Burn more fat? Be healthier? Which one should you choose: outdoor running or running in the gym?

Another spring is here. Attracted by the beautiful spring scenery, many sports enthusiasts are willing to step out of their rooms and experience the joy of sports in the vast nature.

Running is a common form of exercise in life. With the arrival of spring, the temperature gradually rises, and many people move their running locations from indoors to outdoors.

This has also triggered a series of big discussions about running methods - which is more suitable, running on a treadmill or running outdoors?

1. Less effort? Hurting joints? What are the advantages and disadvantages of a treadmill?

When it comes to treadmills, the first thing that comes to mind is that it is located indoors, which means it is not affected by outdoor factors such as weather and temperature. Regardless of whether it is stormy or foggy outside, you can use the treadmill for fitness activities.

In addition, if you compare running on a treadmill with running outdoors, running on a treadmill is more labor-saving and consumes relatively less energy. One reason is that when you run indoors, you are less affected by wind and don't have to fight against wind resistance like when you run outdoors. The other reason is that the exercise method is different. On a treadmill, the human body relies on the back roll of the conveyor belt to exercise the front and back feet, while running on the road requires the body to exert force to move forward.

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However, if you want to simulate outdoor running on a treadmill, you only need to adjust the treadmill track to a 1% slope, so that you can also achieve "outdoor running freedom" on the treadmill. At the same speed, the maximum oxygen uptake and energy consumption of the two are not much different.

The saying that "running on a treadmill will hurt your joints" was once widely circulated. People felt that the track on the treadmill went straight forward, unlike the tracks in real life which had forks and could turn and change in time. They worried that the running posture on the treadmill was too monotonous and might cause injuries.

In fact, such concerns are not without reason. There is evidence that professional long-distance runners who train on treadmills for a long time do not have ideal training conditions for the hamstring muscles. However, there is no need to worry too much, because the amount of exercise that ordinary people do on treadmills is not significantly different from that of outdoor running.

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2. What are the benefits of outdoor running in spring?

Indoor treadmills certainly have many advantages, but there are also many benefits to taking a few outdoor runs in the vibrant spring.

Advantage 1: Sports + eye-catching

Imagine a spring day with flowers blooming and willow trees lush and beautiful scenery changing all the time. You can feel the beauty of nature as you move. Compared with watching videos or static scenery on a treadmill, outdoor running is undoubtedly more interesting. On the other hand, outdoor exercise can relax the eyes and has certain benefits for our vision.

Advantage 2: Exercise + oxygen inhalation

Going outdoors, there is more oxygen in the air. Running in a high-oxygen environment can improve running results and reduce the accumulation of anaerobic lactic acid in the muscles.

Source: Xinhuanet

Advantage 3: Exercise + stress relief

Running outdoors is a stress-relieving method for many people. You can choose to run with new friends you meet on the road or with a few friends, or you can enjoy the fun of running alone.

However, outdoor running also has many limitations. For example, it has requirements on weather. It cannot be done in extremely hot or rainy weather. At the same time, you should also pay attention to staying away from industrial areas and urban car exhaust.

3. What should I pay attention to when running outdoors in spring?

1. Choose a suitable time for running

Generally speaking, running is best done 2 to 3 hours after a meal. In spring, you can choose 4 to 5 p.m., when the muscles of the human body are more fully activated and there is more oxygen outdoors. Of course, people who have been jogging for a long time can still exercise in the morning.

2. Maintain a healthy running frequency

A 12-year study in Denmark involving nearly 1,500 people showed that the healthiest running frequency is less than 144 minutes, which means running about three times a week. Long-term intense exercise is not good for the body. When running outdoors, you must control the amount of running, especially for beginners. At the same time, you must jog and control the pace when running. Only jogging can exercise the cardiopulmonary function and achieve the purpose of running.

Source: Xinhuanet

3. Choose the right running equipment

Although the temperature has risen in spring, the climate changes suddenly, and it is often warm and cold. When running, you can choose warm and windproof clothes. Wearing a hat is also a good choice, which can keep you warm and block the sun.

4. Maintain correct running posture

In fact, what really hurts the knees when running is the lack of warm-up before running or the wrong running posture. Experts have repeatedly emphasized to the public that incorrect running posture will cause damage to the knees and central nervous system. Therefore, when running, you should learn to put your entire foot on the ground, keep your feet and the inner side of your feet in a straight line, and keep your center of gravity in the center of the body. When running, take small steps and run fast, and keep your feet as close to the ground as possible to reduce the impact.

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In short, whether you are running on a treadmill or outdoors, it is most important to learn the correct running posture and control the running frequency. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. Just choose the method you like. If you have enough budget, you can choose to receive more scientific and systematic training in the gym; and when spring comes, it is also good to run in the vast open space.

In addition, remember to warm up before running and stretch after running!

Source: Xinhuanet