The Treadmill, a tool of torture
/
Image provided by unsplash.com and taken by Ryan De Hamer
The treadmill is one of the most valuable tools used for exercising. It improves stamina, enhancing legs muscles as well. So, why was it used as a torture device in the 18th century? A tool of torture or an instrument for benefits? Let’s take a look at the origin of the Treadmill.
Treadmills have been around since the height of the Roman empire. Before they were called treadmills, they were called tread-wheels. They used it to transport heavy loads, by replacing the crane with a wheel where people would walk on to lift the materials to their designated places. It was a tool of transportation before it was a tool for torture, or to improve the human body.
In the 18th century, William Cubitt, a civil engineer who created prisoner’s treadmills, was later tasked to oversee the construction of the crystal palace. His invention was infamous among prisons as a tool of rehabilitation. However, the most popular version of his treadmill was in Brixton Prison in London. It was a giant wheel that could host up to 24 prisoners at once. These contraptions were used primarily to grind up corn, sometimes for up to ten hours a day. Later, a wall would be added between each prisoner to prevent them from socializing. The Prisons Act of 1889 abolished this practice.
The treadmill that we know today did not exist until the 1960s. Early 19th century treadmills were mainly used for medical, primarily to measure heart rate and lung condition. William Staub, a mechanical engineer, was inspired by the book "Aerobics" written by Dr. Kenneth Copper, which explains that improvement and the benefits of improving the body's fitness. The two spearheaded the production of the earliest treadmill PaceMaster 600 in the public market. By the 1980s, they had sold 35,000 units per year. The idea that you could own a device that could be put inside your own home while bringing your body to fitness and health was appealing to customers. They didn't have to jog or walk in the scorching heat instead, and they could comfortably exercise inside.
From the lowest and cruel functionality regarding the Treadmale in human history as a torture device to rehabilitating prisoners, it makes its way to millions of gyms worldwide utilized it regulairly. Of course, you don't expect a tool of your everyday life to be used for an atrocious act like torture. Nevertheless, the Treadmill outweighs its grim history by its benefits.
Thomas Arcilla
A 2nd professional writing student who loves video games and sushi. He writes a lot of novels but never finishes them. However, he promised to end them eventually, at least one of them.
