Hand weights on Treadmill

Hi,
Do you think using hand weights on a treadmill is a good idea
To burn more calories?

Replies

  • litoria
    litoria Posts: 239 Member
    I think it could be dangerous. What would happen if you missed your footing and needed to grab the handle?
  • traceyroy54
    traceyroy54 Posts: 89 Member
    litoria wrote: »
    I think it could be dangerous. What would happen if you missed your footing and needed to grab the handle?

    not going too fast. They strapnon your hands

  • is this at a gym or your home treadmill? If it's at a gym, make sure you ask permission as a lot of them have rules/bans against using weights on a treadmill
  • composerclark
    composerclark Posts: 38 Member
    Yes, within reason.

    Anything that causes more effort on your part – speed increase, grade increase (hill), or carrying more weight – will speed the caloric burn. As others have said, however, using weights that are low enough to be safe in terms of not throwing off your balance or rhythm are unlikely to increase burn rate by much. But the same is true of small incremental increases to speed and grade as well, and that doesn't stop people from making those incremental increases as their fitness level improves.

    Beyond the small burn-rate increase, one potential benefit of carrying hand weights is that they could improve muscle tone in the arms.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    Hi,
    Do you think using hand weights on a treadmill is a good idea
    To burn more calories?

    The effect is negligible, as running calories are 2/3 weight in lbs per miles an additional 10 lbs will give you 6 cals per mile.

    In terms of effect on your arms, you'll get more value from the resistance training part of your plan.

    Not really worth it.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,982 Member
    If burning more calories is a concern, then either increase the incline, speed or if you want to carry more weight, get a weighted vest. Your hands should be free JUST IN CASE you need to catch your balance on a moving treadmill.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
    I do Intervals on the treadmill with dumbbells, but not necessarily to burn more calories. It is just to incorporate some accessories unto my cardio and lifting routine and to make the treadmill less boring. I use 8-9lb dumbbells and do 1 min intervals of fast walking with incline(no dumbbells) and 1min of 10 reps each of bicep curls, tricep extensions, and shoulder press with the speed and incline lower. The dumbbells rest on the front of the treadmill display in between Intervals.
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,997 Member
    edited October 2017
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    If burning more calories is a concern, then either increase the incline, speed or if you want to carry more weight, get a weighted vest. Your hands should be free JUST IN CASE you need to catch your balance on a moving treadmill.

    I'd agree w/this.

    If you want to increase the work performed in order to burn more cals on a treadmill, it would be better to wear a weighted vest instead of carrying or wearing weights in/on your hands.

    Well made weighted vests are expensive but you can put as little or as much weight in them up to the max that they are rated for and can be safely used for increasing the effort & cals burned while walking and hiking or doing push-ups, pull-ups and dips, which is how I use mine.
  • BigGuy47
    BigGuy47 Posts: 1,768 Member
    Bad idea.
  • Sunnybrooke99
    Sunnybrooke99 Posts: 369 Member
    edited October 2017
    I used to use very small hand weights on the treadmill. I can’t run bc of knee issues, and the hand weights helped to get my heart rate up, without increasing the speed to the point of running. Some gyms don’t allow them, and the strap on wrist weights are probably safer. I used to do overhand claps, and punching type motions.
  • kfasulo5
    kfasulo5 Posts: 1 Member
    I've always heard it is a waist of time. Using weights or a weighted vest. It just puts your knees at risk with additional weight. Look at Tiger Woods and his weighted runs he can't even stay healthy to play golf.

    Just stick to bicep curls before or after your treadmill.
  • Gisel2015
    Gisel2015 Posts: 4,186 Member
    Hi,
    Do you think using hand weights on a treadmill is a good idea
    To burn more calories?

    Bad idea, very BAD idea! It lacks common sense and it can be dangerous.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited October 2017
    litoria wrote: »
    I think it could be dangerous. What would happen if you missed your footing and needed to grab the handle?

    not going too fast. They strapnon your hands

    Increase your incline/level on the treadmill. Do more intense workouts using the treadmill to burn more calories.

    Treadmills can be dangerous in general, hand weights are a bad idea.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    If you don’t want to walk faster or at an incline, then vigorous arm swinging will up your intensity. With each swing, your thumb needs to come to shoulder height. Weights can add to that, but most of the increased intensity comes just from the arm swing.

    Just carrying weights or walking with normal walking arm carriage will do almost nothing—neither strength nor cardio.
  • traceyroy54
    traceyroy54 Posts: 89 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    If burning more calories is a concern, then either increase the incline, speed or if you want to carry more weight, get a weighted vest. Your hands should be free JUST IN CASE you need to catch your balance on a moving treadmill.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

    You seem to have the knowledge.
    Im 95kg, 175cm female.
    How many calories to lose weight any ideas?
    Also how many calories do you recommend i burn to lose weight.
    Thanks.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    If burning more calories is a concern, then either increase the incline, speed or if you want to carry more weight, get a weighted vest. Your hands should be free JUST IN CASE you need to catch your balance on a moving treadmill.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

    You seem to have the knowledge.
    Im 95kg, 175cm female.
    How many calories to lose weight any ideas?
    Also how many calories do you recommend i burn to lose weight.
    Thanks.

    MFP will give you a calorie goal when you put all your stats in.
  • ahamm002
    ahamm002 Posts: 1,690 Member
    Running with "heavy hands" was a thing back in the 80's until nearly everyone who did it got injured.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    jemhh wrote: »
    I do not. If they are strap on wrist weights they aren't really going to be heavy enough to make you burn more than a few extra calories. All the wrist weights I've seen are light enough to be equivalent to normal daily weight fluctuations.

    This^

    Light weights aren't going to make much difference at all. Heavy weights are great.....when used properly. But this isn't it.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    If burning more calories is a concern, then either increase the incline, speed or if you want to carry more weight, get a weighted vest. Your hands should be free JUST IN CASE you need to catch your balance on a moving treadmill.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

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