The 10% Incline Challenge
Workout - The 10% Incline Challenge
- 5min @ 8'00''/km
- 10 lots of:
- 2min @ 6'30''/km
- 1min rest
- 5min @ 8'00''/km
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Intro
Lee Grantham’s “10% at 10KPH Treadmill Challenge | Boost Your Fitness Fast!” deserves a closer look. We’ve distilled the workout here so you can try it today, but the full video is worth watching for additional context.
Key points
- Set your treadmill to a 10% incline with a speed around 10 km/h. You can scale this up or down depending on your fitness level.
- The structure repeats 10 times: push hard for 2 minutes, then recover easy for 1 minute.
- Spend 5 to 10 minutes warming up, steadily lifting your incline (aim for 3 to 5%) and speed until the 10% grade feels accessible.
- Drive each repetition through your glutes and hamstrings. Stay upright and pump your arms.
- Watch your heart rate as you work. Aim for around 160 bpm during the hard efforts and let it settle to roughly 130 bpm during rest. Quicker drops indicate better fitness.
Workout example
- Warm-up: start with 5 to 10 minutes of easy jogging, progressively increasing the incline to 4 to 5% and pace to 6 to 8 km/h.
- Main set: repeat 10 times. 2 minutes at 10% incline and 10 km/h (or whichever speed feels right) followed by 1 minute easy (walking or a very slow jog).
- Cool-down: finish with 5 minutes of easy jogging or walking, bringing the incline back down to flat.
Practical tips
- If 10 km/h feels out of reach, drop it to 6 to 8 km/h but keep that 10% grade. The incline is what matters most, not hitting a specific speed.
- Have water nearby. The brief recovery windows give you time to sip and let your heart rate settle.
- Track how your heart rate responds over time. It tells you whether your fitness is improving or if you’re accumulating fatigue.
Closing note
Ready to try it? Start with the 10%/10 km/h formula and adjust the speed or grade based on where you’re at right now. The Pacing app makes programming these intervals straightforward, so you can track your progress week to week.