Hey Rick, Don't tend to have time to read or write long posts, so in a nutshell... I also worked at a Frappier-based facility early in my career so understand the premise very well. My concerns with treadmills are many, but include - a. Force Production - FP on a moving surface is significantly different than on a field or track. This is one of the main reasons that the fastest linear athletes in the world (sprinters) do not train on treadmills. b. Change of Direction - Cutting, looping and other directional changes are part of all sports. That is why the 'speed' work my athletes endure involves learning angular positioning when changing direction. This refers back to 'a' - force production refers to not only traveling linearly, but laterally and diagonally also. A recent study showed that ACL injuries occur during a cutting motion via a valgus, not saggital, motion at the knee. Avoiding valgus is part of the angular positioning that young athletes need to be taught. Treadmills can't accommodate this multi-directional approach to speed and angular force training. c. Deceleration - Preventing injury and learning appropriate (optimal) directional change ability is routed in deceleration. Deceleration technique is not taught on high-speed treadmills. In fact, last time I saw a Frappier clinic in action, athletes were jumping on and off the moving treadmill - So, initiating force production and decelerating the systemic unit were not involved in the teaching process. Those are both tremendously important issues with respect to developing an athlete. d. Plyo-step - A plyo-step is a brief, often backwards step that an athlete will take when they initiate force to propel themselves. The plyo-step is a self-regulating neural feature that is crucial to orienting the athlete. Jumping on and off a moving treadmill quite obviously does not include a plyo-step. My concern with treadmills goes beyond these points, but to summarize, I am typically against any artificial environment with respect to training young athletes. Weight training machines are held in much the same light. My largest concern with fitness machines is similar to my concern with treadmills - they don't transfer to real-time sport participation. Even if study's show that kids become faster as the result of treadmill usage, it must be understood that linear speed is not itself a commodity when it comes to transfer to a soccer pitch or football field. Anywho, my two cents! Have a great Holiday! - Brian Complete Athletic Development
