Running plan: hitting the treadmill

Want to get the best out of the treadmill?

Done correctly, treadmill running is one of the most effective indoor cardiovascular forms of exercise.

While it doesn’t burn as many calories as running out in the open air, it is warmer and safer than running in the darkened evenings.

Kate Diamond takes you through everything you need to know to maximize your workout without straining all the wrong bits.

Kit

If you’re already a fully paid-up member of a treadmill-owning gym, you’re set. Purchase of additional running kit such as strap on arm weights and leg warmers is entirely optional.

Safety first

Do not disembark until the treadmill has come to a complete stop. You may assume you’ll look committed and agile by leaping off and bounding towards the next piece of equipment.

But it’ll end in tears when you’re sent flying into a personal trainer mid tour.

Warm-up and stretching

Ignore the many who see it as their mission to dive directly from the car park onto the nearest treadmill and run flat out for 20 minutes.

Skipping vital warm up and stretch time will result in injury.

Spend five minutes on the cross trainer or walking on a gentle incline until you’re feeling warm, before taking time to stretch all leg muscles (your gym will have a chart, or ask a trainer for help).

Next, strip off your top layer, arch your back and adopt steely expression in preparation for the big event.

The plan

The aim is to combine a mixture of walking and running in half hour sessions, gradually reducing the first and increasing the latter until you can run steadily for 30 minutes or more.

Plan your session structure in advance and always begin with the walking section. A classic first week session is this:

Walk 4 mins / Run 2 mins (repeat x 4)

After the first week, your run recovery time should have improved and you can up your timings to:

Walk 3 mins / Run 3 mins (repeat x 4)

Aim to increase your running time each week, keeping your walking intervals no longer than 2 mins. If you struggle drop back a step until you feel improvement. After around 12 weeks of regular sessions you should be aiming for:

Walk 1 min / Run 15 mins (repeat x 1) before finally removing the walking interval and running steadily for 30 mins.

Aim for three sessions per week, with a rest day between each run. If you’re desperate to gym daily, alternate your running days with weight training, swimming or classes.

Tips

Most modern gym equipment is programmable, meaning you can set your walking and running speeds and times before you start. Get an instructor to show you how.

This will have the added benefit of ensuring you keep running for the allotted time and are not tempted to reduce the speed a sneaky ten seconds too early. Obviously use the emergency stop button if you actually feel likely to fall off/collapse.