Holding handles while using treadmill or other cardio machines...

alondrakayy

Am I getting the most out of the workout if I'm holding on to the handles. Honestly, I never even thought about not holding the handles since I thought it was designed for me to do so. Obviously on a treadmill if you're running fast enough it's nearly impossible, but for the elliptical, bikes, and the stair climber.. do I look dumb doing so?

(Question came from a rant I saw on Reddit)

Thehardmakesitworthit

I do on the stair climber because it is a life safety issue. LOL> 25 minutes in I would fly off the end of the damn thing if I did not. But I dont care if I look dumb holding on.... Of course I am old as hell and no one pays a bit of attention anyway....but I digress. I think you achieve a better workout when you rely on your core and other muscles to hold you in good form. Plus the cardio workout is more vigorous. I guess it is up to individual goals for the work out.

jdlobb

I'm curious as well. I can't walk on a treadmill without putting my hands on the front bar. I don't rest any weight on it, but I just can't swing my arms while I'm walking or I feel unsteady. As soon as I get above about 5mph I have to let go.

TeaBea

You want to work on not holding the handles for a treadmill. This will actually prevent you from swinging your arms "naturally." Look at the handles as something there for the occasional balance check.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/455192-does-it-matter-if-you-hold-on-while-on-a-treadmill/

NorthCascades

I hold the handlebars on my bike. The workout is for my heart, mostly, and comes from using my legs.

cwolfman13

alondrakayy wrote: »

Am I getting the most out of the workout if I'm holding on to the handles. Honestly, I never even thought about not holding the handles since I thought it was designed for me to do so. Obviously on a treadmill if you're running fast enough it's nearly impossible, but for the elliptical, bikes, and the stair climber.. do I look dumb doing so?

(Question came from a rant I saw on Reddit)

Treadmill no...elliptical, not sure what you mean...you should be holding onto the arms that swing so that you are swinging your arms. Bike...I'm a cycling enthusiast and I pretty much always hold onto my handle bars...I've never been on a stair climber in my life, so I have no idea...

manderson27

I only hold the handles on my treadmill when I am checking my pulse as they have a sensor.

amyteacake

It's best to hold the handles for the elliptical since it can feel unsteady if you're not - my opinion anyway. Treadmill I think is okay as well as long as you're not leaning any weight on it and just using it to keep you steady. I feel uneasy sometimes when running or even just walking on the treadmill so I sometimes hold onto the handles to keep myself steady.

GottaBurnEmAll

I can't speak for ellipticals since I can't stand the things, but definitely don't hold on to treadmills. You're not getting the full effect of the work out.

Trust me, if I could get myself trained to not hold on, anyone can. No one in the history of ever has ever been more klutzy, uncoordinated, had more balance issues, or motion sickness issues than me. At the time I first started walking on a treadmill I had also barely given up walking with a cane.

I held on at first, but knew it wasn't ideal. When I decided to stop holding on, I slowed my speed down until I could stop holding on and tried to walk comfortably, and then gradually worked my way back up.

It was worth the investment in time.

So, if you are holding on, that's my advice to you. Pick a very slow speed and let go and walk. If you can't walk without holding on, go slower until you can walk without holding on. Eventually, you'll be able to add speed back. Consider your loss of speed training time.

You are losing a good percentage of your effort input by holding on.

Azdak

Using handrails for support will offset some of the workload (except for a stationary bike). How much depends on the machine, the workload, how much you are holding on, etc.

What is the significance? Again, it depends. Holding on to the handrails will make the calorie count even more inaccurate. That may be an issue or it may not.

If you are doing a moderate pace on a treadmill, for example, and using a light touch on the handrail for balance, then the effect on the workload will be modest. For example, you could walk 3 mph and 7% incline w/out support and 3.4/8% with support and the training difference wouldn't be all that great--it would just mess up the calorie count. If you are one of those people who walks at 4.5 mph and 15% elevation and is holding on to the rails for dear life, then the difference is very significant. There is really no reason to do that, as that workload could be easily replicated at a lower level.

As previous commenter said, there is some benefit to learning to walk on a treadmill unsupported, just for general balance and muscle involvement. (unless, of course, one has a physical issue that requires handrail support).

Hard for me to comment on an elliptical, since I don't think people should be exercising on legs-only ellipticals, and if you are doing a full-body cross trainer, it's not an issue.

The only people who look "dumb" IMO are those who are either doing the 4+mph/15% elevation on the treadmill I mentioned earlier, or those who are completely bent over, hanging on for dear life on the stepmill because they have the speed up too high.

mmapags

I only use these kinds of machines in the winter when I can't get outdoors to do cardio. A bike I hold on. A treadmill or an elliptical I don't. Part of the physical training, for me, is also training my balance.

