Running uphill on a treadmill to improve performance

When running, you are always looking for new ways to improve: to become faster, more powerful, more resilient, more responsive. What if running uphill was one of them?
Of all the different types of training you can do, hills are the most natural way to train on roads and trails. But if it is easy for people living in the hills or mountains to choose between different types of climb, the possibilities are much fewer on the flat, despite the use of overpasses or subway near your home to vary your running. But in both cases, it is impossible to find climbs that are perfectly suited to all needs and that are perfectly even and long enough to do all kinds of training. The possibilities are however endless with the flexibility of a treadmill.

Running on a treadmill allows you to adapt each training session to your needs, varying the percentage of the treadmill's incline, increasing and decreasing the speed of running both uphill and downhill, and extending the distance without being tied to a predefined space. But also by alternating different types of exercise within the same session.

Why running uphill?

Running uphill develops endurance, speed and muscular power, which are important and fundamental characteristics for all distances, from five to ten kilometres, up to half a kilometre and a marathon. To do this, you can use various types of sessions, which allow you to combine several variables, such as the length of the uphill stretches, the number of repetitions to be performed and the inclination of the road. Running uphill develops specific strength, making the leg and foot muscles more powerful. And by increasing the heart rate exponentially, it promotes the heart's ability to pump blood to the muscles and the resulting oxygenation of all the tissues.

A great ally for your uphill runs is Technogym MyRun, the compact and silent home treadmill which offers you a wide range of on-demand running and walking workouts. The 12% incline setting, and motor power of 2.5 HP, allow you to increase your running difficulty setting without requiring more speed. In addition, its adaptive running surface provides a safe workout experience.

How to train uphill

Most runners tend to change the type of foot strike as soon as the road inclines slightly and try to maintain (or even increase) the width of their stride. Nothing could be more wrong, if not done in a controlled manner. By putting your body weight only on the forefoot, you stop running naturally and overload muscles that are not normally recruited so heavily, leading to inevitable injuries.

The first rule is to continue running naturally, bringing your centre of gravity slightly forward, keeping your shoulders straight and shortening your stride. The greater the percentage of incline, the smaller the surface area of the foot that rests, at the same time balanced by an increasing stride frequency.

Running uphill on a treadmill

As mentioned above, running uphill on a treadmill offers advantages that you will not have on a road or path. On a treadmill you can control all the variables of uphill training: distance, speed, incline, variability. It is therefore easy to do a 200-metre repeat training session or a 10-kilometre-long run. Just select your preferred distance and run. Unlike outdoor training, with a treadmill it is also possible to manage the running pace, which can be programmed and controlled throughout the session to know how fast you are running.

Not to mention the inclination, which can be set according to the type of chosen training. Last but not least, it is also possible to vary all the parameters even during the same running session, alternating short and long repetitions, increasing and decreasing the percentage of the incline of the slope (for example to measure recovery) or changing the speed of the belt.

How to structure your training

Normally, hill training is carried out by means of long repetitions. There are three possible types of training, each with very precise and different characteristics: short climbs, medium climbs and long climbs. The percentage gradient associated with the distance, the speed of execution (which must always be around 85-90% of your maximum depending on the distance) and the number of runs is also different. Every uphill training session should always be preceded by a 15-20 minute warm-up on the flat, followed by a series of about ten 100/150 meter stretches, always on the flat.

Short climbs can vary in length from 50 to 200 metres and should be run at an incline of between 6 and 10%. The number of repetitions can vary depending on the distance of each individual repetition, from 10/15 times for the shorter ones, with a 60 second recovery, to 8/10 times for the longer ones, with a recovery of up to 2 minutes. This type of training serves to improve running efficiency and therefore to increase leg and foot strength, VO2 Max, cardiovascular system and also running technique.

Medium climbs can vary in length from 200 to 1000 metres and should be run at an incline of between 4%and 6%. The number of repetitions can vary depending on the distance of each one, from 10 times for the shorter ones, with a recovery of 2 minutes, to 4/5 times for the longer ones, with a recovery of up to 4/5 minutes. This type of training, over shorter distances, serves to train mainly the fast fibres in oxygen consumption and accustoms the body to the high concentration of lactic acid (suitable mainly for those running fast middle-distance races). In the 1000 metres, it can be a good substitute for traditional repeats for races such as the marathon in improving VO2 Max and endurance.

As for long climbs, it does not make sense to talk about repeats, but better about running uphill over a length of between 4 and 10 kilometres, which must be run with an incline between 4% and 6%. This type of training serves to increase aerobic power by maintaining a continuous and prolonged effort. It is particularly suitable for improving preparation for races from 10 kilometres to the marathon or to get used to races with long climbs.