We all know treadmills can come in handy when the weather is crummy or even as a matter of convenience. We also know it can be a long, boring slog on those machines. But this ubiquitous piece of gym equipment didn’t earn the “dreadmill” nickname for nothing.
Deadmills are a high-intensity workout method that can help you beat boredom and challenge your running muscles (including your heart) in a major, calorie-torching way.
HOW TO DO IT
You can complete a deadmill workout on virtually any type of treadmill; the key is to have the machine switched off.
Yep, that’s right. You’ll be the one powering the belt.
To start, keep your treadmill flat and start walking on it, moving the belt with your feet. You’ll likely want (or need) to lean slightly forward and hold onto the front of the treadmill or the rails, and that’s completely OK.
WHAT IT WORKS
Notice that resistance? “It will challenge your glutes and hamstrings more than you’d experience if the treadmill was switched on,” says Jeff Cavaliere, certified strength and conditioning specialist and Athlean-X creator based in Connecticut. “As a high-intensity workout, it’s even more effective than sprinting, because it’s a resistance exercise, like running with a parachute. You’ll fully engage the muscles all along your posterior chain.”
The other thing about deadmills is that they’re, in Cavaliere’s words, “hard as hell. It won’t take long to get your heart rate up,” he says. That means you can get a quick power workout (which can help strengthen your running muscles and, in turn, boost your speed) in a matter of minutes.
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A SUGGESTED WORKOUT
Once you’ve gotten the hang of how the treadmill feels with the power switched off, begin your run. Cavaliere suggests running for 30 seconds as hard as you can and then walking (or resting off the treadmill) for 30–60 seconds, depending on your fitness level. “Anytime you exercise at 70% of your maximum heart rate or higher, you’re doing a high-intensity workout,” Cavaliere says. “The key is maintaining it. You can get a harder workout in faster, but the intervals need to stay short.”
For a full HIIT deadmill workout, Cavaliere recommends aiming for 10 minutes of total exercise. Once it becomes easy (or in this case, noticeably easier), set the treadmill on an incline before shutting it off for an extra challenge.
