Do you know how to endurance train with a treadmill? This exercise has several benefits, particularly to your speed and weight goals. But what’s the best way to start doing it?

The key to endurance training is to move at different intervals. You can do this on a treadmill by adjusting the speed, incline and exercise duration. Training at low and high intensities also helps in boosting your stamina.

Let’s learn more about this form of training and understand some relevant concepts.

Also, keep reading to pick up a few workout ideas for your endurance treadmill sessions.

What is Endurance Training?

In the fitness world, endurance is your ability to exercise for longer durations without giving way.

Obtaining this means working out at varying intervals instead of doing steady-pace exercises.

But why do endurance training? Runners can benefit from it as it enhances their speed and allow them to beat their time.

Other athletes, like bodybuilders, may also need endurance training to adjust their body metrics, such as fat percentages.

As for people exercising for overall fitness, endurance training results in a healthier body.

It gives you more energy to perform daily tasks, too.

All in all, it improves your confidence, self-image and mental well-being.

And one of the best ways to improve your endurance is to train with a treadmill.

How Treadmills Improve Endurance

How Can a Treadmill Improve My Endurance?

There are two methods how to train your endurance using a treadmill.

You can perform low-intensity or high-intensity training based on your preference and fitness capacity.

Low-intensity training on the treadmill involves speed reduction and long exercise duration.

This extended workout not only boosts endurance but also encourages long-term calorie burning.

This training is for you if you have more free time and can commit to moderate running for multiple days a week.

However, high-intensity training is better for people with tight daily schedules.

This one involves faster treadmill speed levels in intervals within a shorter period.

It’s more efficient, in a way, as you’ll be burning calories and building stamina without having to exercise for hours.

But if you’re going to endurance train with a treadmill, doing both gives you the most benefits.

For instance, you can allocate two days of high-intensity training with low-intensity running or breaks for the rest of the week.

That way, your body can recover. Gradual endurance training is also ideal for avoiding injury.

Treadmill Endurance Workouts

If you plan to endurance train with a treadmill, you can create a schedule with a balance of low and high-intensity workouts.

Remember that adults need at least 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week. And you can break this physical activity requirement based on your free time and fitness goals.

Just make sure to have days of rest to recharge your muscles.

Also, try incorporating strength training to target your upper body and get balanced exercise outcomes.

Here are a few treadmill workout ideas to help you plan your endurance routine.

Endurance Treadmill Workouts

30-Minute Treadmill Sprint

Treadmill sprints are high-intensity moves that improve your muscle power and strength.

However, you have to prep your body, especially your legs, before performing sprints.

So, start with a few running sessions a week. Make sure to observe the proper running form, too. Then, when ready, try doing this treadmill sprint workout.

Do it once a week to avoid hurting your muscles. Also, if you’re a beginner, start with a jogging speed level.

Experiment with the speed and incline once you feel comfortable.

And when shifting to recovery speed, hold onto the treadmill arms, then place your feet to the side.

ACTIVITYTIME
Warm-up 
Relaxed running10 minutes
Workout (repeat 3x) 
Increase the speed, then jog/sprint20 seconds
Lower the speed, then walk40 seconds
Increase the speed, then jog/sprint30 seconds
Lower the speed, then walk60 seconds
Increase the speed, then jog/sprint40 seconds
Lower the speed, then walk90 seconds
Cool-down 
Relaxed running10 minutes

30-Minute Run and Walk Workout

Walking may sound too light and easy for some, but it’s perfect for gradual stamina build-up without stressing your body out.

Also, if you add walking to train your endurance with a treadmill, you can do it safely indoors at any time, rain or shine.

Here’s an excellent walk-run workout for beginners. Start by setting your incline to 1% and a speed level for brisk walking. If you need some beginner treadmill workout tips, don’t forget to visit this page.

ACTIVITYTIME
Warm-up 
Brisk walking10 minutes
Workout 
Increase the speed for relaxed running20 seconds
Lower the speed for walking10 seconds
Increase the speed for relaxed running30 seconds
Lower the speed for walking15 seconds
Increase the speed for relaxed running40 seconds
Lower the speed for walking20 seconds
Increase the speed for relaxed running60 seconds
Lower the speed for walking30 seconds
Cool-down 
Brisk walking10 minutes

30-Minute Playlist Run

Over time, it can be unexciting to endurance train with a treadmill. That’s because these workouts are often long and repetitive.

So, here’s an idea to avoid checking the clock too often and enjoy your daily endurance sessions more.

Why not time your exercise intervals with your favourite music?

Pick songs that last 2-3 minutes, then create your most upbeat playlist for a running workout.

Here’s an example that you can always tweak to match your fitness capacity.

ACTIVITYTIME
Warm-up 
Walk or jog10 minutes (about 3-4 songs)
Workout (repeat 2x) 
Increase the speed for a running pace3 minutes (about 1-2 songs)
Lower the speed for a walking pace2 minutes (about 1 song)
Cool-down 
Walk or jog10 minutes (about 3-4 songs)

Conclusion

You need physical and mental preparedness if you prefer to train with a treadmill for endurance.

The low and high-intensity moves involved can be long and tiring.

But once you get the hang of it, you’ll have a healthier body plus better athletic performance.

Besides, you can always do new endurance workouts weekly to break the monotony.

Better yet, get a treadmill with an adjustable incline and variable speeds. These should give you more room for fun and progressive training programs.

1. Can you strength train with a treadmill?

Strength training is possible with a treadmill. One way to do that is to activate more muscles by adjusting the incline. You can shuffle sideways, manually push the belt with your legs, or use dumbbells and resistance bands to work the upper body. Treadmill models with stable arms, a push bar and variable incline levels are best for strength training.

2. Is 12-3-30 a good treadmill workout?

The 12-3-30 workout trend is good as it combines cardio and muscle activation. It’s perfect for people exercising for better heart health and weight management. As this treadmill workout involves walking uphill, it can improve your stamina, too. Moreover, it’s a low-impact exercise that most people can do and will love doing.

3. Are HIIT treadmill workouts effective for fat loss?

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) involves short, intense moves followed by brief recovery periods. This fast-paced workout aims to keep your heart rate up, optimise oxygen utilisation and encourage higher caloric burn. And as it uses varying exercise speeds and duration, it helps avoid plateaus, allowing you to continue losing weight and fat.