to be lean, don't lean on the machine!

toots99

Not only are you not working out as hard as you think you are, you are being hard on the equipment, avoiding proper muscle balance and usage, and most importantly you look really silly!

And you could potentially hurt yourself! Those people who are on the stairs and they lock their arms on the side rails, I'm sure that can't be good for your elbows! Locking them like that and putting most of your weight on them...

maureendonahue

I had learned this recently, and had to really slow the machine down in order to do it. But, in the two weeks since then, the speed is back up. And I lost 1.5 inches off my waist and hips!

I also found that my arms/shoulders and back don't hurt as much as they did when I was hanging on

toots99

I just started doing this! I walk on a treadmill at a 15% incline at a speed of 2.5 because thats the slowest i can go without feeling like I'll fly off the back end.. eventually I'll get up to faster speed, but for now that works for me!

Hey, at least you're starting the right way, not starting with bad habits! Good for you!

dad106

I just started doing this! I walk on a treadmill at a 15% incline at a speed of 2.5 because thats the slowest i can go without feeling like I'll fly off the back end.. eventually I'll get up to faster speed, but for now that works for me!

Hey, at least you're starting the right way, not starting with bad habits! Good for you!

Thank you, but believe me for since January, I've been a holder-oner. 6 months later I'm starting to break that habit.. and I get up to about 2.7 but anything faster then that and my legs tire out quick!

YukonJoy

OH GOD THAT DRIVES ME INSANE!!

There's this guy at my gym who puts the treadmill at 10 or something and then puts ALL his body weight on the handlebars and like...doesn't even run. I can't describe it. Like pounds his feet on the treadmill as he swings his body with his arms. WTF!! It makes me so bonkers I actually have to get off the stepper and leave the room!

kristinkt

So - I have a question - on the eliptical with the arms that swing back and forth is it better not to use those or is it exercise to make use of them? Thanks

candistyx

So - I have a question - on the eliptical with the arms that swing back and forth is it better not to use those or is it exercise to make use of them? Thanks

You use them to get a bit of an upperbody workout at the same time as lower body (although I find my upper body so much weaker than my lower it fails to do its share).

If you want just leg workout then use the non moving handles just to keep balance.

c2sky

I just started doing this! I walk on a treadmill at a 15% incline at a speed of 2.5 because thats the slowest i can go without feeling like I'll fly off the back end.. eventually I'll get up to faster speed, but for now that works for me!

Hey, at least you're starting the right way, not starting with bad habits! Good for you!

Thank you, but believe me for since January, I've been a holder-oner. 6 months later I'm starting to break that habit.. and I get up to about 2.7 but anything faster then that and my legs tire out quick!

Are you on incline at that speed? If I were your trainer, based on what you told me, I would say, "get the incline down and get comfortable with your pace. Holding on is o.k. if you don't HANG or lean. " Start off with a certain length of time, and build up adding 2- 5 minutes to your time each week. When you comfortably get to 30 minutes, start to increase your speed on some days for a minute at a time, then recover for a 3 minutes, and repeat. On other days, slowly increase the grade for a few minutes. It's all about gradual progression, unless of course, I don't understand your situation.

ninerbuff

it's a cheesy pun, but I see people lean on exercise cardio machines all the time, or they hang off them. People, you are NOT getting as effective of a workout.

I own a gym, and I'm a trainer. People who have decided or have been told they cannot run, ask me how they can increase their workload on a treadmill. Typical question: "I've got the speed up to 4 mph, I've got the grade up to 20%, and I can go for an hour. I can't run, so how can I make it harder?????"

95% of the time, these people are hanging onto the bar on the treadmill. Their body is perpindicular to the ramp, not to the floor." I point out they would not be able to walk up hill that way outside. so I tell them to let go of the handle. In every case, they usually have to slow the treadmill down or drastically lower the grade. If, by some miracle this does NOT make it hard enough for them, I tell them to add a backpack or a weighted vest.

Same thing goes for eliptical, stair climbers, and staionary bikes. If you were riding on a real bike, for example, you would be super tired if you put all your body weight on your handles. Strengthen your core, work on balance and posture. If you MUST hold on, do so lightly.

Just a tip I thought I would pass on because I appreciate the support I get here , and because watching people hang or lean on equipment just bugs me!:grumble:

Have a great day!

100% agree. I'm a trainer too and if you can't walk an incline treadmill without having to hang on.............it's too steep for you or you need to lower the speed.

Here's another tip: if you load up a machine with weight (or move the pin to higher resistance) and can only do 1/4 of a full repetition (and have the ability to do a full repetition) the weight is too damn heavy! You're much better off using a resistance that you can get full range of motion and higher intensity, then just piling on weight for ego. Remember quality not quantity.

c2sky

I just started doing this! I walk on a treadmill at a 15% incline at a speed of 2.5 because thats the slowest i can go without feeling like I'll fly off the back end.. eventually I'll get up to faster speed, but for now that works for me!

o.k. so I'm confused. You say you walk up 15%? That's really steep. How fast can you go at lower grades?

ceejay000

So - I have a question - on the eliptical with the arms that swing back and forth is it better not to use those or is it exercise to make use of them? Thanks

I have the same question. I always thought that using those arms was better because it added an upper body workout, but is this incorrect?

ninerbuff

So - I have a question - on the eliptical with the arms that swing back and forth is it better not to use those or is it exercise to make use of them? Thanks

I have the same question. I always thought that using those arms was better because it added an upper body workout, but is this incorrect?

If you shuffled your feet with your arms down you'd get a good workout. If you shuffled your feet and boxed with your arms at the same time, you'd burn more calories. As long as your arms are "pushing and pulling" you're working them too, but bump the resistance up one to ensure you're not taking away from your leg work.

dad106

I just started doing this! I walk on a treadmill at a 15% incline at a speed of 2.5 because thats the slowest i can go without feeling like I'll fly off the back end.. eventually I'll get up to faster speed, but for now that works for me!

o.k. so I'm confused. You say you walk up 15%? That's really steep. How fast can you go at lower grades?

I don't go at lower grades unless I'm cooling down... I set the treadmill to the highest incline which is 15% and isn't that steep.

I've been walking at a 15% incline since January at a speed of 3.0/33.5 but I was always holding on to the Tv screen or the machine it's self. I never put all my weight on it or anything.. It was just more for support. Only now have I started to let go and walk without holding on, which is why I bumped the speed down. I normally do 2.5 for 5 min, 2.6 for 5 min and 2.7 for 5 min before I bump the grade down to do a cool down.

Thanks for the advice, but I think I'll be alright. I also have a personal trainer and if I have any questions, I'll ask him.

fionarama

thats interesting , often wondered that - I know when I get tired thats when I want to do it so it makes sense. I heard on one of those reality weight programmes you burn an extra 15% if you swing your arms by your side instead of hanging on to the bar.

candistyx

You know I suddenly realised I don't understand what the incline numbers mean.

Is it the percentage of 360degrees? or 90 degrees...

Why don't they just use an angle, would be way easier to understand.