It's a humbling time of year for treadmill haters. You can spot us in the gym on frigid days, heads hung low, refreshing our weather apps to see when it's going to get warm enough to hit the roads without the risk that our run turns into a cross-country ski.

In theory, if you're an experienced runner, taking your workout from the outdoors to the tread should be fairly seamless. Your running mechanics shouldn't change significantly, says exercise physiologist Heather Milton, MS, RCEP, CSCS, who works with runners at NYU Langone. And the machine can replicate nearly anything you'd do outside—hills, intervals, tempo runs.

But running on a moving belt that's going nowhere certainly feels very different from running outside, both physically and psychologically, and it can take some major getting used to. While taking the time to learn treadmill best practices may feel silly for just a few runs a year on those coldest days, misusing the machine can hold you back from getting the most out of your workout or, at worst, set you up for injury. PSA: That's not just for runners who use the treadmill as a last resort—even those who see it as a regular training partner can build bad habits.

Avoid these common mistakes for safer, more effective treadmill runs that'll have you returning to the roads (or the trails) faster and stronger.

Common Treadmill Mistakes1. Hugging the Front of the Tread

If you're new to the treadmill, it's natural to have a healthy fear of flying off the back (it's rare, but it happens). This, says professional runner and coach with Peak Run Performance Brittany Peterson, causes many runners to hug the front of the tread. And while that's safer than being too far back, it's less-than-ideal for your form—it can hinder your arm swing, shorten your stride, and get in the way of the slight forward lean that's key to proper running mechanics.

To find the sweet spot in the center of the treadmill, allow just enough room in front of you for your arms to have the same natural swing as they would outside. (Some treads will even have marks on the rails designating where your torso should be.) You can also try adding some incline to the tread, suggests running coach Laura Norris, which should encourage that forward lean and nudge you backward, or adding a touch of speed, says Milton. (On the other hand, if you find yourself drifting backward, that's probably a sign that you're trying to go too fast.)

Still worried? Peterson suggests having a friend take a video of you from the side so you can have the visual reassurance that there's plenty of room behind you. For added peace of mind, Norris encourages runners to use the treadmill's safety clip (which you can clip to your clothing and will immediately stop the treadmill should you fall) as you get comfortable on the machine.

2. Going Too Hard

If you've ever tried to go on an "easy" run only to find yourself in a secret race with the first person who dares pass you, you know that overdoing it on speed isn't a problem that's unique to the treadmill. But running faster than you should can be particularly tempting and dangerous on the tread.

"When you're outdoors, you have to get yourself into that speed," says Scott Brown, vice president of fitness at Orangetheory. "The ground isn't moving. Here, the belt is moving. So, you might be overconfident and set the belt at a speed that puts you out of control. The treadmill allows you to override in a way that you can't do outdoors."

Norris says that many runners don't enjoy treadmill running and may want to go faster to get it over with. While it's certainly possible to fall into the comparison trap of running outdoors on the treadmill, it's just so easy to peek at the speed of the runner next to you or feel like your own speed is on display for all to see.

"Speed is relative, and how a run feels to you is everything," says Amber Rees, chief curriculum lead at Barry's. "And it might not be the same as someone next to you, so try not to compare your speeds."

If anything, you should be running slightly slower on the tread than you do outside, says Kate Baird, MA, ACSM-CEP, CSCS, an exercise physiologist at the Hospital for Special Surgery, especially if you're new to the machine. Again, use where you are on the tread to gauge how well you're pacing. If you're hugging the front, you could add some speed; otherwise, pace yourself.

3. Stopping Suddenly

Speed intervals on the tread can make it feel more fun and less like slogging in place. But unlike when you're outside and can control your own deceleration, you have to wait for the belt to slow down on the tread.

That's why it's not uncommon to see runners "jumping the rails"—hopping to the sides of the tread as the belt continues to move, which could lead to injury—or pulling the emergency cord, which is meant for true emergencies only (the sudden stopping can be dangerous for you and whoever is hopping on the treadmill after you, as it makes the belt loose and slippery).

Needing to stop your interval so suddenly is probably an indicator that you're going too fast and are out of control. "If you feel that you're running so fast that you need to hop off, run at a slower speed," says Rees. "Which is tough for some runners to hear."

Even when running at your fastest, you should be able to use the buttons to bring your speed down gradually, she says. Remember to account that the tread takes a few seconds to speed up and slow down when you're structuring your workout.

4. Not Adjusting for Conditions

There's a common misconception that you should be able to run faster on the tread than you do outside. It's a controlled environment: No wind resistance, no hills (unless you create them), no uneven sidewalks, no extreme temperatures.

While that may sometimes be true, gyms are environments with their own sets of conditions, and ignoring that could leave you struggling to keep up with your workout or disappointed that your splits are slower than usual.

Take the temperature: While in the summer, the gym may be a cool respite from the heat, in the winter, the gym will likely be significantly warmer than outside, points out Norris. If you aren't acclimated to those higher temps—which you probably aren't in the winter—you'll likely notice that they make running feel more effortful.

There's also the belt, which, depending on the treadmill, will likely be more forgiving for runners used to running on concrete but harder than a trail runner's go-to dirt surfaces, says Milton. Counterintuitively, the fact that the treadmill is so controlled could make your run feel harder: Baird points out that long, steady efforts on the tread might challenge city runners used to weaving around pedestrians and stopping at lights.

"You may find that it's hard to keep a constant pace for some of those runs that would normally have natural stops and ebbs and flows," she says. "Be aware of it, give yourself grace, and adjust. Don't go into it expecting a one-for-one."

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