when working on an incline do you feel that you have to stay right at the top of the incline or front part of the treadmill or is running in the middle of the treadmill still getting the max potential of the incline? I just feel like I am cheating if I run back and in the middle of the treadmill.
treadmill incline?
- Thread starter laura35
- Start date
meowracer
Cathlete
Laura - I do not have the answer for you, but I do feel the same way. I would think that the closer you are to the front, the higher the incline b/c it makes a right triangle, basically, so the angle of the tread part does decrease as it moves towards the back. I got my TM b/c it had the 15% incline and I just don't want to cheat myself of that.
Vee
Cathlete
Laura,
I try to strike my front foot close to the top.
If you are the middle you are at a lower incline than what you have set. You may as well run/walk on a lower incline.
I also dont like running/walking in the middle of the treadmill because it shortens my stride length. When I run/walk outdoors my stride is naturally longish. It feels safer to mimic my natural stride if I am striking the front foot close to the top of the treadbelt.
~* Vrinda *~
I try to strike my front foot close to the top.
If you are the middle you are at a lower incline than what you have set. You may as well run/walk on a lower incline.
I also dont like running/walking in the middle of the treadmill because it shortens my stride length. When I run/walk outdoors my stride is naturally longish. It feels safer to mimic my natural stride if I am striking the front foot close to the top of the treadbelt.
~* Vrinda *~
materialsgirl
Cathlete
I am going be the voice of dissent here. Math is one of my strong suits - I'm an engineer. So I'll back up my claim with numbers:
It should not matter where you are on the treadmill when it is inclined, assuming your stride length is constant. The incline is the same across the entire length of the belt - that is, if the incline is 10% (for simplicity's sake), the belt rises 1 inch for every 10 inches of length, regardless of where you are on the belt. So if your stride length is 30", no matter where you run on the length of that belt, you will still be raising your foot to accomodate a 3" rise. You may even be cheating yourself by running at the front/top of the belt, because it may cause you to shorten your stride length, which effectively reduces the rise you have to gain with each step.
I realize it's hard to visualize without a diagram, so if my explanation is still unclear, I'd be happy to draw up a diagram and post it here. I'm just that geeky. Just know that you are getting the same workout on any portion of your treadmill IF you are maintaining a constant stride length.
It should not matter where you are on the treadmill when it is inclined, assuming your stride length is constant. The incline is the same across the entire length of the belt - that is, if the incline is 10% (for simplicity's sake), the belt rises 1 inch for every 10 inches of length, regardless of where you are on the belt. So if your stride length is 30", no matter where you run on the length of that belt, you will still be raising your foot to accomodate a 3" rise. You may even be cheating yourself by running at the front/top of the belt, because it may cause you to shorten your stride length, which effectively reduces the rise you have to gain with each step.
I realize it's hard to visualize without a diagram, so if my explanation is still unclear, I'd be happy to draw up a diagram and post it here. I'm just that geeky. Just know that you are getting the same workout on any portion of your treadmill IF you are maintaining a constant stride length.
SirenSongWoman
Cathlete
>I am going be the voice of dissent here. Math is one of my
>strong suits - I'm an engineer. So I'll back up my claim with
>numbers:
>
>It should not matter where you are on the treadmill when it is
>inclined, assuming your stride length is constant. The
>incline is the same across the entire length of the belt -
>that is, if the incline is 10% (for simplicity's sake), the
>belt rises 1 inch for every 10 inches of length, regardless of
>where you are on the belt. So if your stride length is 30",
>no matter where you run on the length of that belt, you will
>still be raising your foot to accomodate a 3" rise. You may
>even be cheating yourself by running at the front/top of the
>belt, because it may cause you to shorten your stride length,
>which effectively reduces the rise you have to gain with each
>step.
>
>I realize it's hard to visualize without a diagram, so if my
>explanation is still unclear, I'd be happy to draw up a
>diagram and post it here. I'm just that geeky. Just know
>that you are getting the same workout on any portion of your
>treadmill IF you are maintaining a constant stride length.
>
Until I read your response I never really thought about it. Now that I have I totally get what you're saying. If you think about it, the entire belt is tilted at the same degree, regardless of where you choose to position yourself. Huh...
