Michele Cannell

Fitness professional certified in Personal Training, Wellness, CPR/AED, Cycling, Pilates, YogaFit, Tai Chi, and living with Celiac Disease.

The Treadmill is no longer Calling your Name

The treadmill used to call your name. You liked the variations the treadmill gave you at first. Your body may still be going through the typical changes (heart beating faster, perspiration happening and lung capacity increasing), but you are bored. You can use the same piece of equipment but vary up your routine with a few small adjustments. These adjustments will engage your muscles differently which will create a well rounded routine by increasing muscle mass, endurance and create an anaerobic factor.

Walking Lunges with Incline Walk(intermediate):When you add the lunge you are adding balance and strength. Make sure you keep your knees behind your toes, you are bending the back knee and lowering your body straight down. With each increase of incline, complete 2-3 minutes of walking lunges and then walk quickly for 5 minutes. You can complete 2-4 sets of this routine. This routine emphasizes a lot of strength.

Side Shuffle with Walking Side Squats(intermediate to advanced) If you walk on the treadmill 2-3 times per week, you are increasing your quads and possibly creating an imbalance if you are not varying up your exercise program. Your IT Band (runs along the side of your legs) needs to be strong and flexible. This band supports your knees and your overall joint balance throughout your legs. Turning the routine into a quick side shuffle with a  faster speed and then slowing it down to add the strength component of a walking side squat. This will cause you to hit your anaerobic zone depending on your fitness level. The side shuffle will cause your heart rate to increase a little higher (anaerobic zone) than you are used to during your cardiovascular routine. If it isn’t increasing, adding a simple sprint or fast run after every set will cause you to experience the anaerobic zone. You only want to be in this zone for a few minutes, however. Completing 4 sets of side shuffle (3 minutes) with walking side squat (4 minutes) When executing the side squat, hinge at the hips and lower yourself straight down, keeping your knees behind your toes.

Upper Body Walk Mixed With A Sprint( intermediate to advanced) :  This routine requires one additional piece of equipment in addition to your treadmill. You will place a box behind the treadmill. Make sure the distance is comfortable for a plank. You will place your feet on the box in a prone position (lying down) with your hands on the treadmill sides. Keep the treadmill belt speed at .5.  The box should not be too high or too low. You want to maintain a straight line with your body at all times.  You will place your hands on the belt when you are ready to alternate your arms/hands in a walking motion. Keep your core tight and your gluts and legs engaged to maintain stability. You can alternate this exercise with a run/sprint alternating 1-2 minutes of the Upper Body Walk with the Run/Sprint for 4-5 minutes. Completing 4 sets.  This routine adds in upper body strength with an aerobic or anaerobic component.