Holding onto the treadmill????

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katie133
katie133 Posts: 210 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi guys... :) so i recently started going to a new (much busier gym).. I do most of my intense cardio on the elliptical/stair master, and have been doing some walking at an incline on the treadmill. I usually walk between 3.0-3.5 with an incline of 7.0-7.5 depending on how i feel.. I do not hold on to the treadmill what-so-ever... but I see SO many women with the treadmill incline WAYYYYYYY up there but they hold on to the top of the treadmill for their whole work out?? So i decided to try it out and found it a bit easier, because half of the battle for me is staying balanced and holding myself up without holding on!!

So my question is, which is better... lower incline NOT holding onto the treadmill, or higher incline, holding onto the treadmill? I feel like that almost defeats the purpose..? But what do i know!
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Replies

  • gemiwing
    gemiwing Posts: 1,525 Member
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    You burn more without holding on to the handbars- start low and work your way up a percentage each week. Then when you raise the angle you'll really be burning.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,695 Member
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    Hi guys... :) so i recently started going to a new (much busier gym).. I do most of my intense cardio on the elliptical/stair master, and have been doing some walking at an incline on the treadmill. I usually walk between 3.0-3.5 with an incline of 7.0-7.5 depending on how i feel.. I do not hold on to the treadmill what-so-ever... but I see SO many women with the treadmill incline WAYYYYYYY up there but they hold on to the top of the treadmill for their whole work out?? So i decided to try it out and found it a bit easier, because half of the battle for me is staying balanced and holding myself up without holding on!!

    So my question is, which is better... lower incline NOT holding onto the treadmill, or higher incline, holding onto the treadmill? I feel like that almost defeats the purpose..? But what do i know!
    Holding onto the treadmill REDUCES intensity of the actual exercise by up to 50%. NONE of my clients are allowed to hold on, and if I catch them on their own time doing it, I'll stop over and lower the incline or the speed. Makes no sense to "cheat" at exercise for ego or to fool yourself into thinking you did a harder workout than you really did.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • jmatthews75
    jmatthews75 Posts: 525 Member
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    Guess it depends on the person. I don't like to hold on to it because I like to work on the balance, but I know people that if they don't hold on, they will fall off of it because they can't spacially relate. is that even a word? but you get the point right?
    I talked to a podiatrist and he said that you shouldn't really be running on inclines over 5% because its bad for your ankles.
    Does your gym have the ARC machine? I prefer that so much more over the treadmill...
  • katie133
    katie133 Posts: 210 Member
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    Thanks for the info guys... great to know this....

    As for the ankles, thanks for the input! I have been trying to work at my balance/intensity of my work out by increasing the incline, when i dont want to do much running that day....

    I actually have no clue what the ARC trainer is, care to enlighten me!?
  • katie133
    katie133 Posts: 210 Member
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    Guess it depends on the person. I don't like to hold on to it because I like to work on the balance, but I know people that if they don't hold on, they will fall off of it because they can't spacially relate. is that even a word? but you get the point right?
    I talked to a podiatrist and he said that you shouldn't really be running on inclines over 5% because its bad for your ankles.
    Does your gym have the ARC machine? I prefer that so much more over the treadmill...

    Ok just googled the ARC trainer,, we do have a few. I tried it out once.. Better than elliptical?
  • Fridarules
    Fridarules Posts: 8
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    I actually hold on because the treadmill needs my heart rate. If I let go for even a few seconds, the machine pauses my work out or doesn't count the calories I'm burning when I'm not holding on. The machines at my gym seem pretty new and they adjust themselves until I reach my target HR, so sometimes I'm walking with an inclination of 9.8 at 3.0 or 3.5 mph and sometimes goes really low 2.2. Then, the treadmill displays the correct amount of calories I burn depending on the HR, time speed, etc. I think sometimes the people you see holding up may be doing that because of their specific exercise program, not because they're cheaters who are fooling themselves. Not all at least, that's the danger of generalizing.
  • llamalland
    llamalland Posts: 246 Member
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    Guess it depends on the person. I don't like to hold on to it because I like to work on the balance, but I know people that if they don't hold on, they will fall off of it because they can't spacially relate. is that even a word? but you get the point right?
    I talked to a podiatrist and he said that you shouldn't really be running on inclines over 5% because its bad for your ankles.
    Does your gym have the ARC machine? I prefer that so much more over the treadmill...

    if "spatially relate" isn't a word, it should be! that's exactly how i feel. I loose my balance / get dizzy if I don't have an anchor point, no matter what kind of moving surface I am on. I also have motion sickness, wonder if there is a correlation? I am perfectly happy to accept lower burn numbers if holding on reduces the effectiveness.
  • gemiwing
    gemiwing Posts: 1,525 Member
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    if "spatially relate" isn't a word, it should be! that's exactly how i feel. I loose my balance / get dizzy if I don't have an anchor point, no matter what kind of moving surface I am on. I also have motion sickness, wonder if there is a correlation? I am perfectly happy to accept lower burn numbers if holding on reduces the effectiveness.

