When you first walk into a gym the easiest piece of equipment to spot are usually the treadmills being that there are always so many of them. Many, many people choose to run on treadmills rather than outdoors because of their convenience. Everything is monitored and easily kept track of such as calories burned and heart rate. There are also specific settings to almost create a simulation of running outdoors such as the incline. However, I have always held the belief that running on a treadmill is nothing close to actually being outside. Was I correct in thinking this?
The answer is yes. Many fitness professionals have argued that people burn more calories by running outdoors than on the treadmill. This can be due to many factors. One of these factors is that the outdoors are not as flat and smooth as the treadmills. Running outside on bumpy and curvy roads requires people to pay more attention to balance and coordination which helps to strengthen joints and muscles. Second, running outdoors requires combatting wind resistance which you won’t find in the gym. Third, the belt on the treadmill helps people to keep in stride and keep moving forward without having to drive their own bodyweight towards the ground. Lastly, and my favorite particular reason that running outdoors is better for you, is that running is a great way to escape from everything going on around you. Running in the gym, especially nowadays, almost isn’t an escape at all. Newer treadmills have tvs, iPod/iPhone hookups, and places to charge these devices. These are all great technological advances but sometimes people really just need to take a step away from all of that in order to find some relaxation. Also, the amount of calories burned during a workout is directly proportional to the intensity of the exercise. Running outdoors requires a greater amount of oxygen consumption and burns more calories being that is not as easy to gain distance on inconsistent terrain as it is on a treadmill.
Even though running is more beneficial when done outside it is still a great thing to do for the body on the treadmill. Whether someone chooses to run indoors or outdoors, running will always be a great way to exercise. Running has an innumerable amount of positive effects on a person mentally and physically.
Sources:
http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/exercise/running/road-versus-treadmill.htm
You second picture is hilarious! I agree that many people should run outside. I could also see that many people here at Penn State go to the gym because our sidewalks and roads are very busy. You have to weave yourself through people walking along on the side walk and if you’re the road, try not to get hit! Another plus about running outdoors is that if it’s hot out you will burn more calories because you’re out in the sun and not in an air conditioned area. This will also push you to continue to keep moving. The heat will make you tired but pushing yourself to continue to run, you will burn more calories. I personally go to the gym to run most of the time, but I love running around Beaver Stadium. Our campus is beautiful!
I always wondered if I was getting the same results running on a treadmill as I do when I run outside. I personally hate running, I can never seem to put my mind over matter and just push myself through it. Once I lose my breath I want to stop. On a treadmill, I find myself almost losing balance and more shaky then if I were to just run outside. I seem to enjoy running outside more (when I decide to run), because like you said it seems to be an escape and I also enjoy the fresh air instead of a hot muggy gym. After doing some research on the topic, I found that it is somewhat your choice of which you think is more beneficial. There are several different affects on the body from running outside to running on the treadmill. On both these things, energy and speed, muscle activation, forcers and mechanical demand, and running pattern all vary. This article shows the differences between running outside and running on a treadmill which can help you determine which option will be better for you.
This article really caught my attention. I love to workout, especially run. I have always loved to run outside way more than at the gym. Treadmills are great and provide a decent workout, but it doesn’t compare to running on the hilly outdoors. I totally agree with you that running on treadmills is almost like a distraction now because gyms have tons of technology. They have TVs posted up (even on the actual machine) and places to plug in your music to be able to listen to it. So, in my opinion, running at the gym now is more of a distraction than an actual workout. The website below talks about the health and physical benefits of running outdoors. There is a lot more than we think!
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/21/the-benefits-of-exercising-outdoors/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0
I’m a runner myself and I find myself terrified of treadmills. It’s not that I’m scared of falling off the belt necessarily, I’m scared of the injuries that treadmills can potentially cause. Last year, almost 12 girls had to quit the track team as a result of excessive use of treadmills. Some of these injuries included stress fractures, IT band strains, and shin splints. Any day I would not hesitate to pick running outside over running on a treadmill — even if that means running in the snow!
Your second picture in this blog post is very funny and makes the blog even more interesting to read. I ran cross country and track throughout high school where we would run outside on nice days and on treadmills during many days of the cold winter. I never thought too much before about the differences between the two or which is more beneficial. I am glad to hear it is more beneficial to run outside because that is what I enjoy more. In fact, after doing some research, I found a NY Times article talking about how exercising outdoors in general is very beneficial. I will leave the link below! Nice job.
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/21/the-benefits-of-exercising-outdoors/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0