It’s cold outside. Can you make treadmill running fun?

Studies have shown that treadmill belts absorb some of the impact of your footfalls, which can help protect your joints. Researchers have found that runners often have a shorter stride as well as a higher overall stride rate when on a treadmill compared to running outside. A 2014 review from Sports Health found that this can translate to less impact on joints such as your knees, ankles, and hips.

Convenience

Lucas Bate works 12-hour shifts on an off-shore rig and runs four times a week on a treadmill. While he prefers running outdoors because it stimulates all his senses, he says treadmill running allows him to maintain his physical fitness and mental wellness while being away from his family.

“I’ve been regularly using a treadmill for six months, because that’s my only option to run on when I’m away for work,” says Bate.

“By the time the workday is done I have a couple of hours to eat, wash, speak to loved ones and squeeze in some exercise. With a treadmill I can set my goal for the day, plug in my earbuds, and listen to music or watch a show. It gives me some time to myself, and I can fall into a relaxed state of mind.”

Improved performance

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Bate also credits the treadmill with helping him better pace his runs. “I was a bull out of a gate when I began and found myself gassing out quickly,” admits Bate. “Running on a treadmill has helped me learn how to pace myself. Now, I can set a pace on the treadmill and I’ve learnt to adjust my stride and cadence to suit. I feel I have found my happy long distance running pace on and off the treadmill.”

Drawbacks

There are reasons why some runners avoid treadmill running and you can probably guess why. Bate says, “staring at the wall can be boring and the differences in the distances between what my watch and the treadmill record take some calibration.”

To address this, products such as the recently launched Peloton Tread aim to give home runners something to watch, in the same way the Peloton cycle has driven home cycling classes.

Peloton instructor Jon Hosking says the Tread has a touchscreen display that allows users to stream live and on-demand fitness classes, ranging from running and walking to strength training and yoga.

“In addition to the extensive library of classes, the Tread offers a personalised training experience with its ability to track user metrics such as speed, distance, and heart rate,” he says.

Another limitation of treadmill running is that it can be less effective at improving balance and coordination compared to running outside. This is because running on a treadmill requires less activation of the stabilising muscles, as the belt is doing much of the work for you.

The Peloton Tread has an auto-Incline feature and entertainment-led content designed to eliminate boredom and help people retain focus when exercising. This mix of entertainment and fitness has been found by researchers to positively impact exercise enjoyment, motivation and adherence.

But overall, the incline feature on a treadmill does not fully replicate the challenge of running uphill or downhill, which can be more beneficial for improving overall fitness and strength.

How to make your treadmill workout feel like an outdoor run

Research shows that running on a treadmill can simulate outdoor running, so long as you make some adjustments. Setting the treadmill to a minimum of a one per cent incline mimics the effort you would have put in if you were overcoming wind resistance on an outdoor run over uneven terrain.

Treadmill running doesn’t have to be boring. In fact, it’s easy to complete the same types of outside running workouts on a treadmill. Peloton Tread, Apple Fitness+ and KIC all offer a wide selection of treadmill running classes that cater to different fitness levels, goals, and preferences. All apps allow users to customise their workouts by selecting their own music, speed, and incline settings, and running for a set duration or distance. They also include live and on-demand running classes led by experienced instructors. The classes are available in different formats, such as endurance, speed, intervals, and hill runs, and range from 10 minutes to an hour in duration.

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