13 Treadmill Workouts For Triathletes
Looking for a treadmill workout? We have a selection of 10 options. The following treadmill routines were created specifically for triathletes to get the most out of the treadmill.
We totally understand why it might feel tedious or boring to be on a treadmill, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t be a really great way to work out. As long as you’re motivated, have the right plan in place, and have the right mentality, it can be really beneficial.
Waiting for better weather or needing something to do indoors? A treadmill workout is an ideal way to get the most out of your run training.
Treadmill Workouts for Triathletes
Sequence Workouts
1. Building Hills
Warm-up
Create a 20-minute routine that progresses in difficulty, with some 15-20 second bursts of speed at the conclusion.
Main set #1:
Do three 30-45 second hill repetitions at a 5%, 6%, and 7% grade. Move quickly, but not so quickly that you can’t complete the exercise. Take a rest of 2 minutes and 15 seconds to 2 minutes and 30 seconds in between each repetition, making the total amount of time for each rep to be 3 minutes.
Main set #2:
Do three repetitions of 30-45 second hill climbs at a 6%, 7%, and 8% incline? Gradually speed up your running pace. Allow 2 minutes and 15 seconds to rest in between each repetition, making the entire sequence take three minutes.
Main set #3:
Do three hill repeats, each lasting between 30 and 45 seconds, at an incline of 7%, 8%, and 9%. Slightly increase the pace you’re running on each one. Take a recovery period of two and a quarter minutes between each repetition, resulting in a total of three minutes for each repetition.
Cool-down:
10 min. easy
2. Buffer Buffs Hill Reps
Warm-up
Go for an easy jog for fifteen minutes, with four periods of 20 seconds of running faster and 40 seconds of gentle recovery.
Main set
Repeat the following pattern 3-4 times. Do the strength exercises off to the side of the treadmill:
Work hard for 45 minutes at Zone 3-4 or at a perceived exertion of 7/10 on an incline of 4-6%.
5 squat jumps
Do a fifteen-second sprint at the highest intensity level or an effort of 9/10 on a 4-6% incline.
20 high knee skips
45 sec. Zone 2-3 or RPE 6-7/10 @ 4–6% grade
10 push-ups
Go at a speed that is a zone 3 or 7/10 on the rate of perceived exertion scale while climbing an incline of 4-6% for 45 seconds.
10 split squat jumps
45 sec. Zone 2-3 or RPE 6-7/10 @ 1% grade
10 double-leg hops
Run for 90 seconds at an intensity of Zone 3 or a perceived exertion of 7/10 at a 1% incline.
Take a stroll for around two to three minutes, or stand next to the side of the treadmill to rest.
Cool-down
10 min. easy jogging with final 2-3 min. walking
Ramp-Ups
Warm-up
It will take 15 to 20 minutes to reach the peak of Intensity Zone 2 or exertion level 3 to 5 out of 10.
Main set
Begin running on the treadmill at the pace you concluded your warm-up. Every quarter of a mile, raise the speed by 0.5 mph until you can go no further.
Note that speed and then run 5 min. easy.
Complete 4-6 × 45 sec. intervals at your max. Recover with 1 min. easy jog between each interval.
Cool-down
Easy jog for the remainder of the time
3. 1-Minute Efforts + 1K
Warm-up
10–15 min. easy with 4 × 20 sec. bursts/40 sec. easy
Main set
Perform two sets of four one-minute intervals at an intensity of 7/10 on the rating of perceived exertion scale, with a 30-second rest period after each minute. After the fourth interval in each set, do a one-kilometre at the same pace as a 5-10K race.
Walk/jog easily for 2-3 min. between sets
Cool-down
5-10 min. easy
4. Split Tempo Run
Warm-up
15 min. easy jogging
Main set
10 min. @ Zone 2 or RPE 3-5/10
5 min. @ Zone 3 or RPE 6-8/10
2 min. @ Zone 1 or RPE 1-2/10
5 min. @ Zone 3 or RPE 6-8/10
Cool-down
10–20 min. easy
5. High Rollers
Warm-up
Run for 8 minutes at a comfortable pace and then do 4 intervals of 20 seconds at the speed you would run if you were in a 5K race.
