Cold, snowy weather is treadmill time. But when the weather warms up It’s time to put the long winter behind us and get ready for summer. The cold, rain, ice and snow of winter tend to wreak havoc on our fitness level and the condition of our bodies. No matter how hard we try to stay in shape, the bad weather and short days make keeping fit a difficult task. Spring is the time to shake off the rust and regain some of that lost fitness. Like many of you, I have spend a lot of time on the treadmill during the winter. When the weather becomes more pleasant I look forward to doing most of my running outdoors. I usually manage to stay in decent shape with my daily treadmill workout, but I always look forward to getting out for some long training runs in the fresh air.
Running on the treadmill offers fitness and calorie burning benefits that are very similar to outside running. However, there are differences between free range running and treadmill running. The primary differences are the lack of wind resistance on the treadmill, the flat, unchanging surface of the treadmill deck and the effect the moving belt has on your running or walking stride. Here are some tips to help you overcome these training differences. In warmer months you will no doubt be doing more of your training outside. It would be highly advisable to make your treadmill workouts mimic your outside exercise as closely as possible. If you follow these guidelines there will be a seamless transfer between your treadmill workout and outside running.
Overcoming the Lack of Wind Resistance
One of the most obvious treadmill training problems is also the easiest to overcome. The lack of wind resistance and the assistance of the moving belt make treadmill running slightly easier than free range running. When running on the treadmill you are running in place. You are not moving through the air. When you run outside the air creates resistance. Studies have estimated that outside air resistance creates an increase in your workload of between 2% and 10%, depending upon your running speed. The faster you run, the more of an effect the air resistance has on you. This problem is very easily overcome by elevating your treadmill to 1% or level 1. The slight incline will make your treadmill workout more equal to running outside on level ground.
Overcoming Running Surface Differences
When you run outside you are moving over changing terrain. The slant and incline of the ground is always changing. The surface you are running over may also change. You might move from concrete to gravel or grass to asphalt. The smooth and even surface of the treadmill cannot be made rough and uneven. The main negative result of this is the lack of propreoceptive training. Proprioception is an important skill when running on the treadmill. Proprioception is basically intuitively feeling and knowing the position and motion of your body, feet, legs, arms, etc. at all times. It is being aware of all of the different actions of your running stride. This is something that, to a limited extent, you do naturally. But to maximize your level of awareness, practice consciously being aware of your position on the belt, the amount of forward lean, the position of your hips, the angle of your feet and all stages of your running stride.
When running outside, you encounter all types of uneven and unstable running surfaces. A changing surface will force your neuromuscular system to become more proprioceptive because it must make split second adjustments in order to keep your body stable and moving in the right direction. The flat and even surface of the treadmill removes this valuable training opportunity. So, if you do most or all of your workouts on the treadmill, you should practice proprioception at all times. You can also use a wobble board. A wobble board is just what it sounds like. It is a board with a half sphere on the bottom of it. It “wobbles” when you step or stand on it. Performing exercises on this type of board will help build and maintain those proprioceptive skills.
Proprioception is important in all running activities, but even more so when running on the treadmill. Runners tend to allow the action of the belt and the lack of wind resistance to change their stride to a more upright, bouncy form with a shorter, less powerful stride. Being more aware of your running mechanics will make it easier to transfer your normal stride to the treadmill and visa versa.
Maintaining Proper Running Form
I do a lot of my training on the treadmill, even during the summer months. I like to do my weekly long runs on the treadmill because I can make the long run more entertaining with some guilt free television time. I have become proficient at making my treadmill workouts and stride equal to my outside running form. Even though I have been able to duplicate my outside running mechanics on the treadmill, I recently received a rude reminder of how different treadmill running is. When running outside I sometimes dress in layers and remove a layer if I become overheated. I don’t like to stop when I am running so I will just peel off a layer on the run. During one recent treadmill run I became overheated and decided to remove my shirt. I had a brainless moment and made the decision to take off my shirt while running on the treadmill. With my shirt half way over my head I lost my concentration. The moving treadmill belt grabbed my foot and yanked me off balance. After doing a 5 second tap dance on the moving treadmill belt, I was thrown off the back and into a wall. That was a painful reminder that running on the treadmill can affect your running stride.
Your running form should not change when you are training on the treadmill. Unfortunately, the moving belt of the treadmill can create havoc with your running mechanics. The moving belt can cause some runners to lean too far forward at the waist in an attempt to “keep up” with the belt. Other runners may run with an extremely “bouncy” stride or may run with a very short and tight stride. You can avoid these form problems by focusing on your running mechanics.
All runners should concentrate on proper form when they run, whether they train on a treadmill or the road. This is especially important for new treadmill users. It is much better to perfect your form right away, rather than acquire bad running form habits that may be hard to break. Good running form is the same no matter where you train.
The most efficient running posture is one that is mostly upright and relaxed, with a slight, whole body, forward lean beginning at the ankles. You should not lean forward at the waist. Your chest should be pushed out and your shoulders back and relaxed. Avoid all tension in your upper body. Tension is a form wrecker. Leaning too far forward at the waist will cause a stumbling, high impact motion that will slow you down and put excessive stress on your knees, hips and ankles. Leaning backward will cause you to run with too much vertical motion and will also stress your hips and back. Even the totally vertical posture that many running experts recommend has some built in stride inefficiencies. When running with a very vertical posture, you tend to reach out with both your legs and arms. This wastes energy and slows you down A slight, whole body, forward lean will enlist the help of gravity just enough to assist with directing your momentum smoothly forward. Keep your hips pressed forward and your butt tucked in. Visualize standing face first against a wall. Press your hips forward so the front of your hips touches the wall. Running with your hips forward will help keep your motion going forward instead of up and down. It will also allow you to drive your knees efficiently forward. Your foot should touchdown on the ball of your foot, with your foot directly under your center of gravity, not on your heel with your foot in front of your body. If you land on your heel you are over striding and are putting too much stress on your knees and hips. You are also putting on the brakes with each stride. Landing either flat footed or on the ball of your foot minimizes the impact and keeps your forward momentum going strong.
The most common form problem associated with treadmill running is the tendency of the moving belt to “grab” your feet and pull them back under your body. This can result in a stumbling, shuffling stride that places excessive stress on your knees, hips and back. To avoid this, concentrate on quickly lifting your feet off the belt. You should have a quick, compact running stride, which is also the best outside running stride. Count the number of strides you are taking in 1 minute. If you are running correctly you should be taking approximately 85 – 95 full strides per minute. If you are taking less than that you are spending too much time on your feet.
