Treadmill Vs. Jogging Outside
What's a better workout, a run on a treadmill or a run outside?" The answer depends largely on your goals and your experience.
Other People Are Reading
-
Considerations
-
For a new runner, the treadmill offers much greater control: you know where the nearest restroom is, and the climate is always temperate. More important, the treadmill helps you to understand what a 10-minute mile or a 12-percent grade feels like.
A more experienced runner is likely to prefer the road. An outdoor run offers fresh air, changing scenery and, often, more challenging terrain.
Expert Insight
-
According to the Sporting Goods Manufacturers' Association's annual analysis of sports participation, 49.4 million people in the United States use a treadmill, making it the most popular fitness machine.
More use the equipment for walking than running, apparently, as an estimated 15 million Americans run regularly for exercise. If participation in major races is any indication, the sport is increasing in popularity. Last year's New York City Marathon, the world's biggest, drew 90,000 applications for what renowned cyclist Lance Armstrong called ""the hardest physical thing I have ever done."
-
Misconceptions
-
Some people turn to a cushioned treadmill in lieu of hard pavement as a means of protecting their knees, thinking, as many do, that arthritic knees are a natural and unavoidable consequence of a lifetime of running.
In fact, a recent article in the New York Times Magazine cited several studies that show running may actually protect your knees from arthritis. If you can avoid injury, the article said, you develop an "exquisite balance" which conditions your knee cartilage to the running movement.
Famous Ties
-
One prominent runner is former Alaska governor Sarah Palin, who prefers running outdoors, despite her home state's challenging climate. Of the treadmill, she told Runner's World magazine, "I have one in my garage at home, and I do the treadmill when I must."
Famously fit actor Hugh Jackman is said to prefer the treadmill, as do many celebrities living in urban areas because they can do a run in the privacy of their own home.
Benefits
-
The bottom line is to use whichever method removes impediments to getting off the couch. If the prospect of a run outdoors leaves you worried about icy roads, dogs or papparazzi, then a treadmill is best for you. If you can't stand the tedium of a treadmill run, then take it outside.
Beginner runners should use the treadmill at least until they know how their body responds to different speeds and inclines. It'll make you a better runner...in the long run.
-
