Treadmills are one of the most recognizable pieces of exercise equipment with a pretty straightforward working structure: the track moves under your feet so that you can run in place. Now, with passive electricity-free treadmills, eco-friendly treadmills, curved track treadmills, and anti-gravity treadmills; who would have thought that there were so many variations?
Underwater treadmills either entail a treadmill inside a tank or else a passive treadmill that is placed inside a pool of water. The basic idea is that these traedmills can offer a standard aerobic workout along with elements of muscle strengthening, weightless comfort, and resistance that the normal treadmill cannot offer.
Underwater treadmills are not designed for everybody. These treadmills are usually used as a rehabilitation tool– usually for those suffering for motion-limiting pain such as sore joint.
In addition, these treadmills are used almost as often for treating cat, dogs and other animals. Racing horses sometimes need this treatment to stay in shape and fill out their demanding exercise regimens.
So how do these work in your daily life as a runner? Two ways: injured athletes can use these systems to exercise without joint pain, and training athletes can use them to increase aerobic capacity, improve flexibility or to build leg muscles.
Injured runners can benefit from these treadmills since the buoyancy in water leads to less joint pounding than an average aerobic workout. Other athletes can benefit from these treadmills too by taking advantage of water resistance.
One advocate of underwater treadmills explains, “the harder you push, the harder the water pushes back. Underwater exercises also offer multi-directional resistance which is another great benefit that underwater treadmills can offer.