Using a treadmill for the first time can be intimidating. It takes a while to get used to the controls and I remember feeling I was going to be shot off the back and dumped in a heap on the floor. So if you’re a complete newbie, get a gym supervisor to show you how to use the controls safely before starting this 30-minute Beginner Treadmill Workout. (If you’re at home, practice using the controls and locate the instant speed reduction button or emergency cord before launching into your workout).
30-Minute Beginner Treadmill Workout
This workout is for complete beginners and uses the run/walk method to ease you into running. If it’s too challenging, adjust the speed and incline to suit. If it’s too easy – speed up your pace! Read on for more tips…
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Benefits Of A Treadmill Workout
I used to think treadmill workouts were boring but after an incredibly wet year here in the UK I’m a convert. Sometimes you don’t want to get soaked through on your run, freeze your butt off when it’s cold, or struggle running in the heat. Working out in an air-conditioned gym can be very enticing.
Some other benefits include:
- Safety: many female runners are concerned about running alone on dark streets in winter. Sometimes using a gym treadmill is the only option.
- Avoiding slippery pavements: icy or wet pavements are a slip hazard and falling risks injury.
- Convenience: you don’t need to plan a route. You can just hop on a treadmill and use your favorite workout.
- Control speed and incline: if you want to run at a certain incline or pace it’s easy to do it on a treadmill.
- Listen to music or catch up on your favorite podcast. Of course, you can do this running on the streets but it’s much safer on a treadmill.
Just like running and walking outside, using a treadmill comes with a long list of health benefits. Good cardio and fat-burning may be top of the list but a 30-minute treadmill session helps me feel more positive and less anxious. When I exercise every day I sleep better at night.
Tips For Beginner Treadmill Workouts
You don’t need to follow a workout, you can warm up with 5 minutes of walking and then try to run at a constant pace. But the first time you try to run, it will be hard work as a beginner runner to keep going for more than 2 or 3 minutes at a time.
That’s why a workout helps. A good beginner treadmill workout will ease you into consistent running using the run/walk method where you alternate running and walking. That’s the basis of this beginner treadmill workout.
(The same method is used for the Couch to 5K Treadmill Plan where you follow a 9-week program to train for a 5K race).
1. Treadmill Speed For A Beginner
Everyone has a different basic fitness level. A good walking speed will be 2.5 to 3.5 MPH and a good jogging speed for a beginner will be 4.5 to 5.0 MPH. If you’re fit but unused to running, you may be faster. If it’s a long time since you last exercised, you may need to start at slower speeds.
2. Treadmill Incline
One of the great pluses of using a treadmill is the incline adjustment. If you live in a flat area, it’s a great way to get a hilly workout!
It’s always best to set the incline at 1% (or higher) instead of at zero. Otherwise, you’ll get a shock when or if you ever run outside. The real world is never completely flat.
Incline workouts are a great way to boost your fitness – give this 15-minute incline workout a try!
3. Can You Hold On To The Safety Rails?
Holding onto the bars will affect your posture and gait and when you’re running at speed it can also be unsafe. It’s better to slow down and walk or run at a pace you can comfortably manage without using the rails.
Some people may suffer from poor balance which affects their ability to use a treadmill safely. It’s better to try a different form of exercise such as walking in place or working on your balance first before using a treadmill. Yoga is a great way to improve strength and balance.
4. How Often Should I Use The Treadmill?
It’s always best to be wary when you launch into a new fitness regime. When you’re starting from zero, a treadmill workout 3 times a week will be about right. As you get fitter, increase the frequency or intensity of your workouts. Some people will want to workout 3 to 4 times a week and others will enjoy treadmill running every day. There are no set rules. Just make sure you do enough to keep your fitness up but don’t overdo it!
5. Don’t Skip The Warm Up
It’s always important to warm up properly before your workout and cool down afterward. The beginner treadmill workout includes these important sessions – don’t skip them!
Adjust The Workout To Your Fitness Level
The workout should feel hard but not impossible. If necessary, adjust the speed to match your fitness. It’s better to complete the workout at lower speeds than be discouraged from exercising.
Getting fit is a journey and it doesn’t matter where you start on that journey. The only important thing is arriving fitter at the other end. So don’t give up if you find the workout too hard at first, just reduce the speeds until your fitness improves.
Concerned about your health, please seek medical advice. If you have an existing medical condition, haven’t exercised in a long time or you’re carrying a lot of excess weight, we recommend talking to your doctor before starting a running program.