The Pros and Cons of Having a Treadmill Workout

Ohiyo!

Today we are going to cover the idea behind this entire site: is using a treadmill worth your time? Just as with any workout routine, you don’t want to be doing the exact same thing every single day. This is because no workout is perfect! Your body needs a balance of strength training and aerobic exercise. Running on a treadmill is a great aerobic exercise to balance out your weight lifting sessions. So let’s cover the bad and the good about treadmills.

The Bad

Treadmill running can put a lot of stress on your knees. If your knees are bad to begin with, then you might want to consider water aerobics instead. But if your knees are in great shape, then you shouldn’t have any problems with treadmill running.

Using a treadmill also requires a certain amount of balance. If you frequently experience vertigo or are clumsy by nature, then a treadmill might not be your safest choice. I would recommend supervision while using it! However if you have adequate balance, then a treadmill is more likely to help you improve it.

The belt is propelling your legs, so you aren’t working as hard. This means you aren’t burning as many calories, so you’ll have to run longer than outdoor running to get an effective workout.

The Good

Running on a treadmill will tone your legs. All of that hard work makes them make the fat melt right off!

It’s also great for toning your buttocks. Again, it’s all of that movement that makes the body more tone and refined.

The surface of a treadmill is more forgiving than pounding on the asphalt or concrete. Because of this, a treadmill is easier on your joints.

If you live in a scary neighborhood, then running on an indoor treadmill allows you to reap the benefits of running without endangering yourself by leaving the house alone. Being indoors also allows the treadmill to be available in all types of weather.

You can customize your workout by adjusting the incline and speed. Most treadmills also come with programs that help you to push yourself and get a great workout.

The dashboard of the treadmill keeps track of how far you’ve run, now many calories you burned, and the amount of time it took you. This helps you to monitor your progress better.

Conclusion

The treadmill certainly isn’t perfect, but it doesn’t look to shabby either! As long as none of the cons are a problem for you, the treadmill is a great choice. Just remember that at the end of the day, getting up and exercising is what’s most important. Taking care of yourself is the goal here, and any way you can get that done is good.

Alyssa Staheli is a life-long learner and a health and fitness expert. She loves to write and share her knowledge with others. This is because she believes that “knowledge is power” and that with the right information, one can achieve optimum health. You can find Alyssa on Google+.