Love your fat *kitten*? Stop running on the treadmill!

sunglasses_and_ocean_waves

The quote feature isn't that hard to figure out people.

I'm guessing the guy above me isn't a parent. Cause no mom on earth wants to take little kids when she's running. Why would she (we?). You do understand that kids aren't little soldiers that so what they're suppose to, right? They run all over. They stop when the see a bottle cap. They whine. They have to pee. So rofl @ bringing the kids along for a run. Silly silly boy.

Having said that, the 10 year old is probably getting close enough to the age where s/he can watch the 6 year old while mom takes 30-60 ,minutes to herself.

The bottom line is to each his own. Why does anyone want a fat *kitten* anyway? I like my muscular, badonkadonk thankyouverymuch,

ncl1313

I'm not a single mom, but I have a husband that works nights and my only time to exercise is after I've put my one year old to bed, who, no, I'm not bundling up so he can be whooshed around in a stroller when it's freezing out. Do I still have permission to use my treadmill instead of running outside? Sheesh the things people argue about. Let people exercise how they want. I think fitness DVDs are stupid and boring. That doesn't mean I'm going to tell someone else not to do them.

So if I hate my fat *kitten*, does that also mean I get to continue using my treadmill? So far it hasn't worked though. Perhaps I'm doing too many squats and deadlifts. Gah! Can't win!

hungryhobbit1

Any form of exercise is good. I have a personal trainer, she does all different workouts on a treadmill. Incline by 2's is great 3 minutes a piece right up to the top then back down. Before and after this i run for 15 minutes. Spend 1 hour a day on it as running outside is harder on the knees. I find the treadmill much more of a workout and burn than the eleptical.

Everyone has their own preferences, and at the end of the day what is important is that you do what works for you, so that you are more likely to actually do it. (Not speaking about you, specifically, but the wider you.) Research shows that the elliptical and treadmill or more or less equivalent in terms of calories burned. It's an issue of personal preference and the condition of your joints.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20453685

For those who are placing big judgments on people for not running with their kids, please knock it off. In real life, kids don't always want to go running with mom and if they do they can't keep up, or they pick a fight with their sibling, or they otherwise make life impossible for a parent who is just trying to maintain a regular daily exercise routine. It's great when it works out but it's not something you can count on doing every day at any significant intensity. Real children don't just do difficult things happily because you say "do this." If you for some reason have some magical perfectly behaved super star robot athlete child who aspires to nothing more than impressing dad with his/her ability to exercise, fantastic for you. I look forward to cheering your kid on at the 2020 Olympics.

If you don't live in someone else's shoes, don't judge. If people are out there exercising in a way that works for them, this is a good thing.

MarineCodie

If you love yourself at all it's best to avoid the treadmill altogether and take a run outside.

Not to hijack the thread, but... um... what? I don't think we can or should infer that only the self-loathing run on treadmills. Would you actually look at someone on a treadmill and think, "That person obviously doesn't love him-/herself at all"? Sure, it's great to get fresh air. 100% agree. But running outside isn't always a good option for a number of reasons (weather, safety, etc.).

If I'm not mistaken, the discussion is about how to get the best workout/body with a treadmill routine. Running on a treadmill. Not 'whether to run on a treadmill or outside.'

I respectfully disagree.

People running on treadmills are clearly there for some sort of punishment and the only guess I can possibly venture as to why somewhat might do that is that they clearly don't love or respect themselves enough to go for a nice run outside.

All you have to do is strrap your shoes on and go outside. Chances are you already did that to get to your treadmill in the first place.

hahahahahahahahahhahaha WTF

It's snowing outside - that means I run indoors because, guess what....

I LOVE running!

...oh, and I secretly loath myself and go to the gym for punishment. GIVE ME A FING BREAK.

sc10985

WOW.

So you people are suggesting that despite the weather, I strap my 20 month old into our jogging stroller and run around in the freezing cold rain/snow/sleet/wind?? Are you slow? That's borderline child abuse. There's a reason treadmills exist. Get off your damn high horses already.

Mr_Excitement

There's absolutely nothing wrong with running on a treadmill.

