Why the Treadmill Might Be the Most Underrated Tool in Training
In the health and fitness world, there's a prevailing sentiment called the appeal to nature—the idea that “natural” things must be good, and “unnatural” things must be inferior.
And it’s hard not to stumble into this logical fallacy.
Many natural things can easily hurt or kill us, and countless items that improve our health and longevity don’t just grow in our backyards. I’m unsure about the options for natural toothbrushes, but I’m confident that my electric one is better. Sunglasses are pretty great, and I was happy to have antibiotics for a case of strep throat.
Similarly, I love my treadmill—despite the scorn it receives for lacking the authenticity of “real” movement and the boredom it supposedly brings.
Don’t get me wrong, I prefer the outdoors and mostly get my fitness in other ways, but I still put the treadmill at the top of my list of ultimate fitness tools.
Why the Treadmill Still Wins
1. It Makes Training Accessible
The treadmill saved me from running in a 110° oven this summer.
I also felt better about running at 6 a.m. with ESPN under my nose at the hotel than navigating the streets of Las Vegas at the last conference I attended.
2. Precision and Specificity
It allows you to control and fine-tune your workouts.
Whether you're a beginner easing into a routine or an experienced athlete chasing performance, the treadmill lets you dial in your training with small, precise increases in intensity.
3. Traffic-Free Workouts
Running in the streets disrupts the flow of your workout and adds risk.
On a treadmill, you can focus entirely on the session—no intersections, no cars, no wrong turns.
4. Multi-Tasking
Sometimes, logging a workout while watching a game or catching up on a podcast is the only way to fit everything into the day.
The Real Advantage: Mental Training
However, my top reason for favoring harder workouts on the treadmill is its ability to challenge your mental limits.
The “40% rule,” popularized by David Goggins, suggests that when you think you’ve reached your limit, you’re only at 40% of your true capacity.
I’m not convinced by the exact number—but the concept holds.
We all feel that mental resistance when fatigue sets in, and the treadmill puts that battle front and center.
On this machine, you make a bet with yourself at a set intensity and you either hold the pace… or you hit the speed-down button and admit defeat.
There are plenty of other ways to dig into that mental fortitude, but I find that this battle is meditative.
When it gets hard, relax your stride, smooth your breath, and keep cruising—as for all things in life, that's the key to pushing past your 40%.
