Hi Matthew:

I used to be a runner and am not able to run now due to a knee injury and a slipped disc in my back.

I use the treadmill and eliptical machine for my workouts now and lift weights inbetween.

Is there a way to get the HIIT workout or something close to it on the treadmill by going from 15% to a lower grade?

If so, please recommend a 30 min. workout on the treadmill by telling me how many minutes and what speed at a high incline and the time period for the recovery time along with that incline % and speed.

Thanks for your help.
Ruth

Ruth, here is an interval I used for my wife when she was preparing for her first ever 5k. Now we are getting her ready for a 1/2 marathon.

What speed can you maintain for short intervals on the tread mill at a 15% incline. By short intervals I mean 15-60 seconds. 4, 6, 8 what ever that may be.

Get warmed up for 2-3 minutes at a jog. Start increasing the speed or incline so you will have it up to your max on the minute. Say 3:00 start time. Run it for 20 sec. jump off to the rails for 10 seconds then jump back on. Do up to 8 rounds of 20 sec work & 10 sec rest. This is a Tabata protocol. You can modify this to add variety by changing the ratio 30/10, 30/15, 40/15, 40/20, 60/30.

Your body will start to adapt to any protocol that you do too often and you will not get as much benefit. Make routine the enemy and continually switch it up by adding variety.

With high intensity work you want to go from work to rest rather quickly. It can be dificult on the machines. Jumping on & off is the only way I have found to turn it on & off instantly.

We don't use the machines often any more. My wife still has some knee issues but has been able to fight through as she has gotten stronger. Never a slipped disc but she also had back problems in our previous life. Weight had a lot to do with it but that is behind us now (pun intended).

If you are doing some weight training and maybe some body weight stuff you can also do intervals with that. 20 secs work 10 sec rest of dumbbell push press 4 sets, 20/10 of push ups, or flutter kicks or what ever exercises you are choosing. Pick 2-4 exercises and do 4 sets of 20/10 at each one.

Thanks for your response Matt.

I do something similar, but not exactly what you suggested. Let me know if I am wasting my time with this workout.

Warm up 3 min.
15% incline 1 minute 4.5 mph
.5% incline 1 minute 3.o mph
Neither holding on of course

I do this for 30 min. and then do a 5 min. cool down.

I use a Precore 93.1 Treadmill in my home. I use the interval setting which is 1 min. up and 1 min. down. The treadmill is so close to the eliptical machine that it would be difficult to jump off for the rest time. Also - this treadmill does not have rails.

I envy you for being able to workout so many hours per day.

Thanks for your help.

Ruth

Sorry I haven't been here in a while.

I would not call any exercise a waste of time.

Try to mix it up so you keep your body guessing if you can. Your body will adapt to doing the same routine and you will not get the continued benefits.

You are mistaken. I do not exercise all that often. As a coach I have only been getting in 2-3 workouts per week and they are usually less than 30 min. They are usually very intense but short. Most of my athletes only do these types of High Intensity work outs a few times a week. They may add some additional stuff on their own but not as intense.

Don't have time to look what happened to the signature pics?

Matt

Good to see you, Matt. At least your photobucket is showing up. I think they are doing some upgrades, so things have been whacky on the web today.

Hi,

Sorry for bringing back the post, but I have a question for Matt.

<div class='NTForums_Quote'>Posted By Matt on 12/17/2009 3:21 PM


Your body will start to adapt to any protocol that you do too often and you will not get as much benefit. Make routine the enemy and continually switch it up by adding variety.


</div>

In your opinion, what's the best way to prevent this?

For example, if I do 3 tabata protocols per week, doing 3 different types of exercise would be enough? Squats on monday, bike on wednesday and... well, other in friday.

Thank you very much.

I think 3 Tabatas a week is way too many. If you want to stick with intervals mostly, use other time schemes. Longer work time shorter rest, shorter work longer rest. Instead of time dependent (set amount of time) Make the workout work dependent (set number of reps at high intensity)

Why only 3 exercises?

What are you specific goals? If you are just trying to get good a squats bike & well then it will work. If you are looking for good overall fitness then you need to find more variety.

I was using the running intervals for my wife because we had a specific goal of improving her run times. Her other workouts were constantly varied with many different exercises.

Hi Matt. Good to "see" you again!

Hi Matt,

My goal at this moment is to lose some fat (not much) as fast as possible. I love Tabata because of the short time required and the possibility of doing it at home.

I'm limited to 3 exercises (the third is burpees) by my lack of equipment and imagination... and the "need" to stay at house, of course.

This week I started a program of exercises: monday, wednesday and friday "bodyweight"; tuesday, thursday and saturday HIIT.

Obviously, for me, the HIIT is Tabata. But if you say that it's too much... I don't know what to do :-(

I'm 24 years old and in a pretty decent shape. I think I'll stay with that for one month, just to see how it goes. Then I'll try to do other things.

Thank you very much!!