Treadmill endurance?

[Larry Wright]

I am trying to build endurance and I live in a relatively flat area. I know that it is better to train outside but is using an incline on a treadmill just as effective as running uphill? I don't have any hills that are close by enough to train on regularly.

[Steve Forman]

Running on a treadmill is not as effective. however, Crossfit endurance uses treadmills in their WOD. today WOD is a running up hill on a treadmill as a Tabata.

[Mike ODonnell]

I'm not a fan of treadmills...but doing sprint runs of 1-3 minutes (400-800 meters) with recovery period and repeating...will build plenty of endurance for slower paced runs with more distance. I would do 800 meter intervals (possibly the worst distance to run in my book) 1-2x a week and then throw in a longer run at the end of the week. Personally I find it better to run even on flat....vs run on treadmill....but that's just me.

[Dave Van Skike]

Originally Posted by Larry Wright

I am trying to build endurance and I live in a relatively flat area. I know that it is better to train outside but is using an incline on a treadmill just as effective as running uphill? I don't have any hills that are close by enough to train on regularly.

Not sure what you're after but adding a weighted vest and 5-10 flights of stairs works....brutally.

[Gregory L. Johnson]

It would be interesting to know what your goals are, if you are training for anything specific. For example if you were trying to get in condition for climbing mountains you could follow the Crossfit WOD and subtstitute an endurance run once a week while attempting to increase the distance each run. They same idea as Coach Rut's MEBB. Then you could also sub in the incline treadmill and maybe even the Stairmaster when the WOD calls for running. Again, it all depends on what your trying to accomplish.

[Larry Wright]

Originally Posted by Gregory L. Johnson

It would be interesting to know what your goals are, if you are training for anything specific. For example if you were trying to get in condition for climbing mountains you could follow the Crossfit WOD and subtstitute an endurance run once a week while attempting to increase the distance each run. They same idea as Coach Rut's MEBB. Then you could also sub in the incline treadmill and maybe even the Stairmaster when the WOD calls for running. Again, it all depends on what your trying to accomplish.

I am in law enforcement and I am anticipating attending my academy in January. I will be expected to run/jog 1.5 miles on a fairly regular basis. I can do a 1 mile steady jog and I am trying to be proactive and build up to it now instead of later. I am 6'2 290lbs. I have to take this into consideration while running so I don't tear up my knees. I am running/jogging 3-4 times a week. When I run on the treadmill I can tell it's not as taxing on my lungs, heart, etc. It's not always convenient to run outside (time,weather). BTW my goals are to lose weight, build strength and endurance. Trying to lose about 30-60 more lbs. to find the ideal weight. I have already dropped about 90lbs.

[John Vernon]

everyone's getting pushed indoors here in Anchorage.

I've been tinkering with the treadmill when the rowers are being used improperly by my fellow globo gym rats. I can't complain too much as these are actual C2 rowers which you don't see in too many globo's.

I've been doing 1 mile runs set at the first interval setting (equal distances/time). Right now I'm up to a run @ 9.5 mph @ 2% grade (work interval) then jog @ 6 mph @ 6% grade (rest interval).

As it has been noted this is still not as legit as actually moving your body through space but if it's all you got, it's all you got.

[Mike Prevost]

Originally Posted by Larry Wright

I am trying to build endurance and I live in a relatively flat area. I know that it is better to train outside but is using an incline on a treadmill just as effective as running uphill? I don't have any hills that are close by enough to train on regularly.

Larry

The treadmill can be VERY effective. The US Olympic female champ in the marathon trains almost exclusively on the treadmill since she lives in Alaska. The research shows that you need a 1% grade to equal the same load as running on a flat surface outdoors.

For my last 1.5 mile Navy fitness test, I trained exclusively on the treadmill using short, hard intervals. I always run the 1.5 miles in under 9 minutes. Works pretty well. The treadmill is great for intervals because you can't cheat on pace. Just make sure you are using at least a 1% grade to get the same load as running outdoors. I find that if I can maintain say...a 6 minute mile pace at 1% on the treadmill, I can do the same on the road.

J Sports Sci. 1996 Aug;14(4):321-7.

A 1% treadmill grade most accurately reflects the energetic cost of outdoor
running.

Jones AM, Doust JH.

Chelsea School Research Centre, University of Brighton, Eastbourne, UK.

When running indoors on a treadmill, the lack of air resistance results in a
lower energy cost compared with running outdoors at the same velocity. A slight
incline of the treadmill gradient can be used to increase the energy cost in
compensation. The aim of this study was to determine the treadmill gradient that
most accurately reflects the energy cost of outdoor running. Nine trained male
runners, thoroughly habituated to treadmill running, ran for 6 min at six
different velocities (2.92, 3.33, 3.75, 4.17, 4.58 and 5.0 m s-1) with 6 min
recovery between runs. This routine was repeated six times, five times on a
treadmill set at different grades (0%, 0%, 1%, 2%, 3%) and once outdoors along a
level road. Duplicate collections of expired air were taken during the final 2
min of each run to determine oxygen consumption. The repeatability of the
methodology was confirmed by high correlations (r = 0.99) and non-significant
differences between the duplicate expired air collections and between the
repeated runs at 0% grade. The relationship between oxygen uptake (VO2) and
velocity for each grade was highly linear (r > 0.99). At the two lowest
velocities, VO2 during road running was not significantly different from
treadmill running at 0% or 1% grade, but was significantly less than 2% and 3%
grade. For 3.75 m s-1, the VO2 during road running was significantly different
from treadmill running at 0%, 2% and 3% grades but not from 1% grade. For 4.17
and 4.58 m s-1, the VO2 during road running was not significantly different from
that at 1% or 2% grade but was significantly greater than 0% grade and
significantly less than 3% grade. At 5.0 m s-1, the VO2 for road running fell
between the VO2 value for 1% and 2% grade treadmill running but was not
significantly different from any of the treadmill grade conditions. This study
demonstrates equality of the energetic cost of treadmill and outdoor running
with the use of a 1% treadmill grade over a duration of approximately 5 min and
at velocities between 2.92 and 5.0 m s-1.