Top 20 Excuses People Hold Onto the Treadmill (page 4)
16. “I figure it’s what you’re supposed to do because I see trainers having their clients do it.”
See excuse No. 11. Also, have you ever taken your car in to a mechanic for a problem, and he actually made it worse? Ever go to a dentist, and he made your situation worse? My point? Just because someone has a certification, doesn’t mean they can’t be wrong.
Like a mechanic or dentist who messes up, a personal trainer is capable of being very mistaken. I am certified by the American Council on Exercise. Nowhere in my certification study manuals is proper treadmill technique discussed.
17