>strong suits - I'm an engineer. So I'll back up my claim with
>numbers:
>
>It should not matter where you are on the treadmill when it is
>inclined, assuming your stride length is constant. The
>incline is the same across the entire length of the belt -
>that is, if the incline is 10% (for simplicity's sake), the
>belt rises 1 inch for every 10 inches of length, regardless of
>where you are on the belt. So if your stride length is 30",
>no matter where you run on the length of that belt, you will
>still be raising your foot to accomodate a 3" rise. You may
>even be cheating yourself by running at the front/top of the
>belt, because it may cause you to shorten your stride length,
>which effectively reduces the rise you have to gain with each
>step.
>
>I realize it's hard to visualize without a diagram, so if my
>explanation is still unclear, I'd be happy to draw up a
>diagram and post it here. I'm just that geeky. Just know
>that you are getting the same workout on any portion of your
>treadmill IF you are maintaining a constant stride length.
>
Until I read your response I never really thought about it. Now that I have I totally get what you're saying. If you think about it, the entire belt is tilted at the same degree, regardless of where you choose to position yourself. Huh...
Vee
Cathlete
Emily,
You are so right.
At first I did not get it because the further away I am from the "base" of the angle the higher I seem. Then I thought of a 90 degree angle and it made perfect sense. I would be perpendicular to the floor if I could run up a wall whether I was near the floor, or near the ceiling! It all clicked.
I dont get why running at the top shortens stride length though. You have the entire treadbelt behind you, for your stride, the higher you position yourself, isnt it? The more to the rear I position myself, the more scared I get that I may fall off, and that makes me shorten my stride. I can only stride "long" with peace of mind at the top. What am I missing?
~* Vrinda *~
You are so right.
At first I did not get it because the further away I am from the "base" of the angle the higher I seem. Then I thought of a 90 degree angle and it made perfect sense. I would be perpendicular to the floor if I could run up a wall whether I was near the floor, or near the ceiling!
It all clicked. I dont get why running at the top shortens stride length though. You have the entire treadbelt behind you, for your stride, the higher you position yourself, isnt it? The more to the rear I position myself, the more scared I get that I may fall off, and that makes me shorten my stride. I can only stride "long" with peace of mind at the top. What am I missing?
~* Vrinda *~
materialsgirl
Cathlete
>I dont get why running at the top shortens stride length
>though. You have the entire treadbelt behind you, for your
>stride, the higher you position yourself, isnt it? The more to
>the rear I position myself, the more scared I get that I may
>fall off, and that makes me shorten my stride. I can only
>stride "long" with peace of mind at the top. What am I
>missing?
Vee,
I am only speaking for myself and MY stride and biomechanics - but when I run up close to the front of the treadmill, I shorten my stridelength, almost unconsciously, because I don't want my legs to hit the front of the treadmill. So I don't stretch them out in front of me as far. I'm talking more about the forward part of the stride, rather than the backward part. For me, that's never an issue because I have short legs and my treadmill has a really long belt. The most natural and comfortable place for me to run is right smack in the middle of the belt, so my legs can stretch out in both the forward and backward directions. Does that make sense?
>though. You have the entire treadbelt behind you, for your
>stride, the higher you position yourself, isnt it? The more to
>the rear I position myself, the more scared I get that I may
>fall off, and that makes me shorten my stride. I can only
>stride "long" with peace of mind at the top. What am I
>missing?
Vee,
I am only speaking for myself and MY stride and biomechanics - but when I run up close to the front of the treadmill, I shorten my stridelength, almost unconsciously, because I don't want my legs to hit the front of the treadmill. So I don't stretch them out in front of me as far. I'm talking more about the forward part of the stride, rather than the backward part. For me, that's never an issue because I have short legs and my treadmill has a really long belt. The most natural and comfortable place for me to run is right smack in the middle of the belt, so my legs can stretch out in both the forward and backward directions. Does that make sense?
materialsgirl
Cathlete
Okay, here's a really crappy diagram - not to scale. Think of it as a side-view of an inclined treadmill. Stride-length is show in red. As you can see, whether you run at the top or the bottom of the incline, you still have a rise of 3" (at a 10% incline). Does this help?
http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r19/materialsgirl/treadmill-1.jpg
Think of it as a side-view of an inclined treadmill. Stride-length is show in red. As you can see, whether you run at the top or the bottom of the incline, you still have a rise of 3" (at a 10% incline). Does this help?http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r19/materialsgirl/treadmill-1.jpg