The treadmill is the staple of every gym. No matter where you go, you will find plenty of them – just as common in-home personal gyms.

The purpose? Burning calories and getting toned from the comfort of your home.

My treadmill is one of my favorite pieces of fitness equipment. I love running for miles, and I totally understand those who run because they have to, but they find it boring and exhausting. You are not alone.

Now, how much time do you actually need to run on a treadmill? How long does it take to see some results? Are you overworking yourself or are you actually slacking? 

Here is everything you need to know about the duration of your workouts.

What is Your Treadmill Workout Goal?

You need to be aware of your goal before I can tell you how long you should run on a treadmill and what workouts you should be doing.

Everybody is different but generally, people who use the treadmill have similar goals in mind – burning fat, right? Long-term goals make the difference though.

For example, the most common reason behind treadmill running is to lose weight and burn fat. Some people go in a different direction – they could do with some extra strength, resistance, stamina and endurance.

If you are getting ready for an upcoming half marathon race, running on a treadmill will also add to your stamina while sparing you the dangers and inconveniences of outdoor running.

We will be discussing all these goals in this article so by the end of it, you will have a crystal clear idea of how much time you need to spend on your treadmill workouts to achieve your desired goal.

How Long Do I Need to Run on A Treadmill to Burn Fat?

Running is one of the most common things you think about when you want to burn calories and lose some weight. It is the easiest and most accessible exercise you can do.

Basically, you need an open space and a bit of time on your hands. Just go running – on a field, a track, in a gym, around the block and so on.

This is the most popular option out there and it has been a primary choice for people all over the world.

Advanced fitness gadgets make it easier these days because you can use a treadmill to get in some intense exercise in the comfort of your home. There is no need to go to a gym or run in circles around your neighborhood. 

A lot of treadmills come with modern screens these days, also there are a lot of interactive apps that give you the option to run with other people from all over the world.

A popular app like Zwift for example has many treadmills that are compatible with it, so no need to set it up on your end.

How Much Time Do I Need on A Treadmill to Get Into Shape?

Just as losing weight and burning fat, running is also a very common idea among those who want to get into shape.

Running is still common today among both amateurs and professional athletes. Just like it comes to weight loss, treadmills are just as common when you simply want a better physical condition.

You get a bunch of different options with a treadmill because you can force yourself to change the speed or perhaps the angle.

The setting is comfortable and offers numerous choices for your workouts – all you need is a bit of will.

How Much Time Do I Need to Gain Strength and Muscle Mass?

If your goal is to build muscles and gain an overall stronger body, a treadmill run is not just good cardio, but also a good addition to your routine.

You just cannot go wrong with this machine. Just like running outdoors, running on the treadmill will work on most muscle groups and help with your cardiovascular, and mental health.

Great cardio also helps muscles get stronger due to the extra oxygen they receive.

At the same time, you can use the treadmill to perform upper body exercises, which are indirectly connected to lower body muscle groups. In other words, your whole body (and more so your muscles) will benefit from a decent workout.

Besides, with a good unit, you can switch between moderate intensity and vigorous intensity level exercise program options to boost your calorie burn and overall fitness level.

How Much Time Do I Need for Extra Stamina and Endurance While Training for A Race?

Are you planning to run in a marathon or a race? You just cannot attend such events without proper training.

You need to start training weeks or even months ahead, especially when it comes to stamina and endurance – this is when running on a treadmill is no longer a choice, but a must.

Indeed, you can run outdoors, but doing it on an indoor treadmill will make it more comfortable, provide different options and save you lots of time.

Change the speed, challenge yourself, increase the inclination angle and so on.

You can also start slow and gradually increase your training from low intensity to moderate intensity to high intensity interval training as your fitness improves. 

The "Hill Sprint" mentioned above works like a charm for boosting endurance and stamina.

How Long You Should Run on A Treadmill by Goals

Now, why do you want to run? What is your current fitness level and what are your fitness goals?

The treadmill can definitely help in a plethora of different situations. Knowing what you want in the future will push you in the right direction, so you will know precisely how hard to push for it.

Burning Fat and Losing Weight

If weight loss is your primary goal, aim for two different exercises a day. You can do one in the morning and another one in the afternoon.

The first session should not exceed 60 minutes, but make sure you do it intensively and challenge yourself. You do not have to aim for exhaustion though.

A good moderate level intensity will easily burn 300 calories. The more intense you are, the more you will get. Some people can easily exceed 600 calories within an hour.

