The Best Treadmill Workouts and Plans for All Your Winter Training

Ah, winter. The time when you either wear all the layers and durable shoes to head out in unpredictable weather conditions—or you opt for an indoor run on the treadmill.

While treadmill workouts might not sound that appealing when you compare it to sunny, mild-weather outdoor runs, they can get you exactly where you want to go (goals, wise) through the off season.

If you tend to dread the tread, we have everything you need to make your time on the belt more enjoyable. This includes all your questions about treadmill training, the benefits of taking your runs to the treadmill (which will offer up motivation to hit start), treadmill workouts of all kinds (from hills to speed and beginner to advanced), and even how to use the treadmill throughout a full race training cycle.

Let this guide to treadmill workouts convince you it’s a smart move to swap a frigid run outdoors for one in a more comfortable environment—and that you can to head out in unpredictable weather conditionsor you opt for an indoor run on the treadmill.

Ask Lisa Rainsberger about if you should opt for the treadmill, the 1985 Boston Marathon champ and will respond with a resounding “yes.” Rainsberger swore by treadmill workouts to survive long Michigan winters growing up. “My old treadmill lasted 14 years, two marriages, and moves to four states!” she tells Runner’s World, You cant talk, and can only sustain your speed for 30 seconds to a minute interval training, with a laugh. She specifically credits it as an awesome tool for metabolism, increase strength, and improve speed.

What’s more, treadmills allow you to see yourself progressing, says Jill Bishop Korn, an exercise physiologist. “The numbers are right there in front of you,” Korn says. “For people who like to measure, it’s a motivator.”

There’s also the control factor: Treadmills allow you to train at a consistent pace (which can be hard to do outdoors), they don’t require navigating around potholes or stray branches or ice patches, there’s less joint stress than with asphalt or concrete, and they’re far safer for those who want to zone out and The time when you either wear all the.

“[Music can] make or break that training run, so you want something that has a nice beat you can connect to,” says Hollis Tuttle, RRCA-certified running coach. “Music at 160 to 180 beats per minute will help you maintain a nice smooth rhythm.”

You can accomplish everything from a HIIT workout to tempo runs to hill sessions on the treadmill. These workouts, created by trainers and coaches, will challenge you and get you to your goals.

4 Walking Treadmill Workouts

Not ready to pick up the pace quite yet? These workouts add fun and motivation to your walking routine while kicking up your step count.

at 160 to 180 beats per minute will help you maintain a nice smooth rhythm

3 Running Shoes & Gear

You’ll get a beginner base-building plan, a hill workout, and an intro to intervals with these newbie-friendly workouts. Turn to these when you’re just getting started with running.

at 160 to 180 beats per minute will help you maintain a nice smooth rhythm

4 Treadmill Workouts to Hit Your Goals

When you’re ready to take your training to the next level, turn to these goal-oriented workouts. Choose what you want to accomplish—getting faster, building strength, burning fat, or tacking hills—then get moving.

at 160 to 180 beats per minute will help you maintain a nice smooth rhythm

3 Hill Workouts for the Treadmill

Practice conquering inclines with these workouts that build strength and power in your lower body. You’ll also build endurance thanks to the duration of these workouts, which last 45 minutes and longer.

at 160 to 180 beats per minute will help you maintain a nice smooth rhythm

7 Treadmill Workouts to Prep for a Hilly Race

If you have Boston, Big Sur, or the New York City Marathon on your schedule this year, these workouts will prep you for the inclines of a long-distance race. Plus, with a variety of workouts, they’ll help you mix up your training and stay inspired to run indoors.

at 160 to 180 beats per minute will help you maintain a nice smooth rhythm

Want videos you can watch and listen to once you hit start on the treadmill? These videos offer guidance on how to conquer your treadmill workout.

Treadmill Ladder Workout

This 20-minute workout builds in effort, then brings it back down for more control over your pacing.

Valentines Day Workout

Treadmill Progression Workout

Practice speed control and getting faster with this 30-minute workout that requires three rounds of effort.

