Liven up your treadmill, elliptical workouts

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Does your treadmill look more like a towel rack these days? Time to dust it off.

Consumer Reports' Peter Anzalone has some routines to liven up your treadmill and elliptical workouts.

"On a treadmill, you could try to do some more skill-based exercises, things that would challenge your agility or coordination," said Anzalone, Consumer Reports' senior fitness equipment tester.

Try lateral movements. Start the treadmill very slowly, then turn and take some side steps. Once you get comfortable with this exercise, you can bump up the speed and turn it into a shuffle. Don't forget to work both sides.

To work your quads, try walking lunges. Start at a slow pace and lunge as deep as you can while keeping your knees over your ankles and not past your feet.

Another alternative to just running or walking at a steady pace: intervals. But instead of repeatedly pressing the speed or incline buttons, some treadmills have quick controls you can use to alternate the intensity.

"If you're on an elliptical, there are different ways you can move to focus on different parts of your body," said Anzalone.

Add variety by pushing, instead of pulling, to give you an upper-body workout.

To challenge your lower body more, keep your hands on the stationary grips, lean forward, and drive with your legs. This works your glutes and hamstrings.

Hopefully, with these extra moves, you can stick to your New Year's resolutions a bit longer.

Some treadmill instructions caution you to only use the equipment facing forward. So Consumer Reports says if you're using your treadmill to do a lateral or side move, be sure to start slowly and be careful.

And no matter what treadmill exercise you're doing, always attach the safety switch.