The belt is a load that never lets up
A treadmill does not simply spin an empty loop. As the belt moves, its underside slides over the deck, and the rollers and bearings turn against resistance. The motor must continually supply enough torque—the twisting force that keeps the belt moving—to overcome that drag.
A runner adds another demand. Each footfall presses the belt against the deck, increasing friction at the moment the motor is trying to maintain speed. The motor responds by drawing more electrical power. Faster speeds, heavier loading, or a treadmill that is poorly maintained can increase the work it has to do.
Why a refrigerator may draw less at a given moment
A refrigerator’s compressor works in cycles. It switches on to remove heat from inside the cabinet, then stops once the temperature is low enough; insulation slows the return of heat. So even when the refrigerator is plugged in all day, its compressor is not necessarily running at full effort all day.
A treadmill, by contrast, draws power while its motor is actively driving the belt. The comparison is therefore about power at a moment, not automatically about which appliance uses more electricity over an entire day. Total energy depends on how long each appliance runs and how hard it is working.
That distinction explains the surprising comparison: a short workout can demand more power than a refrigerator does at that instant, while the refrigerator’s long, intermittent operation determines its own total consumption over time.
