With low temperatures (or with the heat of summer) it is more difficult to go out to run so on many occasions we choose to train indoors on the treadmill but … is it really good to run on a treadmill? >
From Personal Running we have wanted to clarify some doubts that arise about the use of this cardiovascular work machine.
Disadvantages of running on a treadmill
Damping
The tape is a surface that offers little cushioning and therefore is a very aggressive surface for our joints, especially for our knees. This does not mean that we cannot perform our activity on the treadmill or that it will cause an injury, but it will be much less aggressive for our joints to run on dirt or on grass.
Our recommendation is to limit its use to short workouts of a maximum of 45 ‘and not to do it in workouts that are too long and intense to reduce the impact on the knees.
Stride
On the other hand, running on the treadmill, sometimes, causes us to unconsciously shorten our stride and even decrease the range of movement of our arms in the stroke, for fear of advancing more than the treadmill advances . This is usually corrected when experience is accumulated on the treadmill and the technique ends up being practically the same as when training on the street, but in the beginning it is usually a fairly common mistake.
False expectations
Stepping on ground that is already moving previously helps our momentum and makes us actually go faster than we could on a static surface. In addition to this help in movement, when running on the treadmill we do not suffer the friction that the air supposes us when advancing on it, which is one more help. Therefore, whenever we run on the treadmill we have to be aware that the pace we are taking would not be the real pace we would take when running outside and thus not create false expectations about our fitness. To simulate more realistic conditions, you should work with a 1-2% incline.
Monotony
Another drawback, especially psychological, is the monotony caused by always running in the same place without moving, which can lead to abandonment of the activity due to boredom. Most of the time, it is the main enemy and the feeling of fatigue invades us much earlier than when we run on an outdoor circuit where we have to go back and forth. In addition, the fact of being able to abandon the slightest feeling of tiredness weakens us and pushes us to stop running early.
Fatigue
Running on a treadmill will cause us more perspiration than when we run outside. Therefore, our feeling of fatigue will be greater. This, together with the monotony of running on the site, causes us a greater sense of abandonment. To prevent this from happening, it is important to plan a sufficiently long workout and force ourselves to comply with it using tricks that distract us from the laziness of running on a treadmill. The best trick is to vary the intensities and inclinations.
But not all are disadvantages, there are also conditions that make running on the treadmill beneficial on certain occasions.
Advantages of running on a treadmill
The main advantage is that it allows us to run with comfort when the weather conditions are very extreme and make it difficult to run outside.
It can also be a good tool for people who often find it difficult to keep constant rhythms and tend to accelerate and slow down constantly, since the rhythm is determined by the machine itself and you just have to worry about running.
For this same reason it can be a good choice for people who start running , since they will be able to carry a more continuous rhythm and in turn the tape It will help them to go at a higher speed and to last longer doing the activity than if they were doing it on the street.
It is a regular terrain and less muscular effort and balance control are required.
It cannot be said that running on the treadmill is good or bad, it all depends on the use made of it and the conditions in which it is carried out. It can be a good complement to your workouts on the street, to be able to use it on certain occasions, but it should not become your usual training surface. Thus, both options are valid for those who want to enjoy running honeys, but there are external factors that can bring you closer to one or the other. In the case of exiting an injury, for example, it is advisable to restart sports on a treadmill to better control the speed and intensity of the training with a less aggressive surface.