DX2JX2

It's not bad on ellipticals since they help immensely with balance. That said, you actually give your core a workout if you learn how to do the elliptical 'hands off'.

Do not hold the handrails on a treadmill. You'll interfere with the normal movement of your arms when running/walking, and you won't be a the proper posture/form to minimize the risk of injury/stress.

stanmann571

cwolfman13 wrote: »

alondrakayy wrote: »

Am I getting the most out of the workout if I'm holding on to the handles. Honestly, I never even thought about not holding the handles since I thought it was designed for me to do so. Obviously on a treadmill if you're running fast enough it's nearly impossible, but for the elliptical, bikes, and the stair climber.. do I look dumb doing so?

(Question came from a rant I saw on Reddit)

Treadmill no...elliptical, not sure what you mean...you should be holding onto the arms that swing so that you are swinging your arms. Bike...I'm a cycling enthusiast and I pretty much always hold onto my handle bars...I've never been on a stair climber in my life, so I have no idea...

For the elliptical, not just holding, but driving with your arms as well.

It's a relevant portion of the estimated caloric burn.

alondrakayy

Azdak wrote: »

What is the significance? Again, it depends. Holding on to the handrails will make the calorie count even more inaccurate. That may be an issue or it may not.

That's so interesting. After a few responses I thought "well, if my Polar watch says I burned 300 cals on the stairmaster then who cares about holding the handles" but I guess I'm dead wrong in thinking that way. Not that I care about holding the handles or not.. except I will have to go much slower than I am now in order to work on my balance.. which is not something I like.

But better to do this correctly than to waste my time doing it incorrectly. Thank you all for your input!

RachelElser

i also use the handles. Do people run with their arms down at their sides???!!

Azdak

alondrakayy wrote: »

Azdak wrote: »

What is the significance? Again, it depends. Holding on to the handrails will make the calorie count even more inaccurate. That may be an issue or it may not.

That's so interesting. After a few responses I thought "well, if my Polar watch says I burned 300 cals on the stairmaster then who cares about holding the handles" but I guess I'm dead wrong in thinking that way. Not that I care about holding the handles or not.. except I will have to go much slower than I am now in order to work on my balance.. which is not something I like.

But better to do this correctly than to waste my time doing it incorrectly. Thank you all for your input!

Sorry, I was writing fast and not clear. I meant holding on to handrails will make the MACHINE count less accurate. If one doesn't hold on, then treadmill calorie counts are reasonably accurate (compared to ellipticals).

If you are using an HRM to estimate calories, they have their own accuracy issues, but, no, holding on to the handrails will not affect the HRM numbers.

Sorry for the misunderstanding. Your original thinking was correct.

sgt1372

Holding the handles on the treadmill will impair body movement whether walking or running. Better not to do it.

Holding the handles on the elliptical and StairMaster may be necessary for balance and safety. Easier to use the StairMaster w/o holding onto the handles than on the elliptical.

There are actually 2 types of ellipticals -- one w/moving arms and one w/o. You can grip the stationary handles on the one w/the moving arms if you like but you arguably get a better workout if you move your arms and legs together. Not sure how much "better" that work out would be, since all of the work is still down w/the legs; the arms just move in place and don't contribute to the work done.

You arguably get a better workout on the StairMaster w/o holding onto the handles but, as long as you are not resting your body entirely on the grips, I really don't think it matters all that much, especially if you need to do so to maintain your balance. I feel spent on the StairMaster after 30 mins whether I hold onto the grips or not.

Just my experience and personal POV.

VeronicaA76

alondrakayy wrote: »

Am I getting the most out of the workout if I'm holding on to the handles. Honestly, I never even thought about not holding the handles since I thought it was designed for me to do so. Obviously on a treadmill if you're running fast enough it's nearly impossible, but for the elliptical, bikes, and the stair climber.. do I look dumb doing so?

(Question came from a rant I saw on Reddit)

1. They are there for safety reasons, use them when needed. When I am going at a pretty good pace on an elliptical, I'll flip over if I'm not holding on.
2. Who cares if you look weird for an hour at the gym....nothing looks as awkward as doing cable pull throughs (if you don't know what they are look it up)! Yet I do them because of the results.

jesspen91

I hold on every now and then to check my heart rate, this makes the calorie count more accurate and helps me with pacing. I don't like going below 70% or above 85%.

LKArgh

Elliptical is designed so that you are also using your arms. On a treadmill, if you are holding on, you are doing it wrong, so probably need to slow down a lot.

Penthesilea514

manderson27 wrote: »

I only hold the handles on my treadmill when I am checking my pulse as they have a sensor.

Same on the treadmill- but I would use the moving handles of an elliptical. I have never used a Stairmaster, but I see people do it either way at the gym.