Holding the handrails on treadmill?

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  • Missou
    Missou Posts: 96 Member
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    I have to hold on to those rails, I have a partial paralysis on my right side. When you are walking on the sidewalk, your space is not as limited as the one on the treadmill.
  • Cjbiobaby
    Cjbiobaby Posts: 16 Member
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    Either way do what you want, you're cheating yourself and not receiving the full benefit of the exercise. It's supposed to be CHALLENGING hence why it's called EXERCISE.

    I sooooo dont agree with you..
    In my humble opinion Exercise is about movement - doesnt have to be challenging.
    I think challenging exercise is called training

    The word challenging has a different meaning to everyone - a 25KM cycle might be challenging for someone for someone else it is their warm up for a 95KM cycle..

    As long as someone is moving they are challenging themselves and that is what matters doesnt it - not everyone is out there to train...some "just" want to exercise :)

    live and let live :)

    I just got up to go to the fridge for a bottle of water. I exercised.

    Judge Judy??

    So well said :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

    Dude, if you are not challenging yourself, your body, then no, you are not exercising. I remember a time when my back was in so much pain that just walking to the fridge was a huge exercise. Stop judging and smell the coffee. There is life around you and it is not always easy.
  • Cjbiobaby
    Cjbiobaby Posts: 16 Member
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    LOL so i can count getting off my butt for a drink of water, which takes literally 30 seconds exercise? oh awesome. i want to go log that in right now.....LOL no offense here. i just got a chuckle when i read.... i just got a bottle of water, i exercised.... YESSSSS thats me........ :laugh:
  • juliemouse83
    juliemouse83 Posts: 6,663 Member
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    I think it's done to drive people that are more concerned with someone else's workout than their own to post questions like this on a fitness forum. :laugh:

    Ok, only halfway kidding...

    I would imagine lots of reasons...My husband would do it for balance...He has had numerous cervical spine surgeries, and a lot of nerve damage, and walking without stumbling is a challenge for him.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    most people I see doing it do it as the incline is too steep not too, though holding on makes it easier, defeating the purpose of the incline in the first place. So no idea why other than they think they are burning more cals, 'cause the machine thinks they are not holding on so gives them a "bigger" burn than they really have though they probably think they actually burned that many.
  • mamma_nee
    mamma_nee Posts: 809 Member
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    uuuum, I hold on because I thought thats why the hand rails are there for ??? and it helps when i am on and my Vertigo decides to kick in LOL
  • just_Jennie1
    just_Jennie1 Posts: 1,233
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    if I'm walking on a huge incline I'm going to hold on. I don't have a death grip on the handles but I will lightly hold them.

    When I'm doing sprint intervals on the treadmill and I'm getting really, really tired I'll grip the treadmill a bit during my fast interval so I don't collapse and fall off.
    most people I see doing it do it as the incline is too steep not too, though holding on makes it easier, defeating the purpose of the incline in the first place. So no idea why other than they think they are burning more cals, 'cause the machine thinks they are not holding on so gives them a "bigger" burn than they really have though they probably think they actually burned that many.

    How do you know what they're thinking as they're doing their incline walks or runs? And seriously, why does it matter to you why they're holding on? If I was doing an incline walk and holding onto the handles in front of me and someone laughed at me and said I wasn't getting the "full benefit" I'd ask them why it's their concern.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
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    Either way do what you want, you're cheating yourself and not receiving the full benefit of the exercise. It's supposed to be CHALLENGING hence why it's called EXERCISE.

    I sooooo dont agree with you..
    In my humble opinion Exercise is about movement - doesnt have to be challenging.
    I think challenging exercise is called training

    The word challenging has a different meaning to everyone - a 25KM cycle might be challenging for someone for someone else it is their warm up for a 95KM cycle..

    As long as someone is moving they are challenging themselves and that is what matters doesnt it - not everyone is out there to train...some "just" want to exercise :)

    live and let live :)

    I just got up to go to the fridge for a bottle of water. I exercised.

    Judge Judy??

    no he/she just craves attention :)

    Riiiight I crave attention because I state facts. You're sitting there saying that ANYTHING involving movement is considered "exercise". It's you're body do what you want. If you want to get by with the bare minimum that's fine. I know when I go to the gym, I'm going with purpose. Purpose to change and evolve my physique, purpose to become more disciplined in the way I view exercise, nutrition and overall health. What is life without purpose? Why would anyone want to get by with the minimum?

    Anyhow, let me know how that works out for you..I'm sure you'll have the physique you want in no time doing the minimum.

    Good Luck

    I have no doubt that you would be one of the people at the gym that I would have a quiet teehee about in my mind and then go about my business. Pretty much like here on the boards.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
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    I saw a girl on high incline hold on to the railing hanging from her arms basically it looked retarded and serves no obvious purpose.

