Treamills, what's the draw?

[lips]

I truly don't understand running in the same place, on a platform that moves. I tried experiementing with this the last time I was at the airport, but I couldn't adjust the speed and was slightly slower than the real thing. Keeping a steady job against the flow of people burdened with luggage made me feel like a spawning fish and I think I made a lot of people uncomfortable, if not angry.

Seriously, why do you exercise on a treadmill rather than just step off the porch to take a jog or a walk? I get the impact on th knees reason, but other than that I can't in any way understand why people would want to run and not get anywhere or see anything but the screen in their living room/gym.

Have you ever tried using conveyors that aren't meant for exercise? You local grocery market, an escalator? Please tell me why people spend money on these things.

[SeattleGirl]

1. Sometimes the weather isn't conducive to walking outside.

Sometimes the terrain is not conducive to walking (i.e. lots of hills, etc. Not everyone can handle that.)

I have a treadmill, and while I much prefer walking outside, it's not always possible, so onto the treadmill I go.

[underpants]

6. AND they are much much cheaper than indoor tracks

older gyms often have them (I love the ones over top of the basketball court that is sooo cool) but nowadays not only is there a great space savings by just having treadmills indoor tracks can cause accidents.

[flvegan]

2. Treadmills are meant to increase the heartrate and burn calories.

The difference between running on a treadmill and jogging on the street are:

1. Impact. Jogging is running and high impact. Running on a treadmill is actually "hopping in place" to get the heartrate up;

2. Consistency. A treadmill stays at the same rate and incline until increased/decreased by the user. There are no hills, no rough spots in the road, no sand, obstacles, etc. Also, it's a controlled environment. Temp, humidity, pollution...stays the same.

Two very different things for people with different goals (short of the casual treadmill user that uses it when weather is a problem with running outside).

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. Treadmills can be good exercise but I don't know about treamills.

[AlCzervik]

4. i love my treadmill, treamills--not so much.

when it's 110f i can still run.

[MissMillie]

5. I don't care for them

I always feel like I'm going to fall off.

I am fortunate to have access to an indoor track when the weather is bad.

[HughBeaumont]

7. I live in Ohio, where I can't jog outside at least 7-8 months out of the year.

Not unless I want my lungs to feel like they're going to shatter like glass when I'm halfway done.

I don't like the monotony either, but with a treadmill, a few dumbbells and a bench, I save time and money.

[SarahB]

8. Two reasons.

1. No weather worries.
2. You don't have to deal with harassing assholes that bother you when running outside.

[Sanity Claws]

9. Your cat might like the treadmill, even if you don't

Take a look:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peLD2vlxRM0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPHyvWGuf9g

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Srm-BDfy9G0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wvz0BFnWlAQ

[Fire Walk With Me]

10. Rock bands love them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pv5zWaTEVkI

[Cabcere]

11. I don't

ever since I got pantsed by one freshman year of college. :blush:

[Jamastiene]

12. That reminds me of the Paula Poundstone joke.

Weightlifting is not a sport. You lift a heavy thing and put it back down again. That's indecision.

Some people really like exercise. I've never ever ever been one of those people. I despise having to walk to the refrigerator. I swear there should be a remote that makes an automated device pull out the Dr Pepper and bring it to me, like those air tube things at the bank.

But, still, some people do like exercise. More power to them. I just hope they never try to make me do it. The bad thing is I hate running too, so I'd just have to sit there and listen to them.

[krispos42]

13. Oh, about 8 amps or so

Depends on how fast you crank it. At full speed, they can draw almost 15.

:hide:


:rofl:

[Adsos Letter]

14. Most of the treamills in our area shut down...

'cause they had already cut down most of the treas...

:D

[mvccd1000]

15. They like to shoot at us when we run outside.

I'm in Iraq, and we aren't allowed to run on most of the roads outside. The treadmill becomes a much more palatable alternative under such circumstances. :)