The second workout is more suitable if you cannot have 60 minutes for your first one. Even if you do, it still pays off pushing for a second running time.

Go for a High Intensity Interval Training HIIT session for around 20 minutes. You will also manage to lose about 300 calories – even more if you are lucky.

Workout to burn fat and lose weight

You do not have to be a rocket scientist to figure out how to use a treadmill, but there are still a few common mistakes you should be aware of in order to maximize your HIIT workout.

Here are the steps;

• Warm up first. Do not spend more than five minutes. You can jog or just fast walk to get that heart rate monitor reading.
• Slowly increase the tempo and start jogging faster and faster. If you are new to this, go up to 6.5MPH and adjust it from there. If you are more experienced, go up to 12MPH and figure it out later. Stick to this speed for about 30 seconds.
• Rest for a minute by walking on the treadmill and go back to high speed runs.
• Feel free to incline the running platform if you want to feel challenged even more.
• Repeat for up to 20 minutes.

This video illustrates this workout;

Getting Into Shape

Getting into shape is difficult, but not impossible. A treadmill will help you reach your goals, but it obviously requires time, patience and persistence.

Getting into shape goes in more direction – you will need to lose a bit of fat here and there, gain some tone over there and so on.

One workout a day will get you there in the long run. However, it will take time. If you are really hard-pressed to see results, then strength training makes for a great alternative with many benefits too.

But since running on a treadmill will take only about 10-20 minutes, you can run for longer periods everyday.

Whenever you find a moment, simply start all over again.

You can have one in the morning before work, another one when you get back and one more in the evening, you can also use the incline feature if the treadmill you are using has incline, to get more resistance and get in shape faster.

Workout to get in shape

• Warm-up for a few minutes, whatever works for you – up to five minutes. You can take a walk at a fast pace on the treadmill or jog.
• Increase the speed and go up to 10MPH. It is an accessible speed regardless of your fitness level – suitable for beginners and more experienced people. Stick to this speed for about a minute.
• Reduce the speed to 5MPH and take a fast pace walk for around 10 seconds.
• Repeat the alternating speeds for around 10 minutes.

From many points of view, this workout is similar to a classic HIIT workout. It is not that intense though.

Resting times are also lower, while you can exercise at a higher intensity for longer. The way it is designed will intensify the pressure on your body and help you get in shape in no time.

This video shows you how to do it;

Building Muscle and Strength

Weight lifting is the best way to gain muscle and strength, but you can get there with nothing but a treadmill too.

Apart from running, you can do a bunch of other workouts on the treadmill that do not involve weights.

Moreover, such a workout will last for about 15 minutes, so you can have it a few times a day.

Be careful though, if you have had knee injuries in the past, running on the treadmill can be bad for your knees if done incorrectly.  

Workout to build muscle and strength

There are more types of exercises that you can do and they will all work on your strength and particular muscles. Here are the most popular ones.

• Side stepping – instead of walking forward on a treadmill, you can step laterally. Basically, you perform a lateral walk at a lower speed – whatever works for you to avoid falling. It will work on your obliques, abs, thighs and hips.
• Crossovers – This is a more advanced exercise, so start with side stepping. Once you master it, it will work on the exact same areas, but it will do it in a more efficient manner. It is similar to side stepping, but it has a different tempo.
• Squatting – Squats are the base of all lower body workouts. Squatting on a moving treadmill is not suitable for beginners, so you need some experience. There are more types of squats you can do – reverse jump, jump or side squats, just to name a few.

Perform the exercise you can for about a minute, then take a 15-second rest while you walk. The workout can go for up to 15 minutes.

You can stick to one exercise or another or perform all of them.

These exercises are illustrated in this video;

Getting Ready for A Race or Marathon

The treadmill is a must if you are getting ready for a race or marathon. You can run outside, but the treadmill is more versatile and convenient – plus, it provides lots of analytics.

Workout for getting ready for a race or marathon

Here are the steps for an efficient workout.

• Warm up for about five minutes.
• Get the speed up to 12MPh and start running. Stick to this speed for about a minute.
• As you get used to it, increase the inclination angle by a few degrees. The incline you set on your treadmill depends on how much resistance you want – more is better, of course.
• Set a goal or continue until you feel exhausted.

This video has it all;

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Resources:

1. https://www.healthline.com/health/treadmill-weight-loss
2. https://www.verywellfit.com/quick-and-effective-treadmill-workouts-3866052