Underdesk Treadmill Workout: 8 Active Methods to Energize You

Get Moving While You Work: The Under-Desk Treadmill Advantage

Sitting at a desk for hours, thinking, “Are treadmill workouts effective?” can affect your health and productivity.

But what if you could transform your office floor into a moving platform without making a sound, allowing you some action while you work? That’s where the underdesk treadmill workouts come in.

This compact piece of workout equipment offers a range of benefits, including calorie burn, improved cardiovascular health, stress reduction, and increased productivity. These can also be pushed under the bed or table after the workout.

Let’s dive into the world of underdesk treadmill workouts and explore the various options you can try to make your workday more active and exciting.

UnderDesk Treadmill Workouts

There are so many questions that come to mind.

• Can you lose weight with a treadmill desk?
• Does running on a treadmill actually work?
• Will running on the treadmill burn belly fat?

If you can lose extra calories, you can also lose weight. You only have to keep count of your calories in and calories out. You can achieve your weight goals if you can manage a calorie deficit along with an increase in your proteins and stay consistent in your underdesk treadmill workouts.

1. The Steady Walk: A Simple Start for Health and Wellness

The steady walk is the most straightforward and commonly used underdesk treadmill workout. It involves setting a comfortable speed, usually between 1 to 2 mph, and walking for as long as you desire.

This workout allows you to engage in various desk-based activities like reading, writing, typing, or talking on the phone. The benefits of a steady walk include increased daily step count, improved blood circulation, and lower blood pressure.

It’s an excellent way to introduce movement into your work routine without disrupting tasks.

2. The Interval Walk: Boosting Calorie Burn and Endurance

Try the interval walk if you want to elevate your workout intensity. This workout involves alternating between faster and slower speeds at regular intervals. For instance, you can walk at 1.5 mph for five minutes, increase the speed to 2.5 mph for two minutes, and repeat the cycle.

Adjust the speed and duration based on your fitness level and preferences. The interval walk helps burn more calories, improves metabolism, and enhances endurance. It’s a dynamic way to challenge yourself and achieve better fitness results.

3. The Incline Walk: Strengthening Muscles and Improving Posture

Take your underdesk treadmill workout up a notch with the incline walk. Gradually increasing the incline every few minutes, you engage different muscle groups and intensify the workout.

Start on a flat surface and raise the incline by 1% every five minutes, reaching a maximum of 10%. You can then gradually decrease the incline to cool down. The incline walk targets your legs, glutes, and core muscles, strengthening them while enhancing your posture and balance. It’s an effective way to add variety and challenge to your under-desk workout routine.

Underdesk treadmills with an incline are very rare but a regular treadmill with a desktop attachment is easily available.

4. The Reverse Walk: Unleashing New Muscles and Coordination

Ready for a challenge? Try the reverse walk on the underdesk treadmill. This workout involves walking backward at a very low speed. The speed and duration gradually increase as you become more comfortable and confident. The reverse walk activates different leg, hip, and ankle muscles, improving coordination and agility. It’s a unique and exciting way to break away from traditional movements and enhance fitness.

5. The Sidewalk: Exploring Lateral Muscles and Stability

Looking to target your lateral muscles and improve stability? The sidewalk underdesk treadmill workout is just what you need. Begin at a very low speed, facing left or right while maintaining balance. Switch sides every few minutes or whenever you change speed. Staying cautious and avoiding losing your balance or stepping off is crucial. The sidewalk workout engages your inner and outer thigh muscles, improving mobility and stability. It adds a fun twist to your routine and challenges your body in a new way.

6. The Jog: Amping Up Cardiovascular Fitness

For a more intense under-desk treadmill workout, consider jogging instead of walking. Set a higher speed, typically between 3 to 4 mph, and jog as long as your workspace allows. Achieving a stable setup and honing your multitasking ability will be key to combining work with jogging.

This workout increases calorie burn, improves cardiovascular fitness, and helps increase your running speed. While it may not suit all work tasks, jogging on the treadmill offers a high-impact option for those seeking a more challenging workout.

