After stretching, start at a pace where you can feel your heart rate come up, but where you could comfortably maintain a conversation.
Pace: 3.0 mph; incline level: .5 percent
Speed up your pace until you're at pace where you're slightly out of breath.
Pace: 3.5; incline: 1.5
Return to your warm-up pace. You should be able to breathe out of your nose by the end of this period (continue the recovery period for as long as you need to).
Pace: 3.0; incline: 1.0
Speed up your pace again, and this time, add a slight incline (try a 1 percent incline first, and add more if you can comfortably maintain the same pace).
Pace: 3.5; incline: 3.0
Slow down your pace, but this time, keep your incline level the same. If you're still feeling out of breath throughout this recovery period, lower the incline level.
Pace: 3.0; incline: 3.0
Repeat the previous interval, and try adding another percent to the incline.
Pace: 3.5; incline: 4.0
Bring down your pace to 3.0 for the first minute, then 2.5 for the second minute; lower the incline by 1 percent every 30 seconds.
For the first two minutes, lower your pace to 2.5 and incline level to .5, then to flat incline for the last three minutes. At the end of your cool-down period, your breathing should be slow and controlled before you step off the treadmill to stretch.
Reprinted with permission of Parents Expecting magazine.
All content here, including advice from doctors and other health professionals, should be considered as opinion only. Always seek the direct advice of your own doctor in connection with any questions or issues you may have regarding your own health or the health of others.