Main set
Do twelve repetitions of one minute each at four per cent grade, four and a half per cent grade, and five per cent grade.
At 4%, the effort should be moderate, while 4.5% should require a moderately hard effort and 5% should be difficult. Repeat the pattern four times. Try to run faster with each set of three.
Take 1 min. rest between each interval
Cool-down
10 min. easy
Classic Tread Exercises
6. Wellness Walking for Mental Health
How can we recreate the feeling of walking in nature when it is not possible? You have the option of training in front of a large screen to have a break from looking at walls or other people exercising while exercising at home, or if the weather is nice, you can take the treadmill outdoors.
Be mindful that outdoors and tech don’t usually mix, but sometimes, a self-powered treadmill makes a great combo. Even a brief, the accelerated walk will leave you feeling fantastic afterwards.
Sometimes having a chat with a pal or viewing a comedy show can transform a regular stroll into a productive exercise. As mental health is increasingly understood, wellness activities may be the answer as opposed to increasing speed and physical conditioning.
Once more, 20-60 minutes is not like a miracle, however, a nice speed at about 3.5 miles per hour is a tremendous marching rate which can clear the brain much like a period of meditation.
7. Hiking for Body Composition
Athletes who are recovering from an injury or returning to their sport after a period of retirement should start their training program slowly, to avoid creating any strain on the body.
Most of the athletes who have employed weighted vests and walked uphill found that the energy demand was high but the amount of strain on their muscles was unfortunately low.
Be aware—be vigilant of any strain on the back of the lower leg and ankle causing a bending-up motion, as an excessive amount of this sort of movement can cause trouble for some athletes. Yet, it is typically a secure tactic to burn off calories without merely undertaking undesired physical activity.
Proper nutrition is essential for controlling the body’s composition, but it is difficult psychologically to rely only on dieting without adding some light exercise.
Typically, taking part in 1-2 more sessions a week leads to obtaining the right body composition for athletes competing in speed sports, and the need to do so without over-exerting the body is essential.
Seniors may find it worthwhile to add wearable resistance to their routine, as it can help them combat issues like osteoporosis and other types of illnesses commonly associated with older age. Additionally, they can make exercise a social activity if they choose.
8. Classic Bad Weather Tempo Running
During the cold season, many professional athletes stay inside to go running, and if there isn’t an interior track, a treadmill may be required.
Running at an even pace can be done when it is warm outside, as the unpredictability of the weather like the heat and rain is an inevitable part of life. The primary factor to consider is how quickly and for how long individuals are running and how to divide access to treadmills when running in a group.
Many coaches and athletes choose to practice general running on curved treadmills since the pace is self-determined and it is convenient if the necessary supplies are accessible.
Apart from regular physical training, trainers can use intervals to assess recovery progress as well as examine techniques at current times due to the immobile features of the treadmill.
Traditional pace running may not be attractive, but it is good for the environment since other activities like biking and cross-training may not fit in with what the coach needs.
9. Aerobic Capacity Testing
The traditional VO2 max test certainly won’t decide who the winner will be, yet the data gained from testing can be used to unravel training enigmas.
Metabolic testing hasn’t been given much importance in comparison to the newer speed reserve models that are widely used nowadays, yet both those who coach and those who focus on the scientific side of things are just making assumptions when looking back retrospectively.
The most gifted sports stars often possess the quickest pace and generally require just a bit of backing from a physical fitness regime. Improving the performance of athletes is more important than simply finding out their aerobic capacities, not just their ability to handle more aerobics.
If all other conditions remain the same, an athlete with better physical shape and the same speed as someone else still has a benefit; unfortunately, many trainers too focused on improving aerobic capacity overlook the fact that it is the fastest time that counts in any competition.
