What’s the deal with treadmills?

Treadmills are great! They have saved us from the hassle of braving frosty winter mornings, or summer nights in sweltering heat. They give women in particular, a place to feel safe while exercising, which may not otherwise be possible depending on your location or the time best suited to your workouts. The smoother surface of a treadmill is also beneficial for people who are prone to joint pain and similar ailments. With all this going for them treadmills are the obvious winner, right?

 

While treadmills have their uses they require the purchase of either a large new piece of equipment or a costly gym membership. Running outdoors however, is available to everyone. Exercising outdoors also has enough related benefits to overcome the inconvenience of finding a decent place to walk or run.

 

How is running outdoors beneficial?

A meta-analysis performed by researchers from the University of Exeter published in 2011 found that there was a positive correlation between exercising outdoors and decreases in feelings of tension, anger and depression. Outdoor exercisers also reported a greater energy boost than their indoor counterparts and an increased sense of overall satisfaction. A similar study from 2004 published in Psychology of Sport and Exercise also established that those who trained outdoors had better run times than treadmill runners over an equivalent distance. 

 

People who take their exercise outdoors also report a greater sense of achievement as their goals are readily measured in a distance they can observe rather than time or numbers on a machine. A greater sense of wellbeing or connection with nature may have added benefits such as reducing stress. Many designated walking tracks can be found at trail creeks, lakes or forested areas. If you get bored with the scenery in your area why not take a short drive and complete your run elsewhere?

 

The verdict

Running on a treadmill does have its place and you aren’t always going to be in the best position to be running around on uneven terrain or in unpredictable weather. However, for an overall health kick that benefits your entire body and even boosts your mood, getting out of the house and getting moving is the way to go – best of all, it’s free!

 

Do you prefer treadmills or running tracks? Let us know below!