# Holding on to the treadmill while walking
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holding-on-to-the-treadmill-while-walking/648405
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [January 26, 2013, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holding-on-to-the-treadmill-while-walking/648405 "2013-01-26T04:02:01Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)
#### Post date: [January 28, 2013, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holding-on-to-the-treadmill-while-walking/648405/21 "2013-01-28T20:02:27Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#):
>
> Based on some of the comments in this thread, I tried it yesterday without holding on. I had to reduce the incline to 12 degrees, and slow the speed down to 3mph. Even then I was very tired after 20 minutes, so I had to hold on lightly for the next 30 minutes. I made sure to lean well forward, and hang onto the lower handle, not the control panel.
>
> So proving something to myself that I already sorta knew but didn’t want to admit. From now on I’ll be working to build up my time, the incline and my speed without holding on.
> Roddy
This is great to read, **Roderick Femm**! It’s kind of a sucky realization, but I’m glad you are taking corrective actions. 🙂
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### Author:  [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)
#### Post date: [January 28, 2013, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holding-on-to-the-treadmill-while-walking/648405/22 "2013-01-28T20:22:48Z")
Since the op has been mostly addressed –
There seem to be a lot of folk here who use steep inclines almost exclusively … why?
I understand the idea of using a steep incline off and on as part of a variety, sometime speeding up, sometimes making it steeper, so on, but always steep is limiting the variety of muscles challenged and putting repetitive loads on a stretched Achilles tendon. (We had [a brief thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=636916), “Is it bad to always run on an inclined treadmill?”, a year ago.) Constant repetition increases the risk of injury while reducing the benefit of having more balanced muscle development.
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### Author:  [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)
#### Post date: [January 28, 2013, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holding-on-to-the-treadmill-while-walking/648405/23 "2013-01-28T20:39:21Z")
> [@DSeid](#):
>
> Since the op has been mostly addressed –
>
> There seem to be a lot of folk here who use steep inclines almost exclusively … why?
>
> I understand the idea of using a steep incline off and on as part of a variety, sometime speeding up, sometimes making it steeper, so on, but always steep is limiting the variety of muscles challenged and putting repetitive loads on a stretched Achilles tendon. (We had [a brief thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=636916), “Is it bad to always run on an inclined treadmill?”, a year ago.) Constant repetition increases the risk of injury while reducing the benefit of having more balanced muscle development.
I have bad knees and can’t run, at least no much. I usually vary the incline throughout the workout but I can not get my heart rate up to where I want it at a lower incline without making it fast enough that I have to run. I don’t know why other people do it. But I don’t do the max incline and hang on for dear life as others do.
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### Author:  [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)
#### Post date: [January 28, 2013, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holding-on-to-the-treadmill-while-walking/648405/24 "2013-01-28T21:14:24Z")
1. You vary the incline. I am reading people doing whole work outs at 6 to 15 degrees.
2. Do you also do other aerobic exercises? The elliptical, cycling (outside or stationary), stairclimbers, swimming, water walking or running (across the pool in waist deep water), possibly even the rowing machine, all could be less knee strain with a high degree of aerobic challenge and offer a great variety of muscle groups getting into play.
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### Author:  [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)
#### Post date: [January 28, 2013, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holding-on-to-the-treadmill-while-walking/648405/25 "2013-01-28T22:34:20Z")
Also, use the safety clip…then if you start to head off the back, it will stop.
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### Author:  [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)
#### Post date: [January 28, 2013, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holding-on-to-the-treadmill-while-walking/648405/26 "2013-01-28T22:58:23Z")
I tend to rest my hands or wrists on the railing because if I don’t, I build up a tremendous static charge and all the hair on my arms and legs stands on end until I lightly brush any part of the machine and ZAAAAAP!
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### Author:  [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)
#### Post date: [January 28, 2013, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holding-on-to-the-treadmill-while-walking/648405/27 "2013-01-28T23:22:05Z")
> [@DSeid](#):
>
> 1. You vary the incline. I am reading people doing whole work outs at 6 to 15 degrees.
>
> 2. Do you also do other aerobic exercises? The elliptical, cycling (outside or stationary), stairclimbers, swimming, water walking or running (across the pool in waist deep water), possibly even the rowing machine, all could be less knee strain with a high degree of aerobic challenge and offer a great variety of muscle groups getting into play.
1. I do vary. I also like to hold on to watch my heart rate on the sensors. Its a crutch I’ve gotten used to.
2. Mostly I do elliptical and walk on the treadmill. Sometimes I throw some cycling in there too.
Oh and every now and then I do throw some running in there. My knees are bad (torn ACLs) but not that bad yet. I can’t maintain a vigorous running routine but I can jog once a week without pain or injury.
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### Author:  [@DummyGladHands](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DummyGladHands)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2013, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holding-on-to-the-treadmill-while-walking/648405/28 "2013-01-29T03:03:04Z")
[QUOTEAlso, use the safety clip…then if you start to head off the back, it will stop.
]
[/QUOTE]
Always, trust me, it just doesn’t stop fast enough. I have experience 😛
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