Why Does My Treadmill Slow Down?

Treadmills are one of the best indoor exercise tools. It simulates running outside. But, the measurements and your performance might differ from when you run outside. So, you may be wondering, why do I run slower on a treadmill?

The reasoning for this can vary from your mental state, the treadmill’s accuracy, resistance, and much more. But ideally, you should not run slower on a treadmill.

We’ll be answering various questions regarding your speed on a treadmill so that you can run your best on the treadmill with peace of mind.

Is It Normal to Run Slower on a Treadmill?

A surprisingly large number of people have faced the issue of slowing down on a treadmill. You can look up, and you will find tons of forums on the internet talking about it. So based on this, we can conclude that it is pretty normal for you to run slower on a treadmill since many people have faced the same.

Do You Run Slower on a Treadmill?

Naturally, you don’t run slower on a treadmill. A treadmill closely simulates running in real life, and sometimes does a better job at that. The only factors that would affect this are your physical and mental health, and your treadmill’s accuracy.

Here’s why you might feel slower on a treadmill –

Physical Health

Your fitness level and physical health directly impact your running speed. When you feel healthy and fit, your running speed should be the same regardless of whether you’re running on a treadmill or outside.

However, if you’re not feeling as healthy or fit, your running speed may fluctuate, and the results may differ.

Your routine and food consumption also plays a role here. Lack of sleep and oversleeping may affect your running speed.

Also, as you may already know, running before your consumed food has been digested is a bad idea and will slow you down greatly. So make sure to wait 30-60 minutes after having a meal before running.

Mental Health and Conditions

This is by far the most common reason people feel slower on the treadmill. Your mindset plays a huge role while doing anything. A positive mentality will bring out the most in you, while a negative one will only pull you down.

In that case, if you think you run slower on a treadmill, you will run slower on a treadmill. Lack of confidence and motivation is what causes this. So, stop believing that a treadmill will slow you down, and your performance will improve.

Your mental health is also important. So, if you feel down or don’t really feel like going for a run, it will impact your running performance.

Treadmill Accuracy

If you didn’t already know this, your treadmill requires calibration to calculate your pace and distance traveled accurately. So, if you’ve been relying on your treadmill’s output for your running speed and find that slower, your treadmill might need calibration.

Usually, it happens after using a treadmill for a long time. But it can easily be fixed.

Do You Run Faster or Slower on a Treadmill?

You run at your native running speed. Using a treadmill provides a very similar experience to running outside. So, it shouldn’t affect your speed. However, using a treadmill will help you be more consistent, as the treadmill will always run at the same speed.

Whereas outside, your speed depends solely on how fast you run.

Is It Easier to Run Faster on a Treadmill?

No, it requires the same effort as running outside and depends on your own performance. However, there are some perks and disadvantages to running on a treadmill.

Perks

• Consistent speed and accurate tracking
• You can adjust the speed so your improvement will be very noticeable
• Setting an incline will make you work harder while running at the same speed
• Smooth surface of the belt helps you run better

Disadvantages

• Your body temperature will rise very high due to lack of air and wind when compared to running outside
• Running consistently on a treadmill requires some getting used to
• There’s always a small risk of tripping or falling down.

So considering the perks and disadvantages, it really depends on you to decide whether it’s easier or harder. At the end of the day, all of it comes down to personal preference.

Conclusion

We talked about all the possible reasons for your running speed being reduced on a treadmill and answered some very obvious questions. So if you were thinking, why do I run slower on a treadmill? Hope, you have your question answered. It really comes down to your mental state.

So stay positive and don’t give any attention to the myths surrounding treadmills. Your improvement will skyrocket. Let us know if you have any further queries!