Discussion: Treadmills - benefits to running with incline?

Due to some injuries (obviously I would rather be running on trails), I've been running on the gym treadmill.

I've read somewhere, that running with a slight incline can be better for form. So, I pose the question, what experience or research do people have with running on treadmills with a slight incline? Does it help mimic a hill at all? Does it help with better stride?

I run on treadmills a lot. And I am curious about the answer to your question. Unfortunately, I have no idea, but I would like to know, too.

I'm not sure about form, but I find that if I set the incline at 0.5%, I get almost identical times/HR as I would on a track. I think that incline is just enough to balance the lack of wind resistance. Of course, a faster runner than I might have to incline it further.

As for hill training, some coaches prefer hill training on the treadmill so your body doesn't have to endure the pounding coming back down. However, as descents are a big part of our sport, I think it's best to do hill training in the terrain.

I've always arbitrarily used 1%, just because it seemed about right for the equivalent road running pace/effort.

There's a whole set of charts in Daniels Running Formula about running at different treadmill grades to get certain efforts. There's also this explanation:

"To adjust for the lack of work that you would experience by running against a headwind, I advise adding a 1 to 2 percent grade (I prefer a 2 percent grade) to the treadmill; this also reduces landing shock slightly and is better than adjusting the workload by running faster than you would during overground running."

Also noted is that without any wind your HR might be higher than it would for the same effort outside.

I've seen lots of people use high grades on a treadmill for both hill training (no downhill-induced fatigue) and injury recovery. Seems to work, though YMMV.

Also less impact force transmitted on your shins - with a 1-2% incline "standard" as everyone's said above. Those with shin soreness find the incline enables them to run on a treadmill when they cannot with it flat. Less foot slap too ie. less eccentric work for the shin muscles that stop your forefoot whacking the ground hard.

For last couple years I like to do lunch break "inclined intervals" on the treadmill.
Usually go for 30 minutes split on 10x2x1.5 min intervals
high is 15% @ 6mph followed by low 3% @ 4.5 mph
Personal feeling is very good and improvement is very well "feel-able" on the track and during the races.
Added benefit is that I do not need to run too fast to be unsafe. (Anything faster than 7mph feels unsafe on the treadmill for me)

My reasoning is: downhill is part of the sport; but still I magically always have power to descent but rarely can climb a hill without loss of breath and speed, so disproportional uphill training seems like a reasonable idea...

downhill treadmill running. the ultimate training.

Yes, fast running on a treadmill does feel unsafe.

Also, not that it is too important, you will get sweatier on a treadmill than otherwise as 1) you have no breeze, and 2) it is generally warmer (unless you are in Arizona.) So, get a towel.

Or a really big fan and blow sweat spray all over everbody else in the gym.

I've recently begun choosing the 'random hill' program on the Y treadmill with a max speed of 7.5 mph and max incline of 5.5%. (20-28 min) Very roughly once a minute, the machine changes with the extremes being 7.5 at 0% to 6.0 at 5.5%. Pretty equal exertions with the speed being a bit harder workout for me (even though I hate uphills outdoors). I like the variety.

Admission: "I hang on." - even though heart-rate monitor keeps warning me not too. :) I otherwise feel very wobbly on treadmill and have to focus too much on starbility - partly because of balance and speed; partly because I like the distractions of TV's. The lack of arm-swinging doesn't bother me - for same speed, I'm probably not working quite as hard.

I've used the treadmill (in our basement) a lot for training ... and I do use 1.0 incline as my 'normal - flat' and treat 0.5 and 0.0 as 'downhill' in my mind. I have done some hills, but find that the steeper I go the less like 'real running' it feels. I did use the 10-15% range when training for Mt. Washington (all up), and then I kept it slowish. I tend to like 5-8% for 'hills.'

But I disagree that fast on the treadmill feels unsafe. I do a lot of interval training on the treadmill - up to 12mph is fine on my treadmill (at 1% incline). I think the quality of the treadmill probably makes a difference here though! I use my arms exactly as I do when I'm running, and I only hang on when I am trying to push the 'speed down' button at the end of an interval ... or fiddle with the TV remote!

no seriously. downhill running can be more effective for training, although has its risks.

the winner of this years 6 foot track race (a famous ultra bush marathon just out of Sydney) did an epic downhill treadmill training session a couple of weeks before the race and swears thats what made the difference. He ran VERY fast. there is physiological evidence for this training as well, its not fanciful.

Any links to any research articles Fat Rat - would make interesting reading? Not the simple downhill-eccentric-is-good stuff, but intervention style if any?

To add some thoughts- I'm a fan and agree with much of what has been said and particularly with Kristen's comments - found a commercial treadmill in a London gym last year that could do 24 kph (4min/mile)- more than enough for the speed freak in me!
On the pro side, treadmill running builds discipline to keep going at the set speed or incline- so great for tempo, intervals and simulated hill running . You can add a surprising amount of variety (eg 2% for 6 mins, then 4%, 6 %, 8% for same then down 1 % each succeeding minute; and/or increase a given speed step every 1-2 mins etc etc). On the con side, you have to focus on maintaining good form as it can lead to bad habits (as can any other training of course) and feeling insecure at speed.
So taken together here are my dos:
1. Select a treadmill with long enough platform for your stride (height)
2. Make sure it has a tread in good condition
3. Use a minimum default 1% grade for condition compensation and stress reduction
4. Build up gradually ie get a feel for it
5. Mix it up- ie play with the workouts (check our Runner's World archives for good advice on treadmill selection and suggested workouts- there was a great article a couple of years back)
NB Worth having regular calibrations if you are interested in comparisons over time as the belt will wear and give a false sense of performance.

Just to add a little more to the effectiveness of treadmill hill training. I train for ultras and some mountain races. We don't have any hills longer than about 800meters in length where I live, so I have incorporated uphill tempo runs on the treadmill in the past with good success. I've increased gradually up to 10-15% over a period of weeks and the continous running as well. I started with just 10mins with a regular rest intervals, but have increased up to 30mins continuous now. I will add more to this in the future as well. Good for us flatlanders...now if I could just breath oxygen from 10,000ft equiv.

Tooms - not sure there are any specific intervention style papers like you are looking for. interested in filling a void?