No matter how quiet a gym is, you'll almost always see someone on a treadmill. That's because running or walking is a great way to exercise. Running in particular offers numerous benefits, such as improving your cardio fitness and strengthening bones. Plus, because it demands more energy than walking, it can aid in weight loss.
That said, there's no getting around it, if you're new or returning to exercise, running is hard. The first time I tried running as an adult I made it to the end of the street before I had to stop—totally out of breath.
One of the best ways to ease your body into running is by using run-walk-run intervals. It's simple: you run for a set period of time, then walk to recover, and repeat. All couch to 5K plans follow this approach. The combination of working and recovering is incredibly effective.
You can try it out for yourself with this 20-minute treadmill workout led by Sunny Health fitness instructor Sam Candler. "We're going to be focusing on intervals, which means effort then recovery. Let go of any ideas of speed and just focus on getting comfortable on your treadmill," says Candler in the video. "We're going to use intervals not only in our workout but also in our warm-up so it'll give you a little glimpse of what’s ahead."
That's one of the reasons I like this workout, it includes a warm-up and some stretching at the end.
How to do Sam Candler’s treadmill walking workout
You can use any treadmill for this workout, but Chandler demonstrates the workout on a Sunny Health folding treadmill. It's linked to in the video, but I've found it for $200 less on Amazon.
One great tip for this workout is to avoid starting off too fast. What can feel manageable in the first interval can quickly feel impossible by the fifth or sixth. Pace yourself to ensure you can maintain your effort throughout.
If this workout has inspired you to run more, try this eight-week running plan for beginners, which also uses run-walk intervals and gradually increases your running time every week in a manageable way. Or, if you feel ready to run continuously, give this treadmill weight loss workout a try.
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