What’s The Key Difference Between Running On Treadmill vs Outside?

Each sprinter or runner has an inclination or a preference of his/her own.

A few sprinters cannot tolerate the monotonic nature of the treadmill while others are unable to achieve a particular speed without using the electronic controls of the treadmill.

Thus, opinions are divided between running on treadmill vs outside.

Despite the fact that both of them (Treadmill vs outside running) are fine choices to make, yet both sorts have their upsides and downsides and each type can help make one more grounded and quicker in its own particular manner.

In this article, we will discuss the difference between treadmill running and outdoor running.

Thus, we will discuss everything relating to running outside vs running on treadmill.

Firstly we will discuss briefly the pros and cons of each, that is, treadmills and outside running.

We can frame a difference between running on treadmill vs outside based on this pros and cons list.

Treadmill vs Outside – Pros and Cons

Treadmills

Treadmills have, no doubt, come a long way from their initial introduction into the fitness market.

It has become one of the most popular cardiovascular equipment in many households and gyms.

But this equipment, besides reaping benefits has some disadvantages too.

We have discussed the various advantages and disadvantages of using a treadmill.

Running on Treadmill Benefits

The benefits of using a treadmill for running are as follows:

Free from weather changes

Running in a nasty climate is not comfortable, regardless of whether one is prepared for it.

Additionally, it is hazardous to run on snow and ice. In a sweltering climate, there is a danger of lack of hydration or warmth depletion.

Inside on a treadmill, one can maintain a strategic distance from these conditions.

Customized running

The treadmill allows you to customize your running conditions by providing manual controls over speed and time.

Thus, if one is training for a specific type of sprint, one can use the treadmill for training.

One can also track the progress of the sprint and analyze the performance using the treadmill.

Convenient

Treadmills can come in very handy if one wants to run at home without having to go outside.

This ensures that one’s body is fit without having to leave the house.

This can be very beneficial for parents who need to check on their children while keeping their fitness level intact.

Other added benefits

One can listen to music, read magazines or even watch the television while running on the treadmill.

All these features come with the treadmill and one can reap its benefits by using it.

Anytime usage

The treadmill can be used at home anytime by just plugging in the machine.

The benefits add on when one does not have to get out of his/her house for the sole purpose of running.

Disadvantages of Treadmill Running

Some of the disadvantages of running on a treadmill are as follows:

Possibility of injuries

While treadmills are viewed as the more secure choice by most clients; some reports have shown that there have been over 20000 treadmill-related injuries every year.

These injuries include falls, head injuries, and cardiovascular experiences in individuals who either ran excessively quickly.

Lack of some conditions

Treadmills though facilitated with several conditions suiting to the user like uphill running, speed settings, and time limits lack some other features like downhill running for instance.

Downhill running is helpful for the proper functioning of the front thigh muscles but treadmill users cannot take advantage of it.

No turns

Treadmills are made only for running along a straight path, not for turning paths.

Thus, treadmill users can only run straight paths rather than running turning paths.

Thus, the monotonous nature of a treadmill can prove to be a disadvantage of treadmill running.

Boring and exhausting

Treadmills do not offer the ramified environment as outside running provides to the user.

Even with features like music and magazines, one tends to get bored after a period of time.

Thus, treadmills are not captivating enough for some users.

Thus, these are some of the advantages and disadvantages of using treadmills for running.

Outside Running

Before treadmills were introduced into the market, outside running was a popular option for sprinters.

Besides, the introduction of treadmills in the fitness world, outside running still is a popular option among people.

We will now discuss the various benefits and disadvantages of outside running and how it is better than treadmill running.

Benefits of Outside Running

Here are some of the pros of running outside:

Adaptable change in the environment

If one is training for a particular race or sprint, outside running suits the person to the environment surrounding the race better than treadmills.

Thus, running outside helps a person to adapt to the conditions of the sprint better.

Free of cost

Running outside ensures one does not have to pay for any gym membership as running outside is absolutely free.

Thus, if one opts for running outside, he or she does not have to pay any additional cost for his or her fitness.

Appreciation of nature

An important aspect of running outside is that it allows us to appreciate nature and the beautiful environment around us.

It also allows us to explore new regions and keep our fitness level intact.

Varied conditions

Nature provides us with a variety of conditions for a variety of different occasions.

Thus, if one is looking for an uphill run or a downhill run, or even a normal sprint, nature has everything in store for us.

Thus, outside running allows us to reap the benefits of this varied environment.

Disadvantages of Outside Running

Besides the various advantages of running outside, there are a few disadvantages of running outside.

Some of the cons of running outside are as follows;

Weather changes

Unlike treadmills, running outside can prove to be a problem if the weather outside is not suited for running. It may be raining or snowing outside.

It may be too hot or too cold to run outside. Thus, weather changes may hinder the process of running outside.

