Which is better, the treadmill or the road? Well let's sum up the pros and cons of both.
The treadmill is a fantastic piece of kit for a biomechanics coach such as myself. I can record my clients gait with basic hand held equipment such as my iPad. Through this assessment I can record multiple cycles of my clients run which saves me from continuously rewinding my video.
For beginners the treadmill will provide a cushioned surface and often a safety chord to stop the treadmill of the client was to slip.
Another positive aspect of the treadmill is the easy alterations of speed and gradient you can have.
As you progress I believe it is essential to brake free from the treadmill. The treadmill does have many negative points.
The treadmill can alter your mechanics in a negative way. The conveyor belt on the treadmill will provide unwanted assistance to your run which may lower hamstring and glute activation.
The cushioned landing on the treadmill may influence a lowered ability to absorb ground reaction force. Ground reaction force will increase bone density and increase muscular endurance.
There is a heavy lack of specificity when it comes to slugging out the miles on the treadmill. You can not always alter the gradient to mimic a race course. It is also impossible to mimic the different terrain that is present in these events. Terrain is important as it improves ankle stability.
So to summarise this post, treadmills are for beginners. Keep drilling your running mechanics and hit the road when you're good and ready.
You may also be interested in:
Are You Sick of Energy Gels
http://icankeepup.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/are-you-sick-of-energy-gels.html
Hill Sprints for Speed
http://icankeepup.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/hill-sprints-for-speed.html
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