    I think in your case it's a matter of risk vs benefit- you won't burn as many calories but you won't end up falling and injuring yourself. Thank you for bringing up your experience!
  • jmatthews75
    jmatthews75 Posts: 525 Member
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    I actually hold on because the treadmill needs my heart rate. If I let go for even a few seconds, the machine pauses my work out or doesn't count the calories I'm burning when I'm not holding on. The machines at my gym seem pretty new and they adjust themselves until I reach my target HR, so sometimes I'm walking with an inclination of 9.8 at 3.0 or 3.5 mph and sometimes goes really low 2.2. Then, the treadmill displays the correct amount of calories I burn depending on the HR, time speed, etc. I think sometimes the people you see holding up may be doing that because of their specific exercise program, not because they're cheaters who are fooling themselves. Not all at least, that's the danger of generalizing.

    you should get a HRM. It is far more accurate than the readings you get on the machines that are not taylored for your individual body make up.
  • jfluchere
    jfluchere Posts: 346 Member
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    I only hold at 20 incline, walking at 4.0 to watch my heartrate spike a few minutes then lower and slow down.
  • mamagooskie
    mamagooskie Posts: 2,964 Member
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    I hold on if I am getting a drink or whatever but I try not to. That being said I can hold on and keep my heart rate up just as high with just as much cal burn.
  • thefuzz1290
    thefuzz1290 Posts: 777 Member
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    I do it to every minute or so to get my heart rate, or to catch a quick break instead of lowering the incline and raising it back a few seconds later. Just don't do while you're running....people will stare. :P
  • CannibalisticVegetarian
    CannibalisticVegetarian Posts: 1,255 Member
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    Meh, I hold on because of the incline and me being super clumsy. Ever since I started using the treadmills, the trainer would nearly max the incline and leave me be.. annnnd since I'd rather not risk having the treadmill floor pattern embedded into my face as a personal reminder, I hold on for dear life.

    There are times when I lower the incline and double the speed though. That's when I stop holding.
  • katie133
    katie133 Posts: 210 Member
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    lol thats funny! no holding on while running does not happen.. if that's even possible... I just find when im at a high incline i must look like eye of the tiger ...staring right infront of my so i dont mess up my balance!! LOL that would be really embarassing if i tripped one day... yikes
  • gemiwing
    gemiwing Posts: 1,525 Member
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    Meh, I hold on because of the incline and me being super clumsy. Ever since I started using the treadmills, the trainer would nearly max the incline and leave me be.. annnnd since I'd rather not risk having the treadmill floor pattern embedded into my face as a personal reminder, I hold on for dear life.

    There are times when I lower the incline and double the speed though. That's when I stop holding.

    You always make me laugh- you really have such a gift with words. lol personal reminder. whew haha
  • JAllen32
    JAllen32 Posts: 991 Member
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    My thinking is that it seems silly to crank up the incline then lean back and hold on. If you look at someone who is doing that, they are basically walking straight. What is the point of the incline if you are just going to force your body into a position to walk straight anyway! lol Maybe I'm wrong, but that has always been my opinion. If you going to crank it up, then walk on it like your acutally walking up a hill, leaning forward and giving your muscle a workout.
  • katie133
    katie133 Posts: 210 Member
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    My thinking is that it seems silly to crank up the incline then lean back and hold on. If you look at someone who is doing that, they are basically walking straight. What is the point of the incline if you are just going to force your body into a position to walk straight anyway! lol Maybe I'm wrong, but that has always been my opinion. If you going to crank it up, then walk on it like your acutally walking up a hill, leaning forward and giving your muscle a workout.

    This has been my opinion as well... why crank up the incline so high if you have to hold on? Why not just lower it... but i was thinking there may be another side to the story which is why i decided to post this topic! :)
  • CannibalisticVegetarian
    CannibalisticVegetarian Posts: 1,255 Member
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    Meh, I hold on because of the incline and me being super clumsy. Ever since I started using the treadmills, the trainer would nearly max the incline and leave me be.. annnnd since I'd rather not risk having the treadmill floor pattern embedded into my face as a personal reminder, I hold on for dear life.

    There are times when I lower the incline and double the speed though. That's when I stop holding.

    You always make me laugh- you really have such a gift with words. lol personal reminder. whew haha

    Haha thanks. I haven't fallen.. yet. *Knocks on trees* .. but I injure myself enough in the gym as is. Be it constantly beaming myself in the head with the tricep extension bars, of banging my legs and hips on the sides of machines.. So yeah.. falling seems like the mother of all embarrassing situations. You can't just laugh and walk that off...and you can never leave any witnesses.
  • jennafluff
    jennafluff Posts: 54
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    I've always wondered - my trainer told me to hold on, go as fast as I possably could and have at max incline. I have done this for 60 minutes (SORE ARMS!!!!!!!!!) and it said i had burnt 1000 calories!! I found it hard to believe because I sometimes run at a low incline (NOT holding on) and seem to be working a lot harder - puffing, sweating etc - yet don't burn as many calories. Thanks for comments everyone - interesting:-)
  • firefly171717
    firefly171717 Posts: 226 Member
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    You burn more without holding on to the handbars- start low and work your way up a percentage each week. Then when you raise the angle you'll really be burning.

    Yes!

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