treadmill workout is for you. You’ll work your glutes with the hills. Start with a 5-minute warm-up of easy jogging or brisk walking at a 1% incline. Increase the incline to 2% and walk for 1 minute. Lower incline to 1% and run at a comfortable pace for 1 minute. Increase the incline to 3% and walk for 2 minutes. Lower incline to 1% and run at a comfortable pace for 2 minutes. Increase the incline to 4% and walk for 3 minutes. Lower incline to 1% and run at a comfortable pace for 3 minutes. Increase the incline to 4% and walk for 4 minutes. Lower incline to 1% and run at a comfortable pace for 4 minutes. Finish with a 5-minute cool-down of easy jogging or brisk walking. Total treadmill workout time: 30 minutes Home Treadmills: What to Look For 4 Calorie-Blasting Pyramid Workout This treadmill workout combines running and walking intervals and burns a lot of calories. Set the treadmill incline at 1% and start with a 3-minute warm-up of easy jogging or brisk walking. Then do the following intervals: 30-second medium-paced running/30-second walk1-minute medium-paced running/1-minute walk2-minute medium-paced running/1-minute walk3-minute medium-paced running/1-minute walk4-minute medium-paced running/1-minute walk3-minute hard running/1-minute walk2-minute hard running/1-minute walk1-minute hard running/1-minute walk30-second hard running/30-second walk Finish with a 2-minute cool-down of easy jogging or brisk walking. Total treadmill workout time: 30 minutes 14 Tips for Treadmill Running 2 Sources Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Silder A, Besier T, Delp SL. Predicting the metabolic cost of incline walking from muscle activity and walking mechanics. J Biomech. 2012;45(10):1842-1849. doi:10.1016/j.jbiomech.2012.03.032 Viana RB, Naves JP, Coswig VS, et al. Is interval training the magic bullet for fat loss? A systematic review and meta-analysis comparing moderate-intensity continuous training with high-intensity interval training (HIIT). British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2019;53(10):655-664. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2018-099928 By Christine Luff, ACE-CPT Christine Many Luff is a personal trainer, fitness nutrition specialist, and Road Runners Club of America Certified Coach. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Helpful Report an Error Other Submit Advertiser Disclosure × The offers that appear in this table are from companies that partner with and compensate Verywell Fit for displaying their offer. These partnerships do not impact our editorial choices or otherwise influence our editorial content.