I'll admit that I'm kind of annoyed that the colder weather has forced me to move my runs inside. I prefer jogging in the fresh air, and there are many reasons I hate the treadmill. I'm sure you can relate, so here are five easy ways to make your treadmill time more fun and enjoyable.
| Gripe | Solution |
| It's way too boring. | Staying in one place can have its downfalls, so make it fun by listening to a book on tape, learning a language, watching a movie or TV show, perusing a magazine, or listening to a great running mix. |
| It's too loud. | You can't stop the noise, but you can prevent yourself from hearing it by getting a set of good noise-isolating headphones like these Ultimate Ears Metro F1.2 ($70). They'll block out all outside noise, including the annoying guy next to you trying to pick you up. |
To see the rest read more.
| Gripe | Solution |
| It's too repetitive on my body. | The great thing about treadmills is that you're in control of the speed and the incline. So mix it up to feel different effects on your body. If you don't want to futz with the buttons, many newer treadmills offer built-in interval workouts. Select a workout from the list and it'll make you feel more like you're running outside than just running on a hamster wheel. |
| I don't believe the readout. | When using your own treadmill or one at the gym, you get accurate readings of the time, distance, and how fast you're moving, since these are simple functions the machine can figure out by using the clock and the speed of the belt. When it comes to calories burned, if there's a place you can enter in your weight, then the calorie readout should also be fairly accurate. To be sure, you may want to get a heart rate monitor or the Nike+ Sports Kit. |
| There's no place for my water bottle or magazine. | If your treadmill doesn't have a rack or water bottle holder, you can buy these separately. A Cardio Caddy With Bottle Holder ($25) can keep track of your water, iPod, or remote control. You can also purchase the Up'n Over Rack ($25). It's made of clear plastic and fits over the treadmill display so you can read your book and also peek at how long you've been walking. |
Alexander McQueen
Trainerspotter
Full Circle
I compared the treadmill readout from my gym to the chart that you posted on here a few weeks ago, and it was so far off! I knew that those things overestimated, but it did so by about 30%. I was kinda shocked.
1well i've always been a bit wary on how accurate the computers are on cardio machines since i just never know what to believe when i'm working out. i like to work out for both distance and cals burned - but sometimes it's just not that easy.
anyway, i find that it IS monotonous - but the flip side is not working out and that's just not a feasible option.
2^I agree about not having that much faith in the readout... I always enter in a weight slightly lower than mine so the calorie burn is closer to what I really am getting, so I don't get too excited, haha ;P
3man. i had no idea people complained so much about treadmills. it's really not that bad, in fact, i would much rather run on a treadmill than outside in the cold.
4I think the new treadmills @ my gym are more accurate (you enter your body weight to help calculate your calories burned). I noticed I have to work A LOT harder to burn less calories then I would have on the old treadmills!
5I have run in -35 degree Celsius windchill over going on a tredmill (yes, I'm Canadian...). That said, if it's simply too much of a blizzard outside, I'll go on the tred mill, but there are other options. If you live somewhere that has an indoor track, it could be a good excuse to do an interval workout. Or some arenas let people walk around their perimeter inside out of the cold, where you can also get in a good stair workout running up and down the rows or some plyometric jumps.
6I actually prefer treadmills than going outside for my run. I can force myself to go faster on a treadmill, since I can see exactly how slow I'm going. I just blare my ipod so I don't hear the noise. And it's nice and warm inside the gym.
7I don't necessarily hate the treadmill - I just find it boring and would prefer to run outside. However, since the weather doesn't cooperate from November to May, it's obviously preferable to freezing my butt off outside.
8i don't mind treadmills. at all. yes it can get boring, but so can anything else. as well, anything else can be too repetitive for your body. i've never noticed a treadmill to be loud...the person running on it, yes, but not the treadmill itself. i have a Polar watch so i go off of what that says, not the piece of equipment. and if there is no place to put your water bottle or magazine, you need to upgrade to a new gym with better equipment.
9There's no such thing as bad weather - only bad gear
I will ONLY run on the mill if I can't get in a run in the am and it's too dark after work. weather isn't an issue -- I carry water and wear a singlet + shorts in the summer, and wear a hat, gloves, layers in the winter.
and if it's raining? I don't melt.
10It's been in the 20s here in VT, and I've been bundling up because I refuse to get on the treadmill. I love the fresh air and after 10 minutes, I'm stripping down because I'm hot. It's really not as bad as you envision it to be. Plus I think it's strengthening my lungs and making my asthma better, if you can believe that!
11can anyone recommend a good brand and model for a treadmill?
12I don't mind treadmills at all, but if I'm going for a long run I don't like them because I get so bored. I do like to walk on the treadmill during lunch at work to get my heart rate up a bit in the middle of the day, but I get to watch TV while I do it and I'm constantly putzing with the incline and speed to keep myself occupied.
13so of the negatives about the treadmill u dont even have when youre running outside so whats the difference. you dont have a machince when youre running outside to tell you the calories youve burned and you dont have a magazine rack or water bottle holder.
14Anyhow, I have a Garmin GPS that tells me how far I've run, how fast, at what pace per mile, fastest pace, etc.
15(I also have a heart rate moniter to tell me how many calories I've burned, but I don't use it).
I have a handheld water bottle.
I have people to watch and monuments to see.
I've seen ducklings in the spring, the trapeze group in the summer, and a snow covered city in the winter.
I listen to books, music, my own heartbeat.
there's no reason to stop running outside when it's winter. One has just to put on the right clothes
16Beaner- running in cold, dry air is actually terrible for asthma. Inhaling cold air can irritate your lungs and trigger an asthma attack. Be careful and take your rescue inhaler before or during a long cold run.
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