It is essential to remain within the usual limits and use them to enhance comprehension of training courses. Trying out a VO2 max test in a workout, even if only out of curiosity, is quite tough, yet the results can be helpful for multiple purposes, regardless of how unexciting the exercise may be.
10. Running Gait Analysis and Instruction
Running mechanics is important, even for sprinters. Coaches may prioritize reaching maximum speed, but it is also important to attain close-to-maximum speeds at a quick pace.
Examining how someone walks on a treadmill is a convenient way to assess biomechanics, and it is reasonably precise enough to make meaningful modifications to posture and movement if done correctly.
Gait analysis does not necessarily equate to making alterations, so you can opt to look at body movement without needing to make any adjustments.
Dealing with running injuries is problematic because the scientific evidence in clinical settings appears to disagree and be conflicting. As a result, a treadmill analysis of running can be equally beneficial for evaluating a person’s running technique.
Examining the effects of changes in coaching execution, determining possible hazards, and the source of injury is far more complex than simply noticing things such as heel striking and rate of steps.
Injuries and the running form are both very complex so the probability of discovering a single answer that solves the problem is quite unlikely.
Through the application of gait analysis at the moment, numerous coaches have enhanced techniques in a way that can be applied even during rapid movement. Measuring pressure and using video analysis to look more closely at the data are widely accepted methods of examination, and capturing movement is a frequent technique employed in scientific studies.
11. Pacing for Performance
One of the advantages of using a treadmill is that it is possible to keep it at the same speed for a certain period. Fatigue is normally a hindrance to keeping a steady pace, but a treadmill can be utilized to help an athlete persist and break through that obstacle.
Evidently, there are many techniques for running at different paces, but an athlete can still cover the desired distance just by running for a longer period on the treadmill (practising safe running habits).
Jogging on a treadmill can be a bit intimidating, as there is only one of two choices: either complete the workout or give up. Apparatuses such as Solos and stride cadence commodities are employed to guarantee that the running rate is aligned with the beat of the strides.
Athletes could opt to distribute their speed and distance evenly among each other, allowing individuals with contrasting capabilities to take on equal problems. An illustration would be a swift 1500-meter competitor and a fitter 5-kilometre runner who opt to carry out 3-kilometre time trials moving at a consistent pace together.
Both have the same rate of running, although really they are doing it in different ways, which can provide stimulation and a fresh challenge for the athletes.
Using biofeedback can help make maintaining the same pace easier, not just going faster. No matter what your speed is, try to incorporate pacing into your running routine so that you can move further distances without relying on laps.
Establishing running pacing and additional details such as strides and gait can help elevate running techniques.
12. Drago Repeated Sprints
Rocky IV was an amazing film for people born during the 1970s or earlier.
One of the most renowned moments was the confrontational comparison of high technology to traditional educational drills. At the scene, Rocky’s opponent was running on an uphill treadmill and the difficulty increased with each step.
You can decide to make the incrementation in mountain or slope either step-by-step or steady, but make sure it’s planned out in a way that isn’t simply designed to be fun while disregarding good practice. The workout’s metabolic demands are excessive, and athletes enjoy the difficulty.
A widely favoured method is to operate the Shredmill, maintaining a steady gradient, and strive to get quicker with each repetition.
No matter your repetition frequency, frequent hill runs are an efficient way to get fit and improve your speed swiftly, however only use this approach when beneficial as traditional methods are still essential.
13. Long Intervals and Continuous Runs
In times of a crunch, it’s really helpful to have an alternative to a standard field workout, especially if it’s something that does not require any special skills. Aerobic exercise is ideal for this type of situation. Many instructors detest the idea of an all-encompassing exercise regimen and desire more specificity, yet the reality is that it’s a matter of minimizing harm rather than striving for perfection.
This exercise program will not build speed, and if it is implemented before an athlete is prepared, it can actually slow down progress, so only include it if the person is capable of executing fundamental tempo running.