I just love the "do it the way I do it or you're WRONG" types. They really crack me up. And they're usually all sorts of wrong, too-- which is odd.

Andreagay60

or put the treadmill on an incline.

^^^^^^^^ THAT. Seriously. And squats and lunges and leg lifts.....

I love doing squats....I really feel them in my butt.

Andreagay60

WOW.

So you people are suggesting that despite the weather, I strap my 20 month old into our jogging stroller and run around in the freezing cold rain/snow/sleet/wind?? Are you slow? That's borderline child abuse. There's a reason treadmills exist. Get off your damn high horses already.

Ouch !!!

Cr01502

WOW.

So you people are suggesting that despite the weather, I strap my 20 month old into our jogging stroller and run around in the freezing cold rain/snow/sleet/wind?? Are you slow? That's borderline child abuse. There's a reason treadmills exist. Get off your damn high horses already.

You can use a stroller if you like. I would personally use a back pack or something of that nature to add weight and get my heart rate up. Also it will cause hypertrophy in the legs and glutes which is never a bad thing.

BeachIron

WOW.

So you people are suggesting that despite the weather, I strap my 20 month old into our jogging stroller and run around in the freezing cold rain/snow/sleet/wind?? Are you slow? That's borderline child abuse. There's a reason treadmills exist. Get off your damn high horses already.

Child abuse? Really? Ever heard of a rain cover and a stroller snuggly? Kids survive pretty well like that.

sarahkalt88

Add Squats and Deadlifts.
Lunges also work, along with climbing stairs/ box jumps, and other such exercises.

Agreed! Great *kitten* are made by squats, lunges, and all that stuff! Inclined treadmills, and stair steppers won't do half as good a job!

jimmmer

Thing is, running outside is superior in every way to a treadmill. If you have to use a treadmill because you can't get someone to watch your kids, that's fair enough. But it is a compromise on the quality of the run in every way. That's my opinion, of course. But it's an opinion that has experience behind it.

Other opinions are available, of course!

nytius

The quote feature isn't that hard to figure out people.

I'm guessing the guy above me isn't a parent. Cause no mom on earth wants to take little kids when she's running. Why would she (we?). You do understand that kids aren't little soldiers that so what they're suppose to, right? They run all over. They stop when the see a bottle cap. They whine. They have to pee. So rofl @ bringing the kids along for a run. Silly silly boy.

This is EXACTLY my thought. I get his basic premise and maybe he has a point about the older child but after reading this first part of this one... I just finally dismissed all his comments as a whole LOL

xaMErica

I'm Sooo happy I moved away from the treadmill

erinsueburns

I dunno....Olympic runners and marathoners and such tend to have some pretty nice booties. I'm sure they strength train too but it seems like a stretch to blame it all on running! Maybe this woman was genetically predisposed to losing fat from her bum when she lost weight.

ETA true, they don't train entirely indoors....but what about track stars? Epic butts, totally flat racing surface...

Can't speak to the marathoners but I know the shorter distance runners (100m, 200m, etc.) tend to do sprints and they lift REALLY heavy in the gym. (Spoke to one recently)

To quote the blog itself, since many of you obviously didn't bother reading it, this is the reason it claims the treadmill doesn't work your butt like running on a regular, non-conveyor-belt surface:
“Running on a treadmill doesn't use your butt or hamstrings, but instead pushes your legs back, which is the motion that your butt and hamstrings are responsible for."

So it's not about a flat surface or an incline or anything: it's about the fact that the treadmill is doing the second half of the work for you. And as another comment pointed out, running outdoors includes inclines, declines, bends, surface changes, etc, that a treadmill just can't replicate, and those things do force you to use different muscles or muscle combinations. Even a track at least gives you turns and probably incline changes if it's banked correctly.

And as a Denver area runner, I don't accept any of these excuses for not running outside except single parents with small children. Everything else (and possibly even that) can be worked around somehow, if you're actually determined to do it. If you honestly prefer the treadmill, that's just fine but be straight about it.

I just don't get the argument here. I don't think anyone can say running on a treadmill isn't better than nothing, but I also don't think anyone can rationally argue that running on a treadmill is as good as or rather equivalent to running on real ground. This is just such a strange thing to argue about, obviously you aren't using the same muscles on a treadmill, It is moving, and consequently it is moving your legs for you for part of it.

