Treadmill Workout Ideas That Don't Feel Like A Slog

Why the treadmill deserves more credit

The treadmill has a bit of a reputation problem, and we get it.

As a piece of gym equipment, it's not that glamorous (unless you've got a super fancy one), it doesn't have a bunch of people waiting to use it at the gym, and most of us simply use it as a cardio session when the weather isn't playing ball or we only have enough energy for Netflix and a walk. Despite its reputation, though, treadmills are actually super effective, accessible and versatile.

Running or walking on a treadmill supports cardiovascular health, burns calories (more of a fact than a motivating reason to exercise), and because the belt has some give, treadmill workouts are generally easier on your joints than pounding pavement.

You fully control the speed, the incline and the duration, so there are no sneaky hills or traffic lights interrupting your flow, and you can easily plug and play the exact workout you want. Treadmills work just as well for a steady 20-minute walk as a 5km jog, an incline hike, or a high-intensity sprint session. The range is huge.

Yes, the treadmill can definitely get boring. Here's the fix.

The biggest treadmill criticism we hear is totally fair: staring at a wall or the exact same view while your feet go round and round can feel torturous after about five minutes. But that boredom usually isn't the treadmill's fault; it's the approach. Get on and press start with no plan and no structure (or a monotonous steady-state session) to keep your mind busy, and it's obviously going to drag.

Giving your session a bit more shape with things like intervals, incline, or turning the power off, can make it a completely different experience.

Different ways to use a treadmill

There are several different approaches you can take on a treadmill. Here are a few of the main ones:

Steady-state cardio

Get on, hit start and move at a consistent pace for 20 to 45 minutes. For most people, this is a power walk (commonly referred to as LISS or low-intensity steady-state cardio) or a light jog. Great for active recovery, building your aerobic base, or getting your steps in when it's raining. When you're training at moderate intensities, your body relies more heavily on fat for fuel, and because the effort is manageable, you can do it more frequently without overtraining. It's also genuinely good for your heart: research shows that performing moderate to intense exercise  3 to 5 times per week lowers resting blood pressure and supports cardiovascular function over time.

Incline walking

Raising the incline even a few degrees makes a huge difference. Research published in BMC Geriatrics found that a 10% incline increased net metabolic energy cost by nearly 23% compared to flat walking, meaning you're getting significantly more out of the same time on your feet. Your glutes and hamstrings will feel it, too: incline walking increases lower-body muscle activity, particularly in your quads, hamstrings, and calves, while also reducing the internal knee abduction moment, making it a joint-friendly way to ramp up intensity. Going from walking to running isn't the only way to make it harder.

Interval training (HIIT)

Alternating between high-effort bursts and recovery periods is time-efficient, mentally engaging, and well supported by research. A 2024 narrative review found that HIIT significantly improved vascular function, reduced blood pressure, improved cardiac output and heart rate variability, and positively influenced lipid profiles, making it one of the more well-rounded options for cardiovascular health overall. Just because it's beneficial doesn't mean you should do it every day. HIIT puts a lot of stress on your body and requires more recovery, so keep it to 2-3 times a week max.

Tempo runs

A tempo run is a sustained, comfortably hard run, usually around 20 minutes. Hard enough that holding a full conversation is difficult, not so hard that you're hanging on for dear life. It should feel about 7 out of 10 on the intensity scale. Research shows the main payoff is a higher lactate threshold, which basically means your fitness and stamina improve, and your body gets better at running faster. A tempo run feels less brutal than doing max-out sprint intervals, but more purposeful than a casual jog.

Deadmill sessions

These are hard. Deadmill workouts involve walking or running on a treadmill with it turned off. Hold the handles, lean forward into the movement, and use all your strength to push the dead belt around. It's a less conventional way to use a treadmill, but as soon as you start, you'll get it. The burn in your lungs, abs and legs is insane. Treat it like an uphill hike, or do running intervals.

Treadmill workouts to try

The 12-3-30 walk (30 mins)

Set the treadmill to a 12% incline and walk at 3 mph for 30 minutes. That's it. It sounds insanely simple, but this workout went viral for a reason: the steep incline makes walking genuinely challenging and it's low-impact, so it suits a wide range of fitness levels. If 12% feels like too much to start, drop the incline and build up gradually.

Beginner interval session (20 mins)

• Warm up: 5 minutes walking at an easy pace.

• Work: alternate 1 minute jogging with 2 minutes walking, repeat 4 times.

• Cool down: 5 minutes easy walking.

Intermediate to advanced HIIT session (25 mins)

• Warm up: 5 minutes easy jog.

• Work: 30 seconds at near-max sprint effort, 90 seconds easy jog, repeat 8 times.

• Cool down: 5 minutes walking.

Deadmill HIIT session (18-25 mins)

• Warm up: 5 minutes easy jog.

• Work: 20-30 seconds deadmill sprint (treadmill turned off), followed by 30-60 seconds walking or rest to get your breath back. Repeat 8-10 times.

• Cool down: 5 minutes walking.

Incline pyramid (30 mins)

Start at 0% incline and increase by 2% every 3 minutes until you hit 10%, then bring it back down the same way. You can do this as a walk or a run, but try to keep the speed consistent throughout. It's a great way to challenge yourself without committing to a flat-out sprint.

Log it, track it, celebrate it

Any treadmill session you do (whether that's a 12-3-30, a sprint interval, or just a 30-minute walk with your favourite playlist) can be logged in the Sweat app as a cardio session and counts towards your weekly training goals, so your effort actually shows up in your weekly progress even if it's not a workout from your program.

If you're following a Sweat program, cardio sessions sit alongside your strength and HIIT workouts to give you a full picture of your week.