A treadmill can provide a great cardio workout – it gets the heart pumping and burns calories that can help with weight loss (when combined with a healthy diet, of course). It may often be easier to run on a treadmill than outdoors, because you don’t have to tackle the elements and can control the indoor environment a little more. 

But running on a treadmill can get boring. And if the workout is boring, it makes it more difficult to stick with your exercise routine and benefit from a long-term exercise plan. 

Here are three ways you can use a treadmill in your workout to add some variety and work out more than just your legs and lungs. 

Start by setting the treadmill to a comfortable walking pace, then follow these four steps.

• Walk on the treadmill belt for five seconds
• Place your hands on the handrails 
• Lift yourself up off the treadmill belt and simulate walking for another five seconds
• Return to step 1

“The walking-on-air exercises should be done as intervals,” said Jeffrey Beck, exercise physiologist with the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute. “For example, you can work through the four steps for 60 seconds, then go back to regular treadmill walking for a few minutes, then work your way through the four steps again. It’s a great way to work out both your upper and lower body and elevate your heart rate.”

Set the treadmill to a comfortable walking speed, the work your way through these steps.

• Hold on to the front rail of the treadmill
• Place both feet off to the side of the belt
• Jump onto the treadmill, squat down, then jump back onto the sides of the treadmill
• Complete three sets of 10 reps total, and rest for 60 seconds between each rep

• Turn off the treadmill and take a kneeling position near the back of the belt
• Place your hands on the treadmill belt and push the belt away from you
• Complete three sets of 30 seconds each, with a 60-second rest in between