Treadmill vs running outdoors

mateo57505
mateo57505 Posts: 83 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I know this has been been debated alot on this site but I just read this article in mens health, I dont know if it is mental but for me running outdoors is alot harder than the treadmill.

See article titled "how the treadmill is killing your workout"

http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/training-day/201211/how-treadmill-killing-your-workout


What do you think?
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Replies

  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
    Running outside is definitely harder, but it's also much more exhilerating and enjoyable.

    I can go further faster on a treadmill, but it gets boring.
  • sgmomma
    sgmomma Posts: 299 Member
    For me the treadmill kills me!! i hate it it feels like it takes 10x longer. I only run on the treadmill when i have to.
  • tacmike
    tacmike Posts: 3 Member
    From years of running (not too much recently mind you) my instincts and my body tell me that the outdoor, or true running vs treadmill is harder. And even further, I prefer off pavement or trail running. My knees don't hurt near as much and I feel like the additional muscles used for stabilizing make for a better experience. Tread mills are a great to have in the ol' bag of tricks. Most important what do you enjoy most that meets your goals.

    Just my thoughts, my experience is novice.
  • bprague
    bprague Posts: 564 Member
    hmmm, I find treadmill workouts to be much easier than outdoors. I put my treadmill on a 3% incline, but it's still terribly different from outside. Granted, I do run on rolling outdoor trails with rocks, but even the pavement feels more difficult.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    Boredom, lack of airflow, and running at one constant pace is just torture for me. I run better and faster outside, with seemingly less effort.
  • runnninginmd
    runnninginmd Posts: 67
    The only time I run on a treadmill is if I'm in a hotel and don't feel comfortable running outside (like when I was in Mexico). Not only do I find it extremely boring, it hurts my knees. I'd rather run in the cold/rain/heat/whatever.
  • weloveourboys
    weloveourboys Posts: 133 Member
    To get closer to mimicking your efforts outdoors, set your treadmill to 0.5% incline. That is the baseline.

    Treadmill has its place - it is great for interval workouts when the weather is nasty outside and/or you don't have easy access to a track. However, the fact that the belt moves takes away some of the work that your hamstrings would have to do while road running, so it is recommended that you try to mix up treadmill running with outdoor runs.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    Running on the dreadmill is very different than running outdoors. While the article specifically referred to running trails (which is very different than running on a reasonably smooth paved surface) I think they hit the nail on the head.

    Not to mention, I find the treadmill exceeding tedious (it's handy to have when there's freezing rain etc and is very useful for drying towels.)
  • auroranflash
    auroranflash Posts: 3,569 Member
    I'm a numbers person... I've enjoyed testing my 5k time on the treadmill before. Now that I have my Polar HRM and can look at numbers and be happy, I much prefer running outside. I can pretend the ground is lava between certain streets and sprint past them to save my life (somehow).
  • BrunetteRunner87
    BrunetteRunner87 Posts: 591 Member
    I just CAN'T use a treadmill. Sometimes it's useful for intervals because then I know how fast I'm going, but other than that, I just can't do it mentally.
  • castlerobber
    castlerobber Posts: 528 Member
    I hate the treadmill, and for that matter the elliptical and the stationary bike. Much harder mentally, and more uncomfortable physically no matter how I adjust things. I won't use one except during a long stretch of bad weather, when I can't exercise outside, and 20-30 minutes is about all I can stand. I'll take outdoors whenever possible. Fresh air, varied terrain, and quiet time to think.
  • castlerobber
    castlerobber Posts: 528 Member
    Running on the dreadmill is very different than running outdoors.

    "Dreadmill." Amen, brother.
  • Pedal_Pusher
    Pedal_Pusher Posts: 1,166 Member
    Dreadmill is horrible. Outdoor running >>>Dreadmill

    Always.
  • rachjenn
    rachjenn Posts: 87
    I agree with the responses above! I only use my treadmill in bad circumstances ie snow. I find it very boring. Not long ago I did just over a mile but it seemed like my usual (3) Found I wanted to stop more.

    It's very green where I live which is nice. Plus there seems to be a lot of runners about, which pushes me not to stop.

