Five Reasons Treadmills Rule

Here are five good reasons why using a treadmill (by actually walking or jogging on it - not just letting it collect dust!) is better than outdoor activity.

Entertaining

Generally, treadmills can be positioned in front of a television. It is much easier to maintain a steady workout regimen when you can watch your favorite TV shows while doing so. The invention of the DVR (also known as TiVo) has made exercising even better; you can record and watch all of your favorite programs on demand. The average person watches 4.5 hours of TV per day. Most likely, health-conscious people (read: the type of people to use a treadmill) watch TV for less than that on average. Still, almost everyone watches TV for at least an hour or so per day. Why not hop on a treadmill during that hour and do wonders for you cardiovascular system and body weight?

Discipline

A major challenge of any power walk or jogging regimen is “pushing yourself”, so to speak. It’s easy to covet lofty goals like running four miles through the neighborhood in thirty minutes, but fulfilling those goals sometimes seems impossible. You get winded, so you slow down and take it easy. You cross back near the house on part of your path and think, “forget this… I’m going to stop now.” Treadmills help avert both of these problems. First, you set your speed so the treadmill keeps you in perfect rhythm to meet your goal. And second, the temptation to cut your workout short is greatly curbed by a timer that dictates when the treadmill will be shut off.

Healthier

Jogging is very hard on the body. While it has vast cardiovascular benefits, it is quite harmful on the joints and ligaments in the knees and ankles. Concrete, which is the surface that most people jog on outdoors, is one of the hardest surfaces on Earth. Concrete does not absorb to the pound of your feet. All of that pressure is sent right up the legs and into the joints. On the other hand, treadmills are the softest surface that can be jogged on from a practical standpoint. It’s effectively rubber on rubber. Notice “the bounce” next time you’re on a treadmill. That’s the rubber taking the pain so your knees don’t have to!

Safter

The dangers of jogging outdoors should not go without consideration. Traffic, pollution, sun exposure, uneven surfaces… the list goes on and on. It truly is a jungle out there. Since it’s a longshot, most people have a “it won’t happen to me” mentality when it comes to the risks of jogging. But every hear dozens of people are struck by cars or suffer a skeletal injury as a result of falling down while jogging. By jogging on a treadmill, you can reduce your exposure to virtually all of these elements. To be sure, however, treadmills are by no means a “safe” instrument. They should never be operated prior to consulting the warnings in the owner’s manual.

Customizable

Except for the most basic treadmills on the market, they can be customized to mirror about any terrain imaginable. It’s very hard to find an optimal jogging path that provides the desired incline or decline. Another reason treadmills are so great is that you can fully customize your incline, speed, style of exercise, etc.

Aren’t they great?!