Selina Koller
Reporter
The roads are covered with that slushy mix of snow and dirt, and it feels like it’s forty degrees below outside. Should you brave the conditions, or run on a treadmill in the warmth?
Though there are advantages to training inside as well as outside, there are also some notable disadvantages. The difficulty is navigating these discrepancies with the understanding that what might be useful for one person may be detrimental to another.
Perhaps most important is the issue of safety. In this respect, indoor training wins out. For even the most coordinated and capable runner, the chances of tripping and falling while running outside are relatively high, due to loose stones, branches, or potholes. Alternatively, the chances of falling on a treadmill are somewhat lower.
Still, it is possible to get hurt training indoors. “…Someone falls off the treadmill about once a week,” Mike T., a personal trainer at the New Canaan YMCA, said. “They step on the rail and the belt is still moving.”
Next is the issue of air quality. Would you rather breathe in deep gulps of fresh, crisp air, or fill your lungs with warm, thick air during an arduous workout? “I would definitely rather train outside despite inclement conditions just because I like the environment better than being cooped up in a gym,” senior Hillary Ashley, a tri-season runner said. Though a matter of preference, many choose not to spend their workout breathing in poorly-ventilated air.
But what about when the air is freezing, and so cold it makes your throat hurt? Air at a lower temperature is thinner and contains less oxygen, eliciting that uncomfortable tightness in your lungs when you try to run. “I personally hate cold weather, so instead of being miserable and not completely focused on what I am doing outside, running or working out indoors is more productive,” junior Henry Eschricht said.
Some are concerned that machines like treadmills and ellipticals don’t provide the same level of intensity in a workout as outside exercise. According to a New York Times article from March 3rd titled “Winter Training: Faster and Safer Indoors?”, there may be some merit in this statement. Running outside means air resistance and running against wind, which requires the body to exert more effort. What this means is that running outside burns more calories and uses a higher level of endurance than running inside at the same pace.
However, how are you supposed to know how many calories you’re even burning? Many treadmills, ellipticals, and a number of other machines can track the number of calories you’ve burned, the distance of your workout, your speed, and your heart rate. “When you run outside, you really don’t know how far you’ve run or how many calories you’ve burned,” Mr. T. said. “You could think you’ve done a lot when you really haven’t. I like the feedback.”
Mr. T. brings up another point of concern regarding health. “On machines like the Stairmaster and crosstrainer, there’s no impact. For runners who run outside there’s an incredible amount of impact, which can quickly lead to blowing out knees or something,” he said. “However, the impact of runing outside can help with bone building and avoiding osteoporosis.”
For people interested in targeting a certain group of muscles, machines are optimal. If you need to strengthen your thigh muscles, the Stairmaster machine can tone those muscles in a few weeks. For increased upper body strength, the rowing machine (colloquially known as the “erg”) allows users to row while conveniently tracking their distance and times. Training outdoors can also offer specialized training, but using machines is far easier and more convenient.
On the other hand, running on a flat surface, or the same incline throughout a workout, always uses the same set of muscles, whereas running on variable terrain outside requires constant altering of uphill and downhill muscles. Rough terrain additionally requires more balance, which strengthens muscles, especially those that support the ankle. “On a machine, there’s no side to side impact,” Mr. T. said. “Muscles move in one direction and there’s no lateral movement. It doesn’t allow you to develop those side-to-side muscles, which can end up leading to other problems.”
Maybe the solution is to train indoors and outdoors, as was suggested by Lacrosse Coach Alex Whitten. “You can focus on different events or practices indoors and outdoors,” he said. “Most weight and strength training happens in a weight room environment which happen to be inside. Conversely, distance training and track efforts typically happen outdoors.”
So, the general consensus regarding indoor and outdoor training? Either will do, and either environment provides a physical workout, and at the end of the day, that’s the objective of outdoor athletes and new gym rats alike.