    Rach
  • loril13
    loril13 Posts: 320 Member
    I hate the cardio machines (treadmill, eliptical & bike). So tedious and boring. However, since daylight savings time ended, to get a workweek run in, I need to use the treadmill. I'll get myself killed on the tree root filled sidewalks and nasty intersections near my home if I run at night. Once we get snow (YUCK) I'll need to use it even more if the sidewalks are thoroughly cleared. I am hoping the outdoor track near my home is cleared well of snow. I find the track almost too easy, but at least it is outside and running on the ground not a moving belt.
  • perfectingpatti
    perfectingpatti Posts: 1,037 Member
    I find running outdoors much easier. But, I'm in Houston and can run outdoors year round.
  • RagenGBrown
    RagenGBrown Posts: 47
    Running outside was a lot harder for me as well. The treadmill helps keep your legs moving. However, now that I run outside, when I tried the treadmill the other night I did worse! lol It's just what your body gets used to. I'm still however saving $ for a treadmill because when its nasty outside I don't want to miss my run!
  • jhall585
    jhall585 Posts: 61
    For me the treadmill kills me!! i hate it it feels like it takes 10x longer. I only run on the treadmill when i have to.

    I bounce around like an a-hole on the treadmill. Running outside and actually getting somewhere is the best.
  • kiminikimkim
    kiminikimkim Posts: 746 Member
    Training outdoors is better for me. I take bootcamp classes in the cold outdoors, even in the winter and we get a lot of snow and frigid weather. We run a lot to keep warm.

    A friend of mine did a 10K outdoors after training for months on the treadmill... her 10K time was terrible compared to her treadmill time. She felt tired faster in the 10K outdoor run too.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Queue the Lewis Black bit about health clubs...
  • beckyboop712
    beckyboop712 Posts: 383 Member
    My ego gets the best of me when I'm on the treadmill, I want to go faster so I don't run as far. I'm currently running at 3 miles on the treadmill and 6 miles outside. I only run on the treadmill when I'm short on time, it's dark outside and even if it's too hot/cold. Which means I'm on the treadmill 2 nights a week and outside on the weekends.
  • sevsmom
    sevsmom Posts: 1,172 Member
    I was a devotee to the treadmill before I set out to start running longer distances. If I was doing a mile or two, that was fine. Now, I won't set foot on a treadmill. I have been running outdoors for about 16 months and I can't go back to the treadmill. I tried about a month ago and gave up after 3 miles. It was torture!!!

    There's something about the changing texture of the trail/road, the wind in my face and ACTUALLY going somewhere that makes outdoor running the only running I'll ever do anymore. I'll use other cardio equipment for cross training, but when it's a run day. . .I'm heading outside.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    When I first started running, it was all treadmill so when i started running outside I thought it was going to kill me between the hills, the heat and the wind resistance. Now I that I'm used to running outside, I HATE running on the treadmill! The impact and the constant set speed are tough on my joints and terribly boring. If I'm on the treadmill, I'm either walking (fast and/or w/ incline) or doing spring intervals.
  • mrscaptainj2011
    mrscaptainj2011 Posts: 5 Member
    Running outside is harder becuase the speed on the treadmill does not always equal to what you are running outside. You also have more motivation to run on a treadmill in order not to fall off. When you run outside you also need to take account of the smog, polution, air quality and sea level (running while deployed is always easier because of the lower sea level).
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
    I'm sure I could run longer on a treadmill. But I would also want to kill something out of sheer boredom, so I don't.
  • elgray26
    elgray26 Posts: 212 Member
    Oddly enough I can run for longer periods of time outdoors. Running on a treadmill is boring to me and it seems harder. I like running outside because of the view. There is always something new to look at. I can also set myself mini goals. for example: I am going to run to this stoplight. But I always trick myself and set another one, and another one, and another one so that I keep running! :happy:
  • skinnyitaliannn
    skinnyitaliannn Posts: 187
    OUTDOORS!
  • haroon_awan
    haroon_awan Posts: 1,208 Member
    Outdoors.

    Treadmill you are more likely to get injured and my trainer told me to stop running on there when I was training for my Half Marathon. It also doesn't provide the real difficulties of outdoor running, eg the small little indentations in the road and pavement that make your run harder.

    Treadmill is only good for short HIIT training in my view, not long distance running.
  • mitch16
    mitch16 Posts: 2,113 Member
    I like running outdoors so much more, but the dreadmill does have its usefulness...

    I find that doing speed intervals on the dreadmill, because it forces you to keep up with the speed of the belt, has helped me increase my overall speed.

    It's never windy, rainy, or snowy inside the gym.

    You don't have to worry about getting hit by cars inside the gym.

    And you don't have to worry about injuries from uneven terrain when you run on the dreadmill.

    I am relagated to running in the gym for most of the winter, but I'll be so happy when spring comes and I can run outside again!
  • nnoifeld
    nnoifeld Posts: 116
    I agree with everyone. I trained for my races primarily on the treadmill. When it came to race day, the difference in the terrain threw me off a little. But with my workout schedule, its the only thing I can do until the weekends. I definitely plan on doing my long runs outside while I train for my first half marathon, though. It is so much better to actually feel like you're going somewhere!

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