Try Orangetheory and other treadmill exercises for high-intensity interval training, particularly in the cold winter months.
I’ve recently become enthralled with a workout studio called Orangetheory Fitness. It’s essentially a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) class, where half of the class is done on a treadmill and at times incorporates a rowing machine. The other half of the class is free weights and other floor exercises. The specific workouts for the day are not posted, so you never really know what you’re getting, which is great because it’s never boring and stays challenging. I highly recommend finding a gym that has one.
Heart Monitor
One of the things that I also really enjoy is the fact that you’re wearing a heart monitor, and your heart rate is displayed on a screen. The reason that the workout is called Orangetheory is because there are five heart rate zones, and the last three zones are where the trainers try to keep you, and the fourth zone is the orange one.
Workout Goals
I used to give myself various goals and intervals when I would run on the treadmill before I started taking Orangetheory classes, so here’s a 30-minute treadmill workout that I’ve used in the past.
- Start by walking at 2.0 incline and 4.0 speed for 2 minutes.
- Jog for 2 minutes at 1.0 incline and 5.0 speed.
- Sprint for 1 minute at 7.0 or higher speed.
- Walk for 2 minutes at 3.0 speed and 3.0 incline. If you’re feeling up for it, bring the incline up to 4.0 or greater.
- Sprint for distance—go at least .25 miles. Try to do this distance in less than 2 minutes. Use 1.0 incline if it feels good.
- Jog for 4 minutes at 5.5 speed with 2.0 incline.
- Turn to the side and hop together. Do this on each side for 2 minutes. Do not use an incline. Use 2.0 speed.
- Face front, jog for 2 minutes at 5.5 speed at 1.5 incline.
- Sprint at 7.0 or greater for 1:30 minutes. Use 1.0 incline.
- Take the speed up 0.3 to 0.5, wherever you are, for another 30 seconds.
- Walk for 2 minutes at 3.0 speed at 2.0 incline.
- Jog for 2 minutes at 6.0 speed at 2.0 incline.
- Sprint at 7.0 or greater for 1 minute at 1.5 incline.
- Jog at 5.0 for 2 minutes at 1.5 incline.
- Cool down for 2 minutes—walk at 2.0 speed at 2.0 incline, taking the incline down every 30 seconds.
Enjoy the change of pace by keeping your workouts interesting while indoors.