1ConcreteGirl

WOW.

So you people are suggesting that despite the weather, I strap my 20 month old into our jogging stroller and run around in the freezing cold rain/snow/sleet/wind?? Are you slow? That's borderline child abuse. There's a reason treadmills exist. Get off your damn high horses already.

You can use a stroller if you like. I would personally use a back pack or something of that nature to add weight and get my heart rate up. Also it will cause hypertrophy in the legs and glutes which is never a bad thing.

Hi, thanks for all this great info! It's nice to run into people who know what they're talking about around here.

Just to clarify, running pace determines running results, right? A slower pace results in strength gains, a moderate pace results in hypertrophy, and a fast pace results in endurance benefits, correct? It would be nice to add that to the note about hypertrophy in legs and glutes, because not everyone has that goal. :flowerforyou:

tryingsooohard

I tried cycling but the seat was too small.it was a racer.maybe mountain biking

hungryhobbit1

You can use a stroller if you like. I would personally use a back pack or something of that nature to add weight and get my heart rate up. Also it will cause hypertrophy in the legs and glutes which is never a bad thing.

Have you done this? You know the child's head bounces up and down, up and down with every step when you run. (Much less so when walking, which is what these packs are designed for) Also, even with the best ergonomic backpack the weight is not distributed evenly in a way that is good for a long run.

I used to carry my kids everywhere in different devices and at a walk it's great, but even then as the kids get heavier it's easy to get weird stress injuries from the weight on the wrong spots, especially on your back. I think my youngest did something to my thoracic vertebrae that will never be quite right again.

This is the warning from the American Chiropractic Association on running with children in backpacks:

Never run or jog while carrying a baby in any backpack-style carrier, front-side carrier or baby sling. A baby's body is not adjusted to the cyclic pattern that is a part of running and jogging. This motion can do damage to the baby's neck, spine and/or brain.

http://www.acatoday.org/content_css.cfm?CID=64

There are parents on this thread with real life experience raising children and maintaining an exercise program. It's not a terrible idea to give them the benefit of the doubt that maybe they know what they are talking about.

RunHardBeStrong

The quote feature isn't that hard to figure out people.

I'm guessing the guy above me isn't a parent. Cause no mom on earth wants to take little kids when she's running. Why would she (we?). You do understand that kids aren't little soldiers that so what they're suppose to, right? They run all over. They stop when the see a bottle cap. They whine. They have to pee. So rofl @ bringing the kids along for a run. Silly silly boy.

Having said that, the 10 year old is probably getting close enough to the age where s/he can watch the 6 year old while mom takes 30-60 ,minutes to herself.

The bottom line is to each his own. Why does anyone want a fat *kitten* anyway? I like my muscular, badonkadonk thankyouverymuch,

Well, I must be crazy because I've been taking my kids on runs since they were just a few months old. My now 11 year old either runs with me or rides his bike and he keeps my pace up. My 3 yr old rides her bike or we use the jogging stroller.

storm15918

I can't comment on kids because I don't have any yet, but I have done both treadmill and outdoor running, and I think both have their pros and cons. The treadmill was great for me for learning pace control and allowing me to be distracted so I stopped mentally blocking myself. Once I gained those skills I was able to move outside where I could get the benefits of hills and turns and all that. But just because I run outside doesn't mean I hate the treadmill now. Some days I want scenery and a nice breeze, and some days I want TV and AC while running. I'm still getting a workout either way, so what's it matter? I wouldn't be a runner without the skills I learned on a treadmill, and I wouldn't have continued running if it wasn't for outdoor training for races. It doesn't have to be one or the other. Also, I'll willingly admit that unless it's a race day, I don't run in bad weather because I don't like being cold and wet, so I go to the gym those days. Not everyone likes being out in the elements. No reason to flame them for that. It's all personal preference, and everyone is different. There's nothing wrong with that.

As a side note, if you're like me, you do get the benefits of turns on a treadmill because I'm not the best at running in a straight line. I frequently veer off to the side of the tread and have to bank back to center before I fall lol.