Treadmill "Roadwork"

[Akuma Kanji]

I'm getting tired of running in 30 degree cold (i know...pussy) at my age (33) it's harder on my joints at winter temperatures. I live in manhattan and have access to treadmills, but have never done much more on them than a decent 3 mile run. I'm looking to increase my cardio substantially and know that many fighters train using treadmills and bikes. Does anyone have a good regimen they'd recommend?

 

[Chris Kimmerly]

Easy now. I'm 33 and have no joint problem yet. You really don't think you are "old" do you.

Anyways I'm not an expert but this has helped me.

#1. If you are going to use a tredmill do it on an incline. If not you are basiclly just lifting your feet up and down while it moves underneath you. If you set it at an inclince even slightly you have to push off with your feet as you would to push yourself down the road.

#2. You have to do it at a pace that makes you work. None of this being able to talk, or reading a book. If you can do these things then you are not working hard enough.

#3. You said you do 3 miles. Well stick to 2 miles and see if you can better your time.

Try it 3x a week and see what happens.

Great sig by the way.

 

[kbookert2002]

10 min run at a steady pace for warming up then set the incline to the highest position then do 20 sec on 30 sec off times 7-8 times. oh set speed at about 9mph for the incline

 

[Akuma Kanji]

Thanks guys. The joints aren't so bad except in the morning when its really cold out. The years of football and rugby have taken a toll on the knees and ankles. 33 isn't THAT old, but then again...not as spry as i once was.

 

[skeet]

10 min run at a steady pace for warming up then set the incline to the highest position then do 20 sec on 30 sec off times 7-8 times. oh set speed at about 9mph for the incline

Yep! Incline sprints are the only thing I will do on a treadmill. I hate those fucking machines.

If you really hate yourself, do 45 seconds on with 30 seconds rest. The most I can do is five =x

 

[JayElliott]

I always knew that jogging on a treadmill is a bit easier than doing so on pavement, but I can only do 1/4 on the pavement of what I can do on a treadmill.....geez, that pisses me off...

 

[king-tony]

The hardest thing with a treadmill is the monotony. Changing speeds, incline and sprinting helps . I like to warm up for 5 minutes at a slow pace like 5.7 or so, go to 7 mph for 5 minutes and increment 1mph every five minutes or .5 every 2.5 minutes til I get to 9.5 (that is all I can go for any length of time) and then go back down in .3 mph increments every 60-90 seconds. If you run a lot outside you will already have a good idea of how you are feeling and how hard to push. I like to run inside because it is easier on my joints, but it is harder to make myself do it. Oh yeah, tunes are a must have inside.

 

[deweymac]

Chris
great point about the incline!
its something that i had never thought about but i think its a great point