I’ll lose my balance/I’ll fall off! Some people who tell me they have poor balance have the tread going at 3.5 or 4 mph! Balancing—forcing your central nervous system to get into the act—is part of exercise. Balancing burns more calories. Slow down if you feel wobbly, stop using your arms as anchors, and get used to walking the way Nature designed your body to move.
It’s too difficult to let go. Slow down or lower the incline. When the tread is whizzing under your feet at 4 mph, and the incline is at 15 percent, of course it’s too difficult to let go. Remember when you first learned to inline skate or ski? You started out slowly on a flat course. Then you worked up from there.
I’m new at this/This is my very first time. This is the best time to learn a good habit. Exercising correctly from the get-go will prevent you from forming hard-to-break habits later on.
I’m old. The older you get, the more important proper walking mechanics and posture are. Being “old” is all the more reason why you absolutely must keep your hands off the rails and front bar. In fact, holding onto the treadmill mimics the act of using a walker! A 19-year-old body is less likely to be harmed by the disrupted posture and disjointed rhythm that holding on creates vs. your “old” body.
I’ve been doing it this way for years. It’s just as wrong after 20 years as it is after 20 minutes. What a shame that at many health clubs, personal trainers fail to make it a mission to point out this blunder to unsuspecting members.
I get dizzy if I let go. Let go at a slower speed. You’ll adapt more quickly than you think. Holding on reverses your body’s proprioceptive skills; you unlearn how to handle motion. But you can relearn it.
It’s the only way I can read (or watch TV)! Put away the magazine and move away from the TVs. You’re there to produce changes in your body, not to be entertained. If you can’t get away from the TVs, then don’t look at them. If you absolutely need entertainment, switch to music or audiobooks.
I have a bad back (or knee). Holding on alters natural walking mechanics. This can worsen a bad back or knee. If your back or knee still hurts after letting go, then stay off the treadmill until your injury heals. If it’s a permanent injury, then remember that letting go will more closely simulate the environment that your injured body part must function in, in everyday life.
The machine keeps telling me to hold on for heart rate. Select a program that doesn’t nag at you. Unless your doctor has warned you not to exceed a certain heart rate, there’s no reason to obsess about it. Check it every few minutes rather than constantly. Learn how your body feels at different heart rates rather than relying on a reading from a machine that might not even be accurate.
I’m tired. Slow down or lower the incline, walk naturally and breathe deeply.
My trainer says it’s okay. I once asked a trainer why his able-bodied, young client was still holding on after three weeks. He said, “She’s scared.” Beware of trainers who fail to empower you. What a shame that trainers do not make it their mission to wean their clients away from bad habits.
My doctor told me to do it. Shame on him or her for not explaining how sabotaging this habit is. Doctors are best at being doctors. Medical school does not involve classes in exercise program design—or even basic exercise 101. Doctors should advise their patients to exercise, but how to exercise is best left to a certified fitness professional.
Everyone else does it. Popularity doesn’t make it right.
Hey, it’s better than doing nothing! I wouldn’t be so sure about that. “Nothing” won’t result in repetitive stress injuries to the hips or knees.
I’m a cardiac patient. Walking the way Nature designed the body to walk—without holding onto anything—will not strain the heart. Walking hands off promotes more efficient breathing.
I have multiple sclerosis. If you walked into the gym without assistance, you do not need to hold on. Slow down and trust yourself. Holding on will teach your body to require support while walking.
If the power in the gym goes out and the tread suddenly stops, I’ll go flying off if I’m not holding on. And if you go outside to your car, a meteor might fall from the sky and bonk you in the head…
Let Go! How to Kick the Treadmill-Gripping Habit
Last Updated: 11/14/05
