Are you in the habit of hanging onto your treadmill while you walk, jog or run? You might think that hanging onto the treadmill is no big deal or you might even think that it helps you achieve a higher speed and a better workout, but the reality is that there are many negative side effects to hanging on while you workout. In fact, by hanging on, you are actually reducing the overall effect of your workout and even negating some of the benefits.
Causing Harm to Your Posture
One of the downsides to hanging on while working out on a treadmill is the fact that it can wreak havoc on your posture. The taller you are, the more problematic this can become because you will have to bend down even further. Regardless of your height and age, however, you should not hang on while working out on your treadmill. If you do, you could experience problems with your spinal alignment and you will be at a higher risk for developing strain injuries. The reality is that hanging on teaches your body to walk in an unnatural manner and can cause undue stress on the back, the legs and the hips.
Reducing Muscle Building
When you hold on during your treadmill work out, you also miss out on some of the muscle building benefits of this workout. First, you take less of the weight off your legs, which means they don’t get the weight-bearing benefits that walking provides. In addition, you don’t provide your lower back muscles with the workout they would be getting if you were to walk naturally. By walking, jogging or running with good posture, you strengthen your core muscles and help to stabilize your spine.
Burning Less Calories
Most people who workout on a treadmill are trying to lose weight or to maintain their weight, but holding onto the handrails reduces this effect. In fact, when you hang on, you reduce the number of calories burned by 20-25! Speeding up while holding on will do little to reduce this effect, because holding on takes work away from your leg muscles and your legs burn up the most calories when used.
