Treadmill vs. Running
Once you are ready to commit yourself to good
aerobic training, it becomes important to decide right away which type you
are ready to commit to. Only by aerobic exercising regularly are you going
to be able to shed the calories you want and improve your overall
cardiovascular health.
One of the options you are going to have to choose
from is whether you want to start running on a treadmill or whether you
would prefer to run outdoors instead. Both of these have their pluses and
minuses, and which you choose will ultimately based on the type you think
you are most likely to stick with.
Treadmill vs. Running Outdoors
·
Weather
Bad weather is a killer for outdoor running and
jogging. Though you may be willing to run in the rain or snow, chances are
you will want to avoid that cold air most of the time, which will impact how
well you benefit from the exercise. Treadmills are indoors, so there is no
day/time/season where you cannot go for a long, enjoyable run. Running
outdoors does have the benefit of getting you outside, however, so outdoor
jogging is not without its benefits, but the ability to run year round puts
treadmills on top in this category.
·
Safety
Treadmills do have a few safety hazards, such as if
you trip on the moving treads. But treadmills also have handles that you can
grasp for your own safety, and level ground so that you do not risk tripping
over or twisting your ankle on rocks, cracks, mud or snow. You also can run
on a treadmill at all hours of the night without worrying about your own
safety, and once you are tired you are already home, rather than finding
yourself far away from your home in the middle of the night.
·
Pacing
Treadmills can help you train to pace yourself
better than running outdoors, where it is not uncommon to find yourself
going too fast or too slow to truly benefit. You can program the treadmill
to run a 10 minute mile, and once you do, you will be pacing yourself at a
10 minute mile. With jogging, you may try to run at a 10 minute mile, but
find you rushed it or slowed down too much, ultimately not reaching your
goals.
Why Run Outdoors At All?
Running outdoors is still beneficial. If you are
training for a marathon, for example, you are going to want to run outdoors
on occasion in order to get used to the different type of terrain. Your body
can tell the difference between a treadmill and a sidewalk, and this affects
your muscles, bones, and joints. It also gets you outside, which is
important for both your health and wellness. Otherwise, however, running on
a treadmill has equally as many cardiovascular and calorie burning benefits,
and it is also safer and less prone to problems with the weather. If you
have the money to spend on a treadmill, it is a worthwhile purchase.
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