I think I’m a treadmill snob.

When I go to the gym, my favourite thing to do is run on the treadmill. I’ve always preferred cardio to weights and running is my go-to activity for cardio.

But sometimes I go a little crazy inside when I see someone doing this “thing”: They crank up the incline on the treadmill so that they’re running at a 45 to 60 degree angle and hang on to the machine for dear life while they pedal their feet. It seems as if their arms are getting more of workout than their legs.

What exactly do they think they’re doing? The incline function is supposed to simulate the inclination of a hill. If they were running up a hill, they wouldn’t be able to run like that. What would they hang onto? A passing car?

I know that running on a treadmill isn’t exactly like running outside, but shouldn’t you try to simulate it as much as possible? Hanging onto the bar while you pedal your feet is defeating the purpose of the machine, I think.

And I honestly don’t understand the logic. Yes, it’s harder to run on an incline, but if you’re hanging onto something, you’re not really running on an incline, are you?

In the end, the important thing is that they are getting some exercise. I shouldn’t be treadmill shaming anyone.

It’s hard being a treadmill snob…

© 2019 Peter Gruner