Are treadmills good for running?

As a running coach, I get asked the same questions again and again. Do you like treadmill running? Is it good or bad to run on a treadmill?

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My honest answer is… it depends!

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Have I run on a treadmill before? Yes, loads of times! Have I run outside? Absolutely – and many more times than I’ve run on a treadmill.

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Running on a treadmill has different advantages and disadvantages compared to outdoor running. Let’s take a look!

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What’s the difference between running outside and running on a treadmill?

Running on a treadmill is not quite the same, mechanically, as running outside.

When you run outside, you push off the ground to move, whereas on a treadmill you are primarily moving your legs to keep up with the treadmill belt. Whilst running on a treadmill does have you pushing off the ‘ground’ a little, the extent of this is far less than when running outside and pushing off the actual ground.

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What are the benefits of treadmill running?

There are huge benefits to treadmill running, and I mainly think these are environment based. Here in Dubai, we struggle with two key environmental factors.

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These being the lack of hill training and the summer heat. Unless you are willing to head to the mountains for your hill reps, it’s hard to feasibly manage them into your weekly training schedule due to the city being so flat.

Although the summer heat has its benefits in training, we see runners have a drop in pace and increase in heart rate when the temperature increases outside.

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Having the treadmill as an option is a great way to control the environment and maintain some speed work once the temperatures soar.

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Because the treadmill surface is flat, it’s potentially easier on your joints in comparison to the variable conditions when running outdoors – which is beneficial when you’re recovering from injuries. Treadmills are also a great introduction to running for beginners, as you can control a lot of variables and make it easier to maintain a consistent speed.

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What are the disadvantages of treadmill running?

Generally speaking, running on a treadmill engages a smaller range of muscles than outdoor running – particularly stabilising muscles – so if you rely on it too heavily, you risk injury when running outdoors.

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This is mainly due to variations in outdoor terrain and the surface incline. Ankle and foot stabilisers, calf muscles, hip adductors and abductors are all used differently when running on the consistent surface of a treadmill.

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Should you set treadmill incline to 1%?

A study from 1996 determined that a 1% treadmill grade (incline) most accurately reflects the energetic cost of outdoor running.

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So, if you want to make your run on a treadmill harder – or at least about as hard as it would be running outside – then yes, set the incline to 1%.

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Although using a 1% incline on a treadmill does increase activation in some muscles like the calves, you’re still only mimicking the effects of outdoor running and will still be susceptible to the same problems over the long-term.

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Is treadmill running good for you?

Absolutely! Treadmill running has a lot of positive effects on your body, especially if the alternative is being sedentary.

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For one thing, running on a treadmill for as little as 10 minutes has been shown to improve brain function. This is very important for anyone over 30 as it starts becoming harder to learn new things and remember old things!

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Another study found that 30 minutes of cardio, 3 times per week releases melatonin (the sleep hormone) which boost sleep quality and duration. Running on a treadmill is an easy and convenient way of working cardio into your fitness regime – and sleeping better at night!

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Running on a treadmill is the best indoor exercise machine for burning calories, according to a study from 1996. You also have the added benefit of adjusting the speed and incline, which makes it much more accessible for anyone with injuries or other limiting factors.

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The long-term effects of running have been shown to have a positive impact on mental health, including an overall positive boost in mood and even combating symptoms of depression and anxiety.

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Why does running on a treadmill seem harder than running outside?

You might have noticed that, when running on a treadmill, long runs seem longer and speed sessions seem slower/harder.

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Why is this? It’s thought that this is mainly psychological – it’s all about conscious perception of effort.

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The 2012 study by Kong et al explored the unmatched perception of speed running on a treadmill versus outside. Researchers found that paces slowed considerably when the experiment was put in place to test runners in 3-minute intervals outside and inside.

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It can be thought the same psychological impact occurs with the duration on a treadmill, as there is no end/finish line; meaning that treadmill runners often suffer from more mental exhaustion than outside runners.

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Closing thoughts

Treadmills certainly have their place and are useful in a runner's portfolio of training options. They also provide an excellent way to help with analysis of gait and form. But the boredom of running on a treadmill is real. Use them wisely!