7. The Sprint: Unleashing Power and Intensity

The sprint workout on the underdesk treadmill is perfect for those seeking an ultimate challenge. Set a very high speed, typically between 5 to 6 mph, and sprint for short bursts of 10 to 30 seconds. Rest between sprints by walking or jogging at a lower speed.

It’s important to note that performing sprints while working at your desk requires an advanced setup and exceptional multitasking ability. This high-intensity workout helps burn calories, boosts metabolism, and enhances power and explosiveness.

Though short bursts of sprints are ok underdesk treadmills are not made for running for long.

8. The Mix: Variety and Fun for Comprehensive Fitness

To keep your underdesk treadmill workouts engaging and exciting, try mixing different types of walks, jogs, and sprints. If available, you can create your routine or follow a preset program. Don’t hesitate to vary the incline and direction to add more variety and challenge to your workout. The mixed workout targets different aspects of fitness, including endurance, strength, speed, agility, and coordination. It’s a fun way to explore various movements and maximize the benefits of your underdesk treadmill.

Considerations and Precautions: Safety First!

While underdesk treadmills offer fantastic opportunities for integrating movement into your workday, it’s crucial to be aware of their limitations and associated risks. Here are a few key considerations and precautions to keep in mind:

1. Underdesk treadmills are not designed for high-intensity or prolonged workouts. Pushing them beyond their capacity may result in overheating or malfunctioning.
2. If you have certain medical conditions or injuries affecting your balance or mobility, consult a healthcare professional before using an underdesk treadmill.
3. Listening to your body and being mindful of discomfort, pain, dizziness, or fatigue during your workouts is essential. If you experience any of these symptoms, stop and rest for sometime.
4. Adapt your speed and intensity based on your work tasks. Lower your speed or take a break from the treadmill for activities requiring focused attention or fine motor skills. Engaging in more passive or repetitive tasks allows for increased speed or the introduction of intervals and inclines.

Calorie Burn: How Much Can You Expect?

The number of calories burned during underdesk treadmill workouts depends on various factors such as weight, speed, incline, and duration. Here’s a rough estimation of calorie burn based on weight and speed:

• Weighing 160 pounds and walking at 2 mph can burn around 200 calories per hour.
• Weighing 160 pounds and walking at 3.5 mph can burn around 310 calories per hour.
• Weighing 160 pounds and jogging at 5 mph can burn around 580 calories per hour.

Remember, these figures are estimates and can vary depending on your metabolism, fitness level, and other factors. A calculator or fitness tracker that measures heart rate and distance can better estimate your calorie burn.

Finding Your Optimal Speed: What Works Best for You?

The ideal speed for underdesk treadmill workouts is subjective and depends on your preferences, fitness level, and work situation. Consider these tips to help you discover your best speed:

1. Begin with a low speed, typically ranging from 0.5 to 1 mph, and gradually increase it until you find a comfortable pace. Use the remote control or console to make adjustments as needed.
2. Aim for a moderate intensity level, allowing you to hold a conversation without being able to sing. This translates to a heart rate between 50% and 70% of your maximum heart rate (220 minus your age). Track your heart rate using a monitor or fitness tracker.
3. Assess how your work tasks affect your concentration and coordination. For activities demanding greater attention or fine motor skills, such as typing, reading, or writing, lower your speed or take a break from walking. For more passive or repetitive tasks like listening to a podcast or scrolling through social media, you can increase your speed or challenge yourself with intervals and inclines.
4. Tune in to your body’s signals and adjust accordingly. If you experience any pain, discomfort, dizziness, or fatigue, pause the treadmill and rest. Change your speed, incline, or direction to combat boredom or restlessness. When you feel happy, energized, and productive, keep up the excellent work!

Understand that there is no definitive “best” speed for underdesk treadmill workouts. It ultimately depends on what suits you and your specific circumstances. The most important thing is to embrace the benefits of incorporating movement into your work routine while maintaining your health and fitness. So, lace up your shoes, step onto the underdesk treadmill, and enjoy a more active and productive workday!