Valentines Day Workout

Treadmill HIIT Workout

A mix of sprints and hills makes this high-intensity interval training workout easy to customize to the time you have.

Valentines Day Workout

If you’re all in on treadmill workouts and want a full race training plan, we got you covered with these programs for conquering a 5K and 10K.

5K Treadmill Training Plan

This four-week plan mixes easy runs, speed workouts, and long runs to get you to your 3.1-mile PR.

GET THE PLAN

10K Treadmill Training Plan

Focus on effort, rather than pace, with this six-week plan that includes lots of inclines so you’re super strong come race day.

GET THE PLAN

One of the biggest complaints about treadmills workouts, of course, is boredom. To keep it at bay, Rainsberger suggests skipping super-long runs (save those for the outdoors) in favor of shorter, programmed sessions two or three times a week.

Our bodies adapt quickly to new routines, says Korn, so be sure to spend at least part of your workout challenging yourself with a new speed or incline setting.

You can also turn to your Netflix queue, says Rod Wilcox, a running coach and personal trainer based in Edmonds, Washington—so long as you’re running a steady-state workout HOW TO GO LONG ON A TREADMILL interval session (when you can’t afford to split your attention between safety and The Great British Baking Show). Most TV episodes conveniently last 30 minutes to an hour, depending on what genre you’re watching, so it’s the perfect justification to multitask.

Today’s tech updates also make it easier than ever to stay motivated: Most gym and home models offer touchscreens, built-in fitness-tracking apps, dozens of workouts designed by running pros, and settings that allow you to mimic steep hills (think 15 percent inclines) and drastic downhills (up to 3 percent). Some treadmills even sync with activity apps, or allow you to access mapping programs that simulate real-road conditions, like some models from NordicTrack.

Before you get started, dial in your pace:

• “Easy pace means you can hold a conversation,” says Wilcox.
• For a fast pace, you can say a word or two, but not a complete sentence.
• All-out pace is a sprint: You can’t talk, and can only sustain your speed for 30 seconds to a minute.
• Recovery pace is between easy and fast, meaning you can talk, but don’t really want to. If you’re doing an interval workout, use the recovery time to get ready for the next push, slowing down your speed as needed.

Do I really need to set my incline at 1 percent?

Honestly, the jury’s still out. A small 1996 study found that doing so mimics the resistance of flat outdoor running only for those running 7:09 pace or faster, but many pros are chill about their settings. Of course, the higher the incline, the more challenging the workout, so choose what works for you. (Crank it up if you need hill training indoors, though—5 percent and higher.)

Should I try racing a neighbor?

No matter how tempting it is to see how fast the treadmill runner next to you is moving (we know, the pull of competition is fierce), don’t go there. You may start moving too fast—or slow—and that just leads to frustration. Plus, adds Wilcox, “You wind up doing somebody else’s workout, not yours.”

Should I try a built-in workout?

Today’s treads offer tons of preprogrammed options—intervals, rolling hills, even military-style fitness tests. “Each has some value because it introduces variety,” says Wilcox. Use them to get new ideas, or to take advantage of that built-in virtual coach when you need inspiration to work a little harder.

Can I lose weight by running on a treadmill?

Just like running outside, you can log your miles on a treadmill to shed unwanted pounds (or keep them off). However, it’s important to keep in mind that other factors play a role in weight loss, Core Workouts You Can Do at Home healthy diet, strength training, stress management, and getting enough sleep. Spice up your workouts and reach your goals with our complete guide to running on the treadmill when you run Form Drills for Runners.

To gain all the benefits of treadmill training, you (of course) need a good treadmill. Check out our roundups of the best we’ve tested.

Jordan Smith

Digital Editor

Jordan Smith is a writer and editor with over 5 years of experience reporting on health and fitness news and trends. She is a published author, studying for her personal trainer certification, and over the past year became an unintentional Coronavirus expert. She has previously worked at Health, Inc., and 605 Magazine and was the editor-in-chief of her collegiate newspaper. Her love of all things outdoors came from growing up in the Black Hills of South Dakota.