Treadmills

[nutkey]

Useless right? But I live in Cambridge... My local "hill" is Royston Heath and is obviously the best thing around for training, but at best I can get there once a week. Is there any point supplementing this with some long treadmill sessions at max incline (15% so steeper than anything within 50miles...), or am I wasting my time? I can train for four hours a week tops, so am keen to maximise quality!

Aiming to do Edale, which is mostly smooth ground so the treadmill seems like it might be useful - but then a long one in the Lakes in the summer - maybe Ennerdale or Borrowdale, which have a fair bit of climbing so again the treadmill suggests itself (Royston Heath has about 50m if that...)

Thoughts? Yes, I'd love to move somewhere hillier but it's not on the cards! I can't use the steps in the local multi-storey too much because a) it's even more boring than a treadmill and b) I've already been asked to leave once by security...

[zephr]

something is better than nothing. If you can get on a stepping machine as well, all the better.

put the running machine on the highest incline and run as hard as you can for as long as you can. that should be amusing.
either that, or in the same vein, intervals 1m hard, 1m easy for 15 mins. that'll make your legs wish youd never seen a treadmill.

[plodding bear]

I should think it's a fairly good way of getting some climbing fitness. Something you could add though, is some random rocks and things stuck onto the belt, maybe get a fan blowing in your face and stick the whole contraption in the shower, with the water set to cold, to simulate the 'real thing'...

[IanDarkpeak]

Useless right? But I live in Cambridge... My local "hill" is Royston Heath and is obviously the best thing around for training, but at best I can get there once a week. Is there any point supplementing this with some long treadmill sessions at max incline (15% so steeper than anything within 50miles...), or am I wasting my time? I can train for four hours a week tops, so am keen to maximise quality!

Aiming to do Edale, which is mostly smooth ground so the treadmill seems like it might be useful - but then a long one in the Lakes in the summer - maybe Ennerdale or Borrowdale, which have a fair bit of climbing so again the treadmill suggests itself (Royston Heath has about 50m if that...)

Thoughts? Yes, I'd love to move somewhere hillier but it's not on the cards! I can't use the steps in the local multi-storey too much because a) it's even more boring than a treadmill and b) I've already been asked to leave once by security...

I'd say it was better than nothing but mix some stepper in there as thats steeper still (the revolving stairs machine).

[CL]

Useless right? But I live in Cambridge... My local "hill" is Royston Heath and is obviously the best thing around for training, but at best I can get there once a week. Is there any point supplementing this with some long treadmill sessions at max incline (15% so steeper than anything within 50miles...), or am I wasting my time? I can train for four hours a week tops, so am keen to maximise quality!

Aiming to do Edale, which is mostly smooth ground so the treadmill seems like it might be useful - but then a long one in the Lakes in the summer - maybe Ennerdale or Borrowdale, which have a fair bit of climbing so again the treadmill suggests itself (Royston Heath has about 50m if that...)

Thoughts? Yes, I'd love to move somewhere hillier but it's not on the cards! I can't use the steps in the local multi-storey too much because a) it's even more boring than a treadmill and b) I've already been asked to leave once by security...

You'd be wasting your time nutkey because you cannot mimick the effects of gravity by running on the spot; that is essentially what you are doing on a running machine regardless of the gradient.

What would be better is to supplement your normal running with twice weekly gym sessions that thoroughly work the main climbing muscles. Don't go too heavy or too light but attempt to move at a good pace without resorting to poor form. In other words work smoothly and move from exercise to exercise with little in the way of a rest.

20 minutes is plenty and will go someway to helping you when you move onto hilly ground. This work is demanding so it is better to under-do it than over-do it.

[Mark Smith]

The cross trainer on max gradient and resistance is surprisingly similar to a steep fell climb. Not the same but similar. Hard work and done at a walk unless you're superman. It works. Got me round a winter epic when working in flatville

[that_fjell_guy]

I think I've said elsewhere that the cross trainer has certainly benifited my hill strength.

[stevefoster]

Squats? Can be done anytime, anywhere.

[Derby Tup]

The cross trainer on max gradient and resistance is surprisingly similar to a steep fell climb. Not the same but similar. Hard work and done at a walk unless you're superman. It works. Got me round a winter epic when working in flatville

Cross trainer and treadmill set to max incline are well worth using to supplement flat trail running imho

[Deadlegs]

You'd be wasting your time nutkey because you cannot mimick the effects of gravity by running on the spot; that is essentially what you are doing on a running machine regardless of the gradient.

Are you sure?

Why is it harder to run on a treadmill inclined than flat? Think you are wrong here CL.