With emphasis lately on workouts like boot camp and cross fit you may not have thought a lot about using some of the cardio fitness machines at your gym or the ones collecting dust in your basement.  Treadmill workouts and elliptical workouts offer some unique features and advantages that can help you boost your fitness while subjecting your body to less stress (source).  Bodyweight and barbell-based workouts are effective, but they also subject your body’s joints and muscles to compression and other forces that can wear you down.  An intense session on an elliptical can provide a refreshing workout with little impact.

Treadmill Workouts for all Fitness Levels

Treadmill workouts can be easily adapted to all fitness levels and a variety of fitness goals.  Unlike running outside, the technology offered by these machines lets you program the intensity and style of your routine.  Most of these cardio fitness machines let you perform various interval workouts where you exercise vigorously for brief periods followed by a brief rest periods.  You can also increase the incline of the treadmill and increase the pace for more intense workouts.  Another option is to perform a cardio circuit, combining several machines into your program including treadmills, ellipticals, stationary bikes and rowing machines.  For a change of pace you can set the machine at leisurely walking pace for a refreshing recovery workout that gets your blood pumping with exhausting your recovery abilities. 

Treadmill Workout – Deadmill – 25 minute HIIT Routine For MAX Results

Warm up:

A light, 3 minute jog at around 4.5 speed and 0 incline

The climb – 5 minutes:

Walking speed between 4.1-4.5

Find your fast walking speed and keep that steady.

Start with 0 incline and bump it up 0.5 every 30 seconds til you hit 10.

Recovery I – 1 minute

Bring the incline down to 0.5 and the pace down to 4.1. Breathe, recover.

The interval – 11 minutes

Keep the incline at 0.5

Start with a jogging speed at around 5,5

Run for 2 minutes, recover for 1

Keep your recovery speed steady at 4.5

Increase the running speed by 2 every interval til you hit 10.5

Recovery II – 1 minute

Bring the incline down to 0.5 and the pace down to 4.1. Breathe, recover.

The sprint aka empty the tank – 2 minutes

This is your final push. 4 sets of sprints, 20 seconds each with a 10 second recovery in between.

Start at a speed of 9, 0.5 incline, and increase it by one for each sprint, keeping the incline steady

Cooldown – 3 minutes

Bring the speed down to 3.5 and the incline to zero. Breathe and let it go. You’re done!

Workout Created by Viktoria Bozsoki

Elliptical Workout – for all Fitness Levels

Elliptical workouts are a popular way to get efficient workouts with cardio fitness machines in the gym or at home.  Elliptical machines allow you to work your arms with the handles as you step. The coordinated leg and arm movement approximates a running gait, but with a smooth, low impact motion.   Like with the treadmill workouts, you can use elliptical machines for long, moderate jogs, intense interval workouts or in combination with other cardio fitness machines.  Sometimes when traveling I make the most of the limited hotel workout facilities by concocting a circuit of cardio machines with weight machines, free weights or bodyweight exercises.  Regardless of the specific workout you choose, treadmill workouts and elliptical workouts are convenient tools to lift your fitness to the next level.