THE SHOCKING TRUTH ABOUT THE ORIGINS OF THE TREADMILL

The first US patent for a treadmill "training machine" was issued in 1913 but running was reserved primarily for athletes until the 1960’s when the “jogging” boom kicked off primarily due to the efforts of Dr Kenneth Cooper who popularized and coined the phrase "aerobics" in 1966.

It wasn't long after this that the first commercially available home treadmill was created. But have you ever wondered why a treadmill is called a treadmill and not a running machine?

The concept of the treadmill, or tread-wheel has been with us for at least 4000 years. The tread-wheel provides an opportunity to turn physical effort into a concentrated form of energy. This energy can be used in many ways. The effort required to create this energy transfer would typically be arduous, boring work. Sound familiar?

It was for the above reason that in 1818, using the design of civil engineer Sir William Cubitt, the “Tread-wheel” was created and used to reform lazy, stubborn convicts.

The machine consisted of "twenty-foot long paddle wheels with twenty-four steps around a six-foot cylinder. Several prisoners stood side-by-side on a wheel, and had to work six or more hours a day, effectively climbing 5,000 to 14,000 vertical feet."

Initially used solely as a means of punishment, some bright spark though "why not use this energy and turn our convicts into human oxen?"

Treated like human donkeys, convicts would walk side by side along a large wooden cylinder. This action was used to mill grain or pump water. Hence the term “tread” “mill.”

The machine persisted for some time until it was deemed too torturous.

“Monotonous steadiness, and not its severity, which constitutes its terror.”

New York prison guard James Hardie