The treadmill has become more important lately. Because with urbanization, the running tracks have decreased and people have more time.
And now we’re less inconvenient.
The treadmill became indispensable. Does the treadmill really have the same effect as running outside?
In this article, I will address and answer many questions, from the advantages and disadvantages of the treadmill to the possible damage to the treadmill on the joints and muscles.
Treadmill: Good or bad?
It is not always possible to determine the good and the bad sides. Sometimes it is more important to explain gray regions better than good and bad.
The situation with treadmills and running outside is similar. Therefore, I will list the important points and make the right choice for you.
Advantages of treadmill
The ability to train at any time is an important first feature of the treadmill. When you cannot train outside, it is very important to keep the pace rather than disrupt.
Another important feature of the treadmill is the possibility of controlled exercise. So what do I mean by controlled exercise? I mean that you can create the exercise condition you want at any time.
So you can increase the speed at any time you want to do HIIT on the treadmill, or you can have a steep slope at any time. But when you want outdoors you can not increase your speed or find an uphill.
When this happens, you will either create your own track or create the environment you want with the treadmill.
There are treadmill types suitable for running bare feet. Running bare feet can in some cases help you improve your performance. For this reason, the treadmill you can be sure about the ground can help.
But now you’re unfortunately not sure by almost any outside road, and you can hurt your foot by running barefoot.
Disadvantages of the treadmill
The treadmill, which runs the risk of disrupting the normal running form, is caused by a short stepping distance, handles on the sides and several mechanical factors.
Disrupting your running form can give you a bad posture and joint pain for life.
In addition, running outside and treadmill run different amounts of muscle groups. This disrupts your posture by changing the traction of the muscles.
The ability to increase the risk of injury is a bad feature of the treadmill.
This feature is related to the ability to change the shape of the ground, to restrict the movements of the body in natural running mechanics, and to ensure that the foot contact surface is not soft enough (shock absorbing). These problems can cause joint / muscle injuries.
Most treadmills now have a suspension system.
This system reduces the pressure on the knees and other joints, but never creates the comfort of a grass or special running track.
In addition, the suspension system of treadmills in common use weakens and hardens over time. Most gyms do not repair treadmills that are costly to maintain. For this reason, it is important that you prefer less used treadmills in gyms with better suspension.
Less muscle work is a common problem on the treadmill. This is due to the fact that the running outside and the treadmill mechanics are different.
You need to push your body forward and many muscles (including the upper body) work in your body. On the treadmill, the floor slides under your foot and you don’t have to push your body forward.
Therefore, the treadmill means less effort, less muscle activity, and therefore less calorie burning than running outside.
Running on a treadmill: What do I recommend?
The treadmill may be necessary for certain athletes at certain intervals. For this reason, it is not logical to prohibit and avoid the treadmill and my suggestion will not be in this direction.
I would like to share with you my proposal to the athletes who are following me.
Do not spend more than half of the total running time on the treadmill!
I will explain this proposal as follows. Balance your running time on the treadmill with the outside running and apply both together.
Never use the treadmill predominantly and run as far as possible on good quality (flat and soft) ground.
Of course, the physical characteristics of the athlete, training capacity and many different variables can change this rule.
The right training in the light of sufficient knowledge will lead you to your goal. You are now ready to climb the treadmill and reach your goal.
