Prioritizing fitness as we age is important for promoting longevity, and exercising on the treadmill for just 20 minutes on most days of the week is an excellent way to help you maintain good health and reach your cardiovascular fitness goals.
In fact, physical activity guidelines for Americans recommend getting at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise a week.
And there’s a good reason why: Your cognition declines with age, but keeping up with an exercise routine and engaging your mind with brain games can help you stay sharp. According to a July 2018 review in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, physical activity programs for older adults that incorporate cognitive exercises can help improve cognitive health, which declines with age.
To help you keep up with your cardio, try this 20-minute treadmill cardio workout, which includes some inclines and upper-body exercises using dumbbells.
The inclines will activate your posterior chain (muscles in the back of your body) and strengthen your lower body, as well as increase your heart rate for your cardiovascular work. The dumbbell exercises mid-workout are unilateral (one-sided) to increase your upper-body strength and coordination.
Remember to bring the treadmill to a complete stop before doing the floor exercises.
20-Minute Treadmill Cardio and Strength Workout
- Start by warming up on the treadmill at 1 percent incline for 5 minutes at a brisk walk (around 3 mph for beginners and 4 mph for intermediate).
- For the next 2 minutes, take the incline up to 3 percent. If you’re walking, increase the speed to anywhere between 3.5 to 4.5 mph. If you prefer to jog, increase the speed to anywhere between 4.5 to 5.5 mph. This should feel challenging.
- Stop the treadmill and safely get down to the floor. Do 10 reps of each of the five upper-body strength exercises below, then safely return to the treadmill.
- For the next 2 minutes, take the incline up to 4 percent. Return to the speed you used for the last round, or add a bit more speed if you want more of a challenge.
- Stop the treadmill and safely get down to the floor. Do 10 reps for each of the five upper-body strength exercises, then safely return to the treadmill.
- For the next 2 minutes, take the incline up to 5 percent. Return to the speed you used for the previous round, or increase your speed if you want more of a challenge.
- Slow down for the next three minutes, taking it back to your brisk walking speed at 1 percent incline.
Tip
Use your arms to help propel you through the inclines as much as possible. Drive your elbows straight back at 90-degree angles. Hold onto the rails for support if you need it.
If you’re holding onto the rails for support, lean forward slightly from your waist so you get the benefits from walking on an incline. Leaning backward will put your back into an upright position, decreasing the strength training that happens from adding the incline.
Always listen to your body with any cardio program. You want to feel challenged, but always in control. You can use a heart rate monitor or a scale like the rate of perceived exertion (RPE) to help you determine your efforts.
| 1 percent incline at 3 to 4 mph | 5 minutes |
| 3 percent incline at 3.5 to 4.5 mph (walk) or 4.5 to 5.5 (jog) | 2 minutes |
| Get off treadmill and do the floor exercises below | 10 reps per move |
| 4 percent incline at 3.5 to 4.5 mph (walk) or 4.5 to 5.5 (jog) | 2 minutes |
| Get off treadmill and do the floor exercises below | 10 reps per move |
| 5 percent incline at 3.5 to 4.5 mph (walk) or 4.5 to 5.5 (jog) | 2 minutes |
| 1 percent incline at 3 to 4 mph | 3 minutes |
