Look Ma' No hands!

WhiskeyBravo

Soooo just out of curiousity, what is the benefit of holding on to the frame of the treadmill while it's on an incline? I'm the non-holding on type, but I see folks holding on to the frame, so I try it and it wow it feels like I'm not even walking on an incline....soooo much easier; which begs the questions----do you get the same workout holding on compared to not holding on? I'm inclined to think not, but that's just me... oh and I saw some guy running while he was holding on to the top of the treadmill, the whole time and he was running at a pretty good pace....there's no way that can be right....I just picture this same guy outside running like that, all Frankenstein and what not...
what are your thoughts?

JE55Y

I just picture this same guy outside running like that, all Frankenstein and what not...

That made me laugh!

elliecolorado

On the VERY rare occasion that I get on a treadmill I hold on not because there is any benefit besides feeling a little safer, i am one of those people who has gotten distracted and fallen off of the back of a treadmill before :blushing: I just don't use the treadmill anymore, but the few times I have that is the only reason I'd hold on.

jmafte

Holding on actually make the work out less effective. Most people that do that are holding their bodies up, and their legs are then not getting the work out they should. If it's inclined so far that someone is having to hold on, then it's too much incline for that person. Holding on every now and then to give yourself a little rest is one thing, but to do it the majority of the exercise, or even all of it isn't really giving them the true work out of the settings they've chosen. Which would explain why you didn't feel like you were running at all.

cutmd

^^^ Agreed. No holding on allowed unless needed for safety. Just finished an incline walk, actually. If you can let go during the lliptical that's better as well unless you are being really aggressive with the handles

timplar

I've seen this at the gym as well and I've always wondered why does people do that because it seems like it takes away from their workout. I you want to strengthen your body, you have to use your body to do so.

WhiskeyBravo

Holding on actually make the work out less effective. Most people that do that are holding their bodies up, and their legs are then not getting the work out they should. If it's inclined so far that someone is having to hold on, then it's too much incline for that person. Holding on every now and then to give yourself a little rest is one thing, but to do it the majority of the exercise, or even all of it isn't really giving them the true work out of the settings they've chosen. Which would explain why you didn't feel like you were running at all.

yeah I kinda figured as much....it just seems like so many ppl just automatically go to treadmill and start with their hands already in position on the frame...blows my mind...I put it at an incline cuz it totally kills the glutes and hams and believe you me, I'm not trying to take away the effectiveness there...gotta get rid of this ga-dunka dunk

FearAnLoathing

There was a girl at the gym I used to go to that would set the incline as high as it could go then hold on,it looked pretty funny I kept expecting to see her legs dangling

WhiskeyBravo

There was a girl at the gym I used to go to that would set the incline as high as it could go then hold on,it looked pretty funny I kept expecting to see her legs dangling

ha haaaa, now that's some funny stuff!

jmafte

It's the same thing as people not completing going through the range of motion on a push-up, bench press, or any other exercise. They may honestly feel like they're doing "that much" of whatever exercise, but in reality they're not.

hroderick

I tread an hour almost every day.
I try to keep my heart in a specific range and had to hold onto handles that read pulse.
Doing this I was up to 18% grade.

Then I got HRM, let go, and it took only 3% grade to achieve the same heartrate.

Moral of the story is by letting go the treadmill was much more effective.
Also the exercise rhythm was much more comfortable

mrsqueen

sometimes I hold on . for a good reason... i am Blind in my left eye and i have no depth perception .. so i use one hand as to position my self not to fall off the Stair mill 9 stair master or elyptical .. so when you see people holding on .. remember they might be half blind//