Treadmills have a long and interesting history and for much of their existence were not used for fitness. Rather they were actually pieces of equipment put together to get work done. Even the word treadmill actually refers to a grain mill, a device where a wheel had carved steps on its outside edge. The wheel was turned by a person walking on the steps, kind of like an inside out hamster wheel. As the person climbed the steps, the wheel turned, and the movement was used to perform mechanical work, such as processing grain.
Modern treadmills consist of a platform, a conveyor belt and either an electric motor, in the case of an electric treadmill, or some kind of flywheel or counter-weight assembly in the case of most manual cheap treadmills. As the belt moves under your feet to the rear you are allowed to step forward.
Originally, treadmills were used as a form of punishment. Prisoners in early 19th century England were placed upon the treadmills, and the mechanical energy they generated was used to perform work, or simply to make them miserable. The first health club to use treadmills was in the US sometime in the 1930s.
Ironically, the currently accepted benefit of treadmill use (to improve physical conditioning and general overall health) was not its first medical application. In the early 1950s, medical treadmills were developed as a means to diagnose heart disease and evaluate cardiopulmonary function.
Widespread use of treadmills for their exercise and weight-loss benefits did not appear on the scene until 1968 with the advent of Kenneth Cooper’s research on aerobic exercise. The medical arguments he made led to the development of electric treadmills for use in the home and in fitness centers.
Electric Treadmill Benefits
The primary benefit of electric treadmill use is as cardiovascular exercise. Just like non-treadmill movement, using a treadmill for walking, running or hill climbing promotes weight loss, cardiovascular fitness and physical endurance.
Compared to running on asphalt or even a dirt track, treadmills offer reduced impact via the use of cushioned walking surfaces. This can prevent shin splints, knee problems, ankle strains and a myriad of other possible injuries normally seen by outside runners.
Using a treadmill inside means that you get to avoid many of the negative consequences of outside running:
- You don’t have to worry about the neighborhood that you’re in. There aren’t going to be many unsavory characters at your local fitness center or in your home gym.
- The weather is no longer a factor — it doesn’t matter if it’s snowing, raining or blistering heat is the order of the day if you are inside getting your treadmill work done.
- You can do other things while you get your running in — why not watch TV, or listen to a favorite album?
- Unlike outdoor running, exercising on a treadmill will enable you to exactly document your workout. You’ll be programming in the exact length of the workout, the speed you wish to attain, and even the incline.
- Since you determine most of the factors contributing to your exercise session, you also have complete control over the amount of energy you burn, how many calories you burn, and how long you exercise.
Higher end models feature readouts covering just about every aspect of your workout:
- the number of feet you have climbed
- how many steps you’ve taken
- how many calories you’ve burned
- what your maximum heart rate was during the exercise
- what your average heart rate was during the exercise
- …and many many more.
Treadmill drawbacks
Running or walking on a treadmill can be deadly boring. You may want to find something to occupy your mind while you do this as noted above. It’s important to keep your interest up, otherwise you may drop your exercise program.
Exercising outside by running along the neighborhood sidewalk is completely free. Give a treadmill in your home, it will produce a small amount of heat which negatively impacts your cooling bill, and the treadmill uses electricity.
If you run your treadmill at a fitness club, you got membership dues to pay. If you have your own machine at home, you’re going to be spending anywhere from several hundred to a few thousand dollars for a decent machine.
Most of the higher-quality treadmills take up a fair amount of room. This is no big deal if you’re using a gem, but unless you have an extra room in your house to dedicate to exercise, you may want to look for a compact or folding model.
An improperly maintained treadmill with a worn belt or other problems can result in injury due to sudden stoppage or belt slippage. It’s important to go ahead and spend the money you need to spend to make sure that your treadmill is in tip top shape.
Some of them are noisy. While you may not notice this at your health club, your spouse certainly will at home. Larger more complex units can produce a loud whine or home, especially when changing in the incline.
You don’t have any wind resistance on a treadmill. To the extent that you would’ve been running against the wind outside this makes the workout easier than it would have been.
When you’re running outside, there’s no limit to how steep hill you can attack. All treadmills will have a maximum incline, and once you’re there you got nowhere else to go.
In conclusion
While I was writing this piece, I was surprised at exactly how many negatives I could come up with. But I have to tell you that despite the downside, I think the benefits of using an electric treadmill, and especially of owning your own, far outweigh any disadvantages.
My treadmill is my workout partner. I use it to warm up before I train with weights, I use it as a cool down after weightlifting, and it is the main piece of equipment that I use for my aerobic training. Because I’ve taken care and chosen a fairly advanced model, I can even incorporate interval training into my workouts.
I hope you’ll come to the same conclusion that I did and give yourself the gift of a quality treadmill.
[ReviewAZON asin="B002NHM8TY" display="inlinepost"] [ReviewAZON asin="B001HJ9YBE" display="inlinepost"]