The Dreadmill
Relax. Lean in. Focus on the rhythm.
The secret elixir of form, function and speed.
Treadmills are a tool. Used well, they’re a damn good one.
Used poorly or abused, they become a torture trap—the dreadmill. A fast track to mental deterioration and self-flagellation instead of growth.
So let’s focus on the latter. I’m gonna give you a few hacks to make this not just viable, but important.
Form, function, flavour. Make the fucking thing work for you instead of you working for it. Let’s move back to the tread, not the dread.
Hack one:
At 1–2% incline, a treadmill helps you focus on lean angle. You learn to fall forward into your stride, naturally upping your cadence. The belt doubles down, forcing your turnover.
Relax. Lean in. Focus on the rhythm.
That transfers beautifully to the road and to running off the bike, with that forced turnover.
Hack two:
Go buy yourself a full-length mirror.
What the hell for, you say?
Instant feedback. How often do you get to see your form in real time? Micro-adjustments made that you can feel instantly.
This carries over to the bike ergo session for the same obvious reason.
See it. Feel it.
There are some amazing free speed apps I’m keeping to myself—but you don’t need me to find your own hacks.
Get into it!!
Grant Giles coaches a small number of athletes one-to-one, writes this newsletter from Brunswick Heads, and hosts The Roaring Heads. If this piece resonated, a letter in the post every couple of weeks is the best way to keep in touch.