Treadmill vs Outdoor Running

There are two district camps in the running world—those who run on treadmills and those who run outside. People are usually pretty set in what they like, and there is nothing wrong with that. Neither way is superior to the other, but there are some pros and cons of each that we can dive into.

Benefits of running outside 

Although research shows that biomechanical patterns don’t change when someone is running on a treadmill vs outside, it is easier to run with a more normalized gait pattern outside because you are moving at your most optimal speed and are not limited by the treadmill belt. Often, peoples strides shorten on the treadmill. You will also activate more muscles when you run outside because your feet have to grab the ground and propel you forward, whereas the treadmill does a lot of this work for you. You will likely activate more muscles laterally as well because you will have to run around other pedestrians, cross streets, and make more turns. You will also have a tendency to see more terrain changes, like uphills and downhills. While you can  increase incline on a treadmill you cannot mimic downhill running. 

Weather and consistency are two major cons to outdoor running. You can’t control the weather, so when it is unsafe to run outside, treadmill running is a great option. Since outdoor running can be tougher on your joints, it is important to keep up with your functional strength and conditioning program to improve your core and glute strength. 

Benefits of running on a treadmill 

For those who like the consistency of treadmill workouts, there are also a lot of benefits of this form of exercise. Treadmills are designed to absorb force, so if you are worried about overloading your knees, hips, or other areas this might be a good choice for you. You can control your pace, incline, and recovery much easier on a treadmill, which makes it an excellent choice for people who have a specific workout in mind or if you are recovering from an injury and want to be specific when you return to running. It is much easier to maintain a set pace while running on the treadmill because the belt is moving beneath you, which is appealing to some runners. Due to the alignment of treadmills, research shows that it is best to set the treadmill to a 1% grade too mimic outdoor running especially at faster speeds (below 7:10/mile). 

So, whichever form of running you do, remember that there are pros and cons to both. Either way, keep up with your foam rolling, functional strength and conditioning, and foam rolling. Enjoy your run!