Learn to Train for Running on a Treadmill

Learn to Train for Running on a Treadmill

Indoor training has been gradually expanding in Portugal. Among the equipment and machines available in gyms, treadmills have also become increasingly common. The high cost of such devices practically limits the use of treadmills to gyms, and quality home treadmills are rare.

In most gyms, treadmills end up being mainly integrated into cardiovascular circuits, warm-ups, or very short-duration workouts, but the fact is that nowadays a good part of your preparation for Running can be done on treadmills.

The reasons for using a treadmill are generally as follows:

1. Shorter days during the winter season, avoiding night-time running;
2. Road traffic and the difficulty of running in places that are not constrained by pavements, pedestrians, and traffic lights;
3. Urban safety, particularly for female runners, thus avoiding running in unsafe areas;
4. Bad weather, even though it is known that rain and cold are infrequent in Portugal;
5. Living in areas characterized by steep terrain that requires constant “trail running”;

Using treadmills for long periods as a way to simulate running workouts has positive and negative aspects to consider. You should be aware of them:

Positive Aspects:

1. Escape from bad weather. In some countries with snowfall and icy pavements, running outdoors is truly impossible on certain days!
2. Very accurate management of paces, namely running Heart Rates. The constant speed applied makes it quite easy to regulate the workout to specific intensities;
3. Avoid air pollution. Fortunately, in Portugal the effects are not yet clearly felt, but in some cities, it unfortunately becomes painful to run on the street;
4. Very good and motivating for running beginners. The measurement of paces, durations, and inclines makes it easier for all those who are starting to run;
5. Avoid asphalt daily. Some large cities have an almost total lack of parks and trails with soft surfaces. Treadmills can be less aggressive and a good alternative to asphalt and other types of very hard pavements;
6. Easy management of company during the workout. Even if you train with friends who have a very different level from yours, the treadmill will allow you to complete your entire session side-by-side without having to force the pace or wait for your companions;

Negative Aspects:

1. Running on treadmills is not as specific as running on the street. Part of the mechanical action associated with the running stride is caused by the belt, so the progression is not entirely the responsibility of muscular actions;
2. Lack of air resistance. The movement that exists on the street does not exist on treadmills, which is another factor that reduces the specificity of running on treadmills;
3. Lack of surface variability. Fortunately for most runners, it is possible to run on various surfaces, knowing that grass, sand, and dirt are much less aggressive than a tensioned belt and allow the musculoskeletal structure to adapt to variations in surfaces;
4. Higher dehydration. The lack of air circulation and training in enclosed environments leads to increased temperatures, causing a loss of much more water than outdoors. Therefore, drink more when running on a treadmill;
5. Monotonous for some runners. The pleasure of a long run in the woods is irreplaceable for some. There are stunning training locations that make running a fantastic moment of contact with nature;
6. Maladaptation to varied weather conditions. Those who like to compete must also consider adapting to the conditions of the competition, whether the surface, temperature, or others. Constant running on treadmills ends up being considered a “greenhouse” situation with little adaptation to the environment.

Multiple training programs can be designed for treadmills, with a wide variety of objectives. In High Performance, for example, treadmills are widely used for speed and stride cadence work, as well as for hill work for those preparing for competitions with considerable elevation changes and who want to avoid the recovery between downhill repetitions, which can sometimes be quite aggressive for the back or knee joints.

Another of the reasons that leads to gym memberships and the use of cardiovascular circuits is associated with weight control. If you intend to lose a few extra pounds, follow our proposed 8-week plan.

This program should, as always, be carefully monitored in terms of your diet, so you should consult the advice of our specialists in this area.