Dangerous

Outside running can also prove to be dangerous in the sense that people may get hurt or be a victim of an accident while running outside.

Car accidents, assaults, and falls are some of the risks associated with outside running.

These are the various pros and cons of running outside.

The next section of the article discusses how treadmill running and outside running differ on the grounds of calories burned, weight loss, and effect on the knees.

Running on Treadmill vs Outside Calories

While some research has shown that there is absolutely no difference between running on the treadmill and running outside on the grounds of how much calories burned, there is some other research that has shown that the number of calories burned from running outside or treadmill running differ from person to person based on their speed.

Studies have shown that if a person is capable of running at around 9 kilometers per hour (kph), he or she can burn around 5 percent more calories as compared to a treadmill runner.

Studies have also shown that if an average person is capable of reaching a speed of around 10 kilometers per hour (kph), he or she can burn about 10 percent more calories than a treadmill runner.

According to some people, running outside burns more calories as compared to running on a treadmill.

This is because of the wind resistance provided by the environment outside which takes up more effort thereby burning more calories.

Having discussed the number of calories which can be burnt using either of the two options, we will move on to the optimum choice if one is looking to reduce his or her weight.

Running on Treadmill vs Outside for Weight Loss

We have already discussed how outside running may help a person to burn more calories as compared to a treadmill runner.

The more calories a person burns, the more weight he or she loses. Thus, if one is trying to reduce his or her weight, running outside would prove to be a better choice than treadmill running.

If not comfortable with outside running, a person can also use a treadmill as there is a little difference between the two.

Thus, it is totally up to the person which option to choose. One may be comfortable at home or a gym rather than outside, while others may be comfortable running outside.

Thus, it is more of a subjective nature rather than analytical.

Both, outside running and treadmill running have multiple effects on the body, especially the knee and the feet region. The next section of the article discusses just that.

Running on Treadmill vs Outside Knees

It has been seen that a treadmill, though being less stressful to the knees, has proven to be more stressful on the Achilles ligament.

This is because the treadmill forces the runner’s legs to move behind the runner.

This results in the stretching of the Achilles tendon thereby pressurizing it.

On the contrary, outside running has proven to be more stressful to the knees and less stressful to the Achilles tendon.

This is because of the hard surface of the ground, while the treadmill having a relatively soft surface which puts less pressure on the knees.

Thus, it is a give-and-take situation. If one is looking to run outside, he or she will experience more pressure on the knees and less pressure on the Achilles.

On the other hand, if one is looking to run on a treadmill, he or she will experience less stress on the knees and more stress on the Achilles.

Having given our point of view, we have also gathered the views of various people on this topic through reddit.

Running on Treadmill vs Outside Reddit

While the opinions are differentiated among the people on reddit, most of them have stated that running on a treadmill has proven to be much easier for them as compared to running outside.

Some said that the treadmill was easier on the feet due to its cushioned surface.

On the other hand, some said that outside running was better owing to its non-monotonous nature. 

People are divided upon the opinion of which option better, that is, outside running or treadmill running.

Many have said that outside running requires a little more effort than running on a treadmill due to the adaptive changes in the outside environment.

Thus, which option is better is major of a subjective nature and depends from person to person.

Some are comfortable on the treadmill while some are comfortable in running outside.

Moving on, we have gathered some of the most frequently asked questions of the people regarding this topic.

We have tried to answer these questions with our best knowledge.

Frequently Asked Question (FAQ)

Why can I run on a treadmill but not outside?

Running outside is physically harder than running on a treadmill as a belt aids in the movement of the person on the treadmill while the person has to put his or her own effort while running outside.

One can get a hang of it if he or she breathes properly and takes time.

How much harder is running outside than on a treadmill?

Running outside is analytically harder than running on a treadmill owing to the wind resistance involved while running outside which requires additional effort.

To match the conditions required, the treadmill is generally set at about 1% higher incline than usual.

What treadmill incline is equivalent to running outside?

A 1% higher inclination than normal is best suited to match the conditions of outside.

This 1% higher inclination makes up for the wind resistance and other factors which we experience outside.

Is it OK to run a treadmill every day?

It is fine to run on a treadmill every day owing to the condition that one does not overdo it.

It is fine to walk every day with high inclines if one does not over exceed the limit.

Why do I run slower on the treadmill than outside?

The treadmill belt makes the person use his or her hamstring muscle less than usual.

Instead, it makes the usage of the quads more. This change may happen to slow one’s speed while running outside.

The Conclusion

The correct option between outside running and treadmill running is really of a subjective nature.

Some may find it comfortable to run on a treadmill while some may find it comfortable to run outside.

There is no definite choice between the two. If one is looking for a more enjoyable experience we would recommend outside running.

On the other hand, if one is looking for a more organized workout, treadmill running is the way to go.