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Thoughts about treadmills?

atypicalsmith

While I love walking outdoors, there are only a couple of walking trails where I live and they are only half a mile. All roads outside of my small neighborhood (one mile walk with almost no shade) are two-lane highways. So most of my walking is done on the treadmill at the Y.

I can watch television, play with the speed and incline, program in my stats to get a relative close assessment as to how many calories I've burned, and can check my heart rate. But I would much rather what I had where I used to live: A two-mile track with every quarter mile marked that opened at 5:00 am with plenty of other people there. The only decent trail in a park here doesn't open until 8:00 am, sigh!

Replies

earndien

i love my walk outside, in the morning etc, but in winters it is impossible to walk cause 1 its too dark (not safe in our area after dark and most of our street lights dont work), 2 i force myself to walk on the treadmill cause when summer starts again i down want to start at the begining and 3 i got unpredictable working hours!!! its just personal choice where mine if i dont walk on the treadmill in winter i dont walk point..... do what makes you happy

gothomson

Pretty much yeah. I do one or the other but I prefer outside jogging as it burns slightly more calories due to having to make adjustments for uneven road surfaces avoiding pedestrians, also you have to run against the wind; so it all adds up to about 5% more calorie burn - if you believe various health forums on the internet - etc.

However if the weathers bad I use a treadmill and that's as good in its own right. My motto is "if I'm exercising that's good".

Kalikel

The treadmill was an excellent laxative. It bored the poop out of me.

But if it's the best thing you have, gotta use it!

I like to walk outside, too.

Carol_

I love a treadmill. Twice, I had one. Both times, gave it away..to have more space in house. And now? Now, I plan on getting a fold up one from Walmart this Winter. I think it will be fine for walking when it's dark out at night.

Jenn728

I can't run on a treadmill. Literally. I can't seem to stay in a straight line, if I let go of the bar, I'll bust my butt

hbrittingham

I hate the treadmill because I get so bored running on it, however, it's too warm to me for me to run outside after work, so twice a week I run on the treadmill at the gym and then twice a week on Saturday and Sunday, I run outside.

CSARdiver

I like the convenience factor - that I can jump off and hit any of the weights or machines in the gym, but when the weather is fine, nothing beats the outdoors.

I'm finishing the basement and blocked out space for a treadmill. Wisconsin winters can be rough and its hard to run in 3' of snow.

scottb81

SInce it's 80 degrees with high humidity here even before the sun comes up I like doing my lactate threshold runs on the treadmill to control for heat and be able to run faster without my heartrate spiraling out of control. I get a much better and longer workout on my legs that way.

schandler1011

I wish I would have invested in a treadclimber. Way faster in terms of results. But... more expensive and there is always that!

demoiselle2014

Running outside is what made me like running. I am vitamin d deficient, so I need the sun. Plus being outside in urban nature and seeing my neighbors and neighborhood have greatly enhanced my happiness.

I don't know what I will do when it gets icy.

Char231023

As someone who can't run outside south Louisiana weather and a medical condition. I love the treadmill I can increase the speed and incline. I can just zone out for an hour and not have to worry about getting hit by a car or have any of the distractions that running outside has.

rushbabe0214

I have a love/hate relationship with my treadmill. My preference is to run or walk outside and enjoy the fresh air and change of scenery.

The only time I like using it is when the weather outside is under 30 degrees or icy. I've run two half marathons, both in spring and having the treadmill saved my *kitten* plenty of times and kept my training schedule on track.

ninerbuff

schandler1011 wrote: »

I wish I would have invested in a treadclimber. Way faster in terms of results. But... more expensive and there is always that!

It's a glorified treadmill. Besides, weight loss happens based on food intake/calories burned and not exercise. One could be the best exerciser in the world, but if they eat more than they burn, they'll gain weight.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Jennloella

meh....I use the treadmill in the morning because I won't run around the block with the kids alone sleeping. Works for me. I prefer trail running, hate running on the street - too hard on my knees. Like pp said, better than nothing, and it's all personal preference.

Upstate_Dunadan

I workout at the gym 5 days a week, and on 4 of those days, I use the treadmill to do a finisher (either HIIT sprints, or some hills). On the 6th day I just do a 60 minute low intensity active recovery run.

I love using the treadmill because -

1. It's right at the gym and I can go from my workout to the treadmill with no rest (that's why it's called a workout finisher).
2. I can get the exact running workout I want (i.e. for HIIT I can hit the exact incline and speed I want, then I can adjust both as each combination gets easier over time, for running hills I can hit the exact incline/decline I want).
3. Sometimes it's fun to pass the time watching other people work out.

I don't think running outdoors is bad, I just personally don't run to run, I run to get a workout and I can do that more easily at the gym.

louubelle16

I have mixed views about treadmills. When I first started running, it was because I was bored of my normal routine at the gym and thought "I wonder how far I can run without dying?" and then became quickly addicted to trying to better myself. So, if they didn't exist, I don't think I would have ever started running.

The second reason I like them is because I use them to teach myself a new pace. I suck at pacing, I usually run far too fast so when I need to change pace, e.g. go from a 6min/km pace to 5:45/min pace, I do it on the treadmill for a bit because it forces you to run at one speed until it becomes a habit.

I also genuinely think treadmills are harder than outdoors running *runs to hide from the haters*. Before you all set fire to your pitchforks, let my explain why I think so:

1) When you run outside, you go up a hill (yuck) and then run back down it at some point (yaaaaaay!). However, on a treadmill, if you use the incline settings, you go up a hill (yuck) and then don't get the easy bit of running down it.
2) Treadmills are boring. Seriously, dull as dishwater. So, if you can motivate yourself to run on them, then you build mental endurance like nothing else.
3) It's always hotter in the gym without a breeze, even in the best air-conditioned of rooms, so again, it's harder to run.

However, those reasons are also the reasons I hate treadmills. So of course I would rather be outside, but, when it's stupid-hot or icy outside, they are the only way I am getting a run in.

So yes, that's my love-hate relationships with treadmills. I realise I'm now going to be eaten alive by 'real runners' for saying that treadmills are harder, so I'm going to go and hide in a cupboard until you're all done...

atypicalsmith

ninerbuff wrote: »

schandler1011 wrote: »

I wish I would have invested in a treadclimber. Way faster in terms of results. But... more expensive and there is always that!

It's a glorified treadmill. Besides, weight loss happens based on food intake/calories burned and not exercise. One could be the best exerciser in the world, but if they eat more than they burn, they'll gain weight.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Does not exercise burn calories?

Somebody_Loved

I'm currently in week 5 of c25k and just started incorporating outdoor runs last week. Up until then, I was using the treadmill exclusively. I actually love the treadmill but was worried that if I trained exclusively on it, I'd get to race day and realize I couldn't run a 5k outdoors. So now my plan is to use both - the treadmill on days I need the convenience of having it at work, and outdoors on the days I have a little more time for my workout.

mwyvr

^^^ Go Cougs!

(Father in law's alma mater, big Cougars football fan regardless of standings)

PS: getting off the treadmill in prep for race day is VERY wise. The two simply are not the same. Treadmill if you have to but if the goal is to run events outdoors, get thee outdoors as much as possible.

Somebody_Loved

@mwyvr - Go Cougs! Agreed, and I'm very ready to see what Leach has for us this season. I'm going back for a couple games this year - absolutely can't wait for another season of Cougar football (even though they tend to be heartbreaking.)

atypicalsmith

If I was training for a run, I definitely wouldn't do a treadmill! But never fear - I'll never train for a run!