Dumbbells on the Treadmill

A lot of people I know have been running on treadmills for years. While running on a treadmill, running outside or using another cardio machine at home or in the gym is very useful and productive. We can add just a few things to a treadmill workout to make it even better. When I was living in New York, the weather in the winter was so bad I couldn’t get motivated to go to the gym because I had a treadmill in my house. The only issue was that I wanted to get more of a full body treadmill workout. I started using dumbbells while running on the treadmill. It took me a few different workouts to find the most effective ones. Below check out this dumbbell workout and let me know what you think.

What you will need.

• Treadmill
• Two  5 – 10 lbs Dumbbells
• Towel

Lite Warm Up

Warming up should be the first thing you do on a treadmill or workout each time. You want to stretch before and after working out and get a nice 5 to 10 minute jog in to warm up your muscles so you don’t suffer a running injury or strain anything while working out.

Treadmill +Dumbbell Lifts

After your warm up set the treadmill to 6 mph and run for five minutes. Hold the dumbbells in your hand while you are running. Get off the treadmill after five minutes and do 2 sets of 10 overhead dumbbell lifts. Get back on the treadmill without the dumbbells and run at 6 mph for another 5 minutes.

Lateral Dumbbell Lifts

Get off the treadmill and grab the dumbbells and do 20 lateral lifts. Try to get a mirror to make sure your form is perfect. Lateral lifts should go like this…

• After 20 reps, immediately, without any resting, get back on the treadmill.

Get Back on the Treadmill: Keep the speed at 6 mph. Run for five minutes without any weights or dumbbells in your hands.

Dumbbell Squats

Get off the treadmill and do 1 set of 15 dumbbell squats. Make sure you have good form when you do the squats because they are one of the exercises that when done incorrectly can cause lower back pain and other injuries. Check out this great teaching video.

• Do not take rests between the running and the lifting: Your heart rate should be quite elevated each time you start a new 20-rep lifting segment.
• Do not hold onto the treadmill

Cool Down Treadmill Walking With Dumbbells

Get back on the treadmill and set speed to 5 mph jog for 5 mins and then lower speed to 2.5 mph and walk for 5 minutes. After your workout try stretching to avoid running injuries.

Workout Recap

1. Warm up 5 – 10 minute jog on the treadmill
2. Treadmill + Dumbbell lifts 5 minute run at 6 mph while holding dumbbells then 2 sets of 10 overhead dumbbell lifts. Then 5 minute jog at 6 mph.
3. 20 lateral dumbbell lifts
4. 5 minute run @ 6 mph
5. 15 dumbbell squats
6. 5 minute cool down jog @ 5 mph then 5 minute cool down walk @ 2.5 mph