As a rule, I favor incline/decline manipulation over speed when using a treadmill to burn calories. The research affirms that moving up an incline irrespective of the speed is simply the easiest way to increase effort. This is why High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a great way to maximize calorie burn in a short amount of time. This 20-minute treadmill workout combines bursts of intense exercise with periods of recovery to elevate your heart rate and boost your metabolism. How many calories you burn will depend largely on your own bodyweight and intensity here, but as a rule, a 200-pound person could burn up to 290 calories using this workout.
Hard workouts can leave you completely gassed. Photo by Brian Boyce
As you’ll see, this is a very basic workout that anyone can use. More advanced athletes I’m sure already know you can take the same template and simply up the incline and speed per segment. That’s what’s great about HIIT templates, they’re easy to adjust for anyone. You’ll see here I’m staying in the 1-2% incline range and staying under 10mph. So, whether you’re using a Horizon T101, a NordicTrack Commercial 1750, a Sole F80, or a NordicTrack Commercial X24, you can play along.
Important Notes:
- Warm-up: Always warm up for 5 minutes before starting any intense workout. This prepares your muscles and reduces the risk of injury. Read here to see some warm-up stretches you can use.
- Cool-down: Finish with a 5-minute cool-down to gradually lower your heart rate.
- Intensity: Adjust the speeds and inclines to match your fitness level. The “Jog” sections should be challenging, and the “Walk” sections should allow you to recover.
- Listen to your body: If you feel any pain, stop immediately.
- Progression: As you get fitter, you can increase the speed or incline of the “Jog” sections, decrease the duration of the “Walk” sections, or increase the overall workout duration.
- Safety: If you’re new to running or have any health concerns, consult with a healthcare professional before starting this workout.
Workout Structure (20 minutes total):
- Warm-up (5 minutes)
- Walk at a moderate pace (0% incline) for 5 minutes.
- HIIT Intervals (10 minutes – repeat 5 times)
- Jog at a challenging pace (1-2% incline) for 1 minute.
- Walk at a recovery pace (0% incline) for 1 minute.
- Cool-down (5 minutes)
- Walk at a slow pace (0% incline) for 5 minutes.
By adjusting the treadmill’s incline, you can easily increase intensity. Olexandr Kosheliev / TreadmilReviews.net
Detailed Breakdown:
| Time (Minutes) | Activity | Speed | Incline | Notes |
| 0-5 | Warm-up | 3.0-4.0 mph | 0% | Easy pace to get your body moving. |
| 5-6 | Jog | 5.5-7.0 mph | 1-2% | Challenging pace, you should be breathing heavily. |
| 6-7 | Walk | 2.5-3.5 mph | 0% | Recovery pace, catch your breath. |
| 7-8 | Jog | 5.5-7.0 mph | 1-2% | Increase speed or incline slightly if you feel comfortable. |
| 8-9 | Walk | 2.5-3.5 mph | 0% | Focus on recovering for the next interval. |
| 9-10 | Jog | 5.5-7.0 mph | 1-2% | Maintain a challenging pace. |
| 10-11 | Walk | 2.5-3.5 mph | 0% | Active recovery. |
| 11-12 | Jog | 5.5-7.0 mph | 1-2% | Push yourself to maintain speed. |
| 12-13 | Walk | 2.5-3.5 mph | 0% | Final recovery period. |
| 13-14 | Jog | 5.5-7.0 mph | 1-2% | Last interval, give it your all! |
| 14-15 | Walk | 2.5-3.0 mph | 0% | Begin to cool down. |
| 15-20 | Cool-down | 2.0-3.0 mph | 0% | Gradually decrease your speed to bring your heart rate down. |
Simply Put, Simplicity Wins
Don’t be surprised if a simple workout is enough to get your heart rate moving. Sometimes simplicity is the best course. With this 20-minute workout you can easily listen to music or watch television while chugging along. Check your heart rate monitor as you go and I’m sure you’ll see for yourself.
