The Torturous History of Treadmill !!

The constant thud underneath your feet. The constrained space. The monotony of going nowhere, fast. Running on a treadmill can certainly feel like totrture, but did you know it was originally used for that very purpose?

In the 1800’s treadmills were actually created to punish English prisoners. The condition of English prisons were very bad with punishments like execution, deportation and prisoners locked up for a long time in filthy prisons.

Social movements led by philanthropists, religious groups & celebrities like Charles Dickens sought to change this dire conditions. After this new forms of rehabilitation like Treadmills were introduced in English prisons.

It was invented in 1818 by an English engineer named Sir William Cubitt, son of a miller. Prisoners were used to step up a giant 24 spoked wheel and once you take a step you have to keep up with the rotating motion to prevent falling off the wheel. The power thus generated by this used to pump water, crush grains and to run mills and that's how the name Treadmill originated.

The prisoners used to run 6 hrs a day on this treadmills which was equivalent to 6K to 14K feet which is roughly half of the Mount Everest's height. Imagine doing that daily 5 days a week. In 1898 it was banned under the prison act for being excessively cruel.

Thus, in 1970’s when the jogging fever hits the US, the treadmills again came to limelight, but this time for fitness and not to kill prisoners.

So next time you voluntarily subject yourself to what was once a cruel punishment, be glad that you can control when you hop off.