Incline Training on The Treadmill

 

"It's a hill. Get over it." -Seen on the back of a runner's T-shirt

There are many benefits of hill training including the fact that it can strengthen the hamstrings, calves, buttocks and quadriceps. Sadly most runners seldom embrace hill training because it hurts. I have learned to enjoy feeling the burn when my quadriceps fire during the steep grades. Where I live it is flat, so in order to get good hill training in I have to do it on the treadmill.  I found the following incline training for the treadmill on Runner’s World.com and it has served me well through 5 full marathons. This training program is simple and easily modified. Set the speed at your own comfort level and the length of time in minutes at each incline level can be adjusted to your fitness level. Now get off the couch and go running!

Warmup

Time in minutes                 Incline

1                                      1

3                                      2

3                                      3

1                                      1

3                                      4

1                                      1

3                                      5

1                                      1

3                                      6

2                                      1

3                                      7

2                                      1

3                                      8

      2                                      1

3                                      9

2                                      1

5                                      3

5                                      4

Cooldown

 

What do you think of this incline training program? How often do you hill train?

 

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