5 Best Treadmill Interval Workouts for Weight Loss

As a personal trainer, I often recommend treadmill interval workouts to clients who are looking to accelerate weight loss and improve their overall fitness levels. These workouts are not only time-efficient, but they’re also highly effective for torching fat while boosting cardiovascular health and strengthening muscles.

The beauty of interval training lies in its ability to combine periods of high-intensity effort with recovery intervals. This creates a dynamic, challenging workout that pushes your body to burn more calories both during and after the session. The high-intensity approach ramps up your metabolism and creates what’s known as the “afterburn” effect, where your body continues to burn calories for hours post-workout.

Unlike steady-state cardio, which keeps your heart rate at a consistent pace for the duration of your workout, interval training keeps your body guessing by alternating between fast bursts of effort and slower recovery phases. This variation makes the workout more interesting and prevents your body from adapting, ensuring that you’re always making progress.

Whether you’re looking to shed a few pounds, increase stamina, or build muscle, interval treadmill workouts deliver a full-body challenge that caters to all fitness levels. Plus, they’re easy to integrate into a busy schedule, making them ideal for anyone who wants to achieve maximum results quickly.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through some of the best treadmill interval workouts for weight loss, each designed to target different areas of fitness and provide variety to keep you motivated. Each workout includes a detailed breakdown of exercises and specific instructions to help you execute every interval with precision and efficiency.

Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced runner, these treadmill interval workouts will help you reach your fitness goals faster and with greater results. Let’s get started!

Workout #1: Fat Burner HIIT

What you need: A treadmill with speed control. This workout boosts cardiovascular endurance, targets fast-twitch muscle fibers, and increases metabolism.

The Routine

• High-Speed Sprints – 3 sets of 30 seconds sprint, 1 minute walk
• Incline Walks – 3 sets of 2 minutes walk, 1 minute rest
• High-Knee Runs – 3 sets of 20 seconds high knees, 40 seconds rest

1. High-Speed Sprints

1. Set the treadmill to a speed of 9-10 mph.
2. Sprint for 30 seconds, then reduce speed to 3-4 mph and walk for 1 minute.
3. Repeat for 3 sets, focusing on maintaining speed during the sprint phases.

2. Incline Walks

1. Adjust the incline to 8% and set the speed to 3-4 mph.
2. Walk at this incline for 2 minutes, then step off the treadmill and rest for 1 minute.
3. Repeat, engaging your core and glutes with each incline step.

3. High-Knee Runs

1. Set the treadmill to 7-8 mph and focus on bringing your knees up high with each step.
2. Run with high knees for 20 seconds, then slow to a walk or stop for 40 seconds.
3. Repeat for 3 sets to increase core engagement and elevate your heart rate.

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Workout #2: Hill Climb Intervals

What you need: A treadmill with incline control. It strengthens lower body muscles, particularly the glutes and hamstrings, while burning calories efficiently.

The Routine

• Moderate Incline Jog – 3 sets of 2 minutes jog, 1 minute walk
• Steep Incline Walks – 3 sets of 1 minute walk, 1 minute rest
• Hill Sprints – 3 sets of 20 seconds sprint, 40 seconds walk

1. Moderate Incline Jog

1. Set the incline to 5% and jog at 5-6 mph for 2 minutes.
2. Reduce the incline and walk at 3-4 mph for 1 minute.
3. Repeat, focusing on form as you maintain speed on the incline.

2. Steep Incline Walks

1. Increase the incline to 10% and walk at 3 mph.
2. Walk for 1 minute, then step off the treadmill to rest for 1 minute.
3. Repeat, keeping a steady, controlled pace.

3. Hill Sprints

1. Set the incline to 8% and sprint at 7-8 mph for 20 seconds.
2. Reduce speed to 3 mph and walk for 40 seconds.
3. Repeat to challenge leg strength and boost endurance.

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Workout #3: Speed Pyramid

What you need: A treadmill with adjustable speed settings. Improves cardiovascular fitness, builds endurance, and helps break through fitness plateaus.

The Routine

• Low-Speed Warm-Up – 3 sets of 2 minutes walk, 1 minute jog
• Speed Increase Intervals – 3 sets of 1 minute run, 1 minute rest
• Speed Decrease Intervals – 3 sets of 1 minute fast jog, 30 seconds walk

1. Low-Speed Warm-Up

1. Walk at 3 mph for 2 minutes, then increase speed to 5 mph and jog for 1 minute.
2. Repeat to warm up the body and prepare for higher speeds.

2. Speed Increase Intervals

1. Begin running at 6 mph and increase speed by 0.5 mph every 10 seconds until reaching 7.5 mph.
2. Rest for 1 minute, then repeat the set, focusing on maintaining control.

3. Speed Decrease Intervals

1. Start at 7.5 mph for 30 seconds, then reduce to 5 mph and jog for 1 minute.
2. Continue this pattern, focusing on a smooth transition between speeds.

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Workout #4: Incline Walk Intervals

What you need: A treadmill with an incline adjustment. This workout tones the lower body and core while providing a low-impact option to elevate heart rate for fat loss.

The Routine

• Steady Incline Walk – 3 sets of 2 minutes walk, 1 minute rest
• Incline Changes – 3 sets of 1 minute incline walk, 1 minute flat walk
• Flat to Incline Power Walk – 3 sets of 3 minutes incline walk, 1 minute rest

1. Steady Incline Walk

1. Set the incline to 10% and walk at 3 mph for 2 minutes.
2. Step off the treadmill to rest for 1 minute, then repeat.

2. Incline Changes

1. Begin with an incline of 8% at 3 mph, walking for 1 minute.
2. Lower incline to flat and walk for another minute.
3. Repeat to simulate gradual uphill climbs and recovery.

3. Flat to Incline Power Walk

1. Walk at 3 mph, switching between flat and 10% incline every 30 seconds.
2. Rest for 1 minute after each set.

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Workout #5: Sprint Intervals

What you need: A treadmill with speed settings. This routine builds explosive strength, boosts metabolism, and engages both the core and lower body.

The Routine

• Short Sprints – 3 sets of 30 seconds sprint, 1 minute rest
• Incline Power Walk – 3 sets of 2 minutes walk, 1 minute rest
• Steady Sprints – 3 sets of 20 seconds sprint, 40 seconds walk

1. Short Sprints

1. Sprint at 10-11 mph for 30 seconds, then stop and rest for 1 minute.
2. Repeat, aiming to increase speed with each round.

2. Incline Power Walk

1. Set the incline to 5% and walk at 4 mph for 2 minutes.
2. Step off and rest for 1 minute, focusing on posture and core activation.

3. Steady Sprints

1. Sprint at 9-10 mph for 20 seconds, then reduce to 3 mph and walk for 40 seconds.
2. Repeat for intense calorie burn.

Tyler Read, BSc, CPT