Mostly the same work, with a few real differences
The 2020 meta-analysis pooled 33 crossover studies and 494 healthy adults, comparing flat, steady treadmill running with running on the ground. Most measures of stride, joint movement, force and muscle activity did not differ. On the treadmill, runners tended to land with a flatter foot, bend the knee slightly less through stance and bounce a little less, while each foot stayed on the ground a few milliseconds longer. The authors rate most of this evidence as low quality, and they single out the foot strike as the difference to keep in mind.
In practice, a run on the machine trains the same engine and much the same movement as a run outside. To see the machines at one club, look at RPM's cardio area.
Effort and pace on the machine
What the 2019 review of 34 crossover studies found when the same people ran on a motorised treadmill and on the ground.
| Measure | Treadmill compared with the ground |
|---|---|
| Oxygen use at steady paces | Similar, at both a flat setting and a 1 per cent incline |
| Heart rate and perceived effort at steady paces | Higher on the treadmill at faster speeds, lower at slower speeds |
| Blood lactate at steady paces | Lower on the treadmill |
| Endurance time trials | Poorer on a motorised treadmill |
| Sprint speed | Varied widely, with no significant difference |
Twelve of the studies set the treadmill at a 1 per cent incline, a common way to mimic the road. Oxygen use came out similar at 0 and 1 per cent, so either setting is a fair start.
The upshot: do not expect your outdoor pace to feel identical on a belt, or your treadmill pace to carry straight to the road. Judge sessions by effort as well as speed, and give yourself a few runs to settle when you switch.
Terrain, wind and surface
| Factor | Treadmill or gym bike | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|
| Surface | One even belt or a fixed frame | Paving, paths, sand and kerbs, which change from one stretch to the next |
| Hills | Set exactly with the incline or resistance | Whatever the route gives you, and Abu Dhabi's promenades are mostly flat |
| Wind | None | Headwinds and tailwinds that change effort at the same speed |
| Turns and stops | None unless you choose them | Corners, crossings and traffic lights |
| Balance and steering | Not needed on a bike, little on a belt | Part of every outdoor ride and run |
If you are training for an outdoor race, some runs on the real surface prepare you for turns, camber and wind that no belt reproduces.
Control and convenience
- Exact pacing. Intervals, tempo blocks and incline walks run at the number you set, which suits structured sessions.
- Stopping is easy. Water and the changing room are inside the building, and a session can end early without a long walk home.
- No traffic or lighting to plan around, which matters for early starts and late finishes on busy roads.
- One visit, two jobs. A gym puts cardio and weights under the same roof, so a short run can follow a lifting session.
- Outdoors, conditions change the plan. Heat, humidity, dust and air quality all vary, so check the National Center of Meteorology's forecast and warnings before a long session outside.
Heat and humidity raise the strain of exercise, so follow official heat guidance for anything outdoors. The hot months are a case of their own, covered in gym cardio or outdoor running in summer.
Variety and motivation
A 2011 systematic review compared the same walk or run done indoors and in natural settings. Outdoors, people reported more energy and enjoyment and a greater wish to repeat the activity, along with less tension. The authors call the evidence poor in quality, and no study they found measured whether people kept exercising for longer. So the outdoors may feel better on the day, but nobody has shown it keeps you going.
| If boredom is the problem | Try |
|---|---|
| The treadmill feels endless | Blocks of three to five minutes that change speed or incline, so there is always a next target |
| The bike feels flat | Short climbs on the resistance dial, or a spin class |
| Every session is the same | Rotate machines through the week: treadmill, cross-trainer, upright bike |
| You miss the outdoors | Keep one outdoor session a week in the cooler months and do the rest inside |
Which to choose, session by session
| Session or goal | Better fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Intervals at exact speeds | Machine | The pace holds wherever you set it |
| Preparing for an outdoor race | Mostly outdoors when conditions allow | Surface, turns and wind are part of the race |
| A long easy run with friends | Outdoors in the cooler months | Company and scenery make the time pass |
| Cardio straight after weights | Machine | No change of venue |
| Days of heat, dust or poor air | Machine | Conditions indoors stay the same |
Both count. WHO's weekly targets of 150 to 300 minutes of moderate or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous activity make no distinction between a belt and a road. If you have a heart condition, a joint problem or another medical condition, check with a doctor before hard cardio in either setting.
Cardio machines at RPM
RPM is one club, on Level 4 of AD HUB Sports Complex in Al Manhal. The photos show treadmills, cross-trainers and an upright bike along tall windows, and spin bikes in the functional area. The women-only Ladies section has cardio equipment of its own.
- Rowers and stair climbers are not confirmed, so ask before planning around them.
- Group classes run in both sections and the timetable changes, so ask which spin or conditioning classes are on.
- Judging a cardio area at any gym? The cardio equipment checklist covers machine mix, condition and availability.
Sources
- Van Hooren B, et al. Is motorized treadmill running biomechanically comparable to overground running? A systematic review and meta-analysis of cross-over studies. Sports Medicine, 2020
- Miller JR, et al. A systematic review and meta-analysis of crossover studies comparing physiological, perceptual and performance measures between treadmill and overground running. Sports Medicine, 2019
- Thompson Coon J, et al. Does participating in physical activity in outdoor natural environments have a greater effect on physical and mental wellbeing than physical activity indoors? Environmental Science and Technology, 2011
- UAE National Center of Meteorology, weather forecast and warnings map
Questions, answered.
Does treadmill running count the same as running outside?
For WHO's weekly minutes, yes. Both are aerobic activity, and the 2020 meta-analysis found most running mechanics were comparable between the two.
Should I set the treadmill to a 1 per cent incline?
It is a common setting in research. In the 2019 review, oxygen use at steady paces was similar at 0 and 1 per cent, so use whichever feels closer to your outdoor effort.
Why does my pace feel different on the treadmill?
The 2019 review found heart rate and perceived effort ran higher on the treadmill at faster steady speeds and lower at slower ones. Endurance time trials were also poorer on a motorised treadmill.
Is a gym bike the same as cycling on the road?
It trains the same kind of aerobic fitness, but without wind, hills, steering or traffic. Use the resistance dial to create the climbs a flat indoor ride lacks.