    Nice. You just insulted the girl and an entire population of human beings in one sentence. Way to go. :yawn:
  • Missou
    Missou Posts: 96 Member
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    LOL so i can count getting off my butt for a drink of water, which takes literally 30 seconds exercise? oh awesome. i want to go log that in right now.....LOL no offense here. i just got a chuckle when i read.... i just got a bottle of water, i exercised.... YESSSSS thats me........ :laugh:

    If getting up for a glass of water is difficult and you get winded, do it more often!! :laugh: :laugh:

    Seriously, when I first stared my exercise program back in March 2009, I would lie down on my bed and do leg raises for about 5 minutes and I was done. Couldn't move anymore. After a month or two of working out on my bed every day, I was doing 20 minutes' Pilates routines. After three or four months, I was taking 60 to 90 minutes walk every day. Sometimes, I was walking outside with no hand rails and no walking sticks. Sometimes, I was walking on my treadmill as fast as 4.5 mph grabbing on to those horrific handrails to make sure I did not fall off the wagon.. Please don't judge, I cannot run and 4.5 mph is kindda fast for someone with a motor deficiency and a lack of coordination.

    I am very proud of what I have accomplished over the years :drinker: :drinker:
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    if I'm walking on a huge incline I'm going to hold on. I don't have a death grip on the handles but I will lightly hold them.

    When I'm doing sprint intervals on the treadmill and I'm getting really, really tired I'll grip the treadmill a bit during my fast interval so I don't collapse and fall off.
    most people I see doing it do it as the incline is too steep not too, though holding on makes it easier, defeating the purpose of the incline in the first place. So no idea why other than they think they are burning more cals, 'cause the machine thinks they are not holding on so gives them a "bigger" burn than they really have though they probably think they actually burned that many.

    How do you know what they're thinking as they're doing their incline walks or runs? And seriously, why does it matter to you why they're holding on? If I was doing an incline walk and holding onto the handles in front of me and someone laughed at me and said I wasn't getting the "full benefit" I'd ask them why it's their concern.

    I never said it matter to me, it is just obvious when their body is parallel to an inclined treadmil, try that outside and you fall on your *kitten*. It is pretty obvious, from the ones that I have seen do this, they have no idea what they are doing, or they are just working on their grip and back, as that would be used more than their legs to hold them in that possition.
  • MandysChange
    MandysChange Posts: 40 Member
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    Is that where the sensors for the heart rate monitor are? I've seen people keep their hands on when they are trying to stay within a particular HR zone.

    This is exactly why I hold onto them. I want to stay in a fat burning zone. I don't death grip them and I am seriously considering buying a HRM that will bluetooth to the treadmills at my gym just so I don't have to hold on to them.
  • TinGirl314
    TinGirl314 Posts: 430 Member
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    Gotta echo...maybe you should just focus on your own workout.
    I hold on because I have MS like symptoms and I'll fall if I don't. My hands just have to gently lay on the sides and I don't feel like I'm going to fall over.
    You never know what someone else is going through, so just do your thing and don't be one of the people that make new people not want to go to the gym.
  • abickford82
    abickford82 Posts: 207
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    I seen a heavier, older woman doing that next to me yesterday. She wasn't holding where the HRM is though...just to the handrails. I just thought it was because she was older and was afraid of falling off, or was just new to the gym (resolutionist) and didn't know how things worked ;)
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
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    uuuum, I hold on because I thought thats why the hand rails are there for ??? and it helps when i am on and my Vertigo decides to kick in LOL

    Yes, they are there for a good reason! Most healthy people looking for a workout will cheat themselves by using them continuously. Sometimes when I run, I momentarily lose my place in space - like when you are going down the stairs and suddenly start thinking about it too much? and will grab the rails to keep from falling off. I have also hit the sides with one of my feet and would have fallen if the hand rails were not there. It's a narrow track to try and keep to for any length of time. Derp can happen at any moment (my motto in life).
  • mscrystallee
    mscrystallee Posts: 62 Member
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    They like to waste their time on their workout, is my only conclusion
  • Missou
    Missou Posts: 96 Member
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    They like to waste their time on their workout, is my only conclusion

    Who are you talking about?
  • horndave
    horndave Posts: 565
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    [/quote]
    That's a possibility, but it doesn't explain the death grip. Same for those suggesting "balance." I'm afraid I will probably never understand treadmills. I'm planning on a run in the dark, in 7-degree-fahrenheit temps tomorrow.
    [/quote]

    Wow, good for you. Why are you worried about what other people do?
  • mojohowitz
    mojohowitz Posts: 900 Member
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    Mostly because they are not as cool as you are. It could also be that they have balance issues or joint problems or they can reach their target HR while doing so.

    The bigger question is why do you care?
  • lisaabenjamin
    lisaabenjamin Posts: 665 Member
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    I would think it's fine to hold on if you are walking or of you have genuine balance problems, but I don't see how you can run properly on treadmill if you are holding on. You need your arms to propel you along on a run and to burn more calories! Even better - just get out of the gym and run outside in the fresh air! :-D

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