Why the Treadmill is one of the most underused training tools you can access

Most athletes view the Treadmill as a Winter season option. In the Northern Hemisphere, it comes out in October and is normally gone by March. This is a mistake. Here's what it can actually do for your training year-round

Staying fit year-round with indoor treadmill running, regardless of the weather.

Understanding The Treadmill

Some of the best athletes in the world, as well as those I coach (me included) use the treadmill well and not just because the weather is bad. They use it because it can give you things that outdoor running can't or at least cannot be easily replicated.

Here are 4 ways in which I think the treadmill can be used best:

Benefits of Treadmill Training

1. The Precision Point

Outdoors it's easy for intensity to drift - a slight downhill, a tailwind, a conversation or sing-a-long that pushes the pace or HR out of the intended training zone. Even a lack of focus and wandering mind can do the same.

On a treadmill, that intensity is absolutely locked in. If you're supposed to run around 9.5kph and under a HR/RPE ceiling, the treadmill sets that pace and is easily adjusted. This is where Z2 is honestly done best - where the goal is staying under LT1 (Lactate Threshold 1 - Aerobic Threshold).

Over a prolonged training block, that level of precision matters. I've seen this more recently in cycling performance where an athlete completed 8 weeks of predominantly Z2 work and for the same workout and intensity saw their HR fall from 142 to 124 bpm.

The same can be said at the other end of the spectrum. Intervals outdoors requires and relies on athlete self-regulation or watch watching (!). Highly tuned and aware athletes can gauge the pace, HR and RPE well for managing interval intensity but the vast majority need that feedback loop. The treadmill holds that intensity and removes the variability entirely.

The treadmill is a great way to keep you honest.

2. The Incline Point

Hill reps need to no longer be a concern. Set the gradient to 5%, complete your 4min reps and never have to worry about finding a hill long enough and steep enough to let you do the work prescribed.

Strength endurance work, via hill repeats, is a fantastic way to build the posterior chain, improve run economy and manage mechanical load across differing muscle groups compared to more flat terrain.

An added benefit is that the treadmill can flatten out for your recovery and control the intensity at which you do it. This has a mechanical load benefit compared to actively recovering back down the hill.... unless this is a deliberate part of training due to future race course profiling.

No hills? No problem.

3. The Injury Point

Research using force plates embedded in treadmill decks showed reduced ground reaction forces from the cushioned decks vs. concrete or asphalt running. For those looking to continue or progress their run training whilst carefully managing mechanical load - a treadmill isn't a cop-out. It's the sensible choice. Preserve the cardio-vascular stimulus but reduce the injury driver.

Every return to running protocol incorporates walk-to-run progressions and preferably on a treadmill. Firstly to the point made above and secondly to be kind to runners who can't bare to be seen to run a minute and walk for four in public. The treadmill can remove this friction. It might be considered vanity but it really is just a psychological tool to help adherence.

A treadmill can also be beneficial for ingraining technical changes in running related to gait, cadence work and foot strike adjustments. The repeatability and controlled variables, such as speed, camber and incline variances versus outdoors - make it a prime educating tool.

Manage load and build mechanics.

4. The Environment Point

Here's the one you were waiting for. However this should not just be about avoiding the dark, cold and icy mornings and evenings in winter. It's also beneficial in those ridiculous hot times (about 5 days in the UK) where you can run in an air con gym, fans on and get the session done.

The other aspect is time constraint management. A home treadmill can mean on and done without having to navigate traffic crossings, slow walkers or even getting to the route.

Don't let the environment but a hold on your progress.

So I should use the treadmill?

I believe you should certainly consider it as an effective training modality for your running. Like most things, it shouldn't be at the extremes - ignored or considered gods-gift. The training principle of specificity exists for a reason. You can't ignore outdoor running, the subtle changes in ground contact, the changing of the gait to manage terrain or obstacles all matter.

However, the athletes who use the treadmill well, don't use it less or more than anyone else necessarily. What they do is use it differently - with purpose and intention. They benefit from doing so and you might too.

What next?

I've put together a free resource with 3 training ideas for you to try on the treadmill. Follow the link to get the free PDF.

Now is the time to lace up your shoes, hit the treadmill, and embrace the challenge of endurance training!