Treadmill Training for RunnersThere are many reasons to run or walk on a treadmill. It may be a way to get a workout in when the weather particularly awful, or bad knees may not be able to take a pounding, or the person exercising just likes to watch television while working out. However, working out on a treadmill is not the same as working out outside. This week I am going to talk about some common treadmill mistakes.

The fourth mistake: Not running with a natural stride.

It is not uncommon for people to have one of two major problems with their stride length.

First, they may be afraid that they are going to fall off of the back and will run up at the front of the belt on the treadmill, which means they have a really short stride. Second, they may be near the back of the belt using a long stride. Others may switch up between the two depending upon how much attention you are paying.

Neither way of running are particularly good for you, or helpful. A short and choppy stride or a long and reaching stride can both make it easier to injure yourself. If you are near the front of the treadmill, you can easily go too far forward and kick the front or step off of the belt. If you are near the back, it is not a big stretch of the imagination to see yourself falling off of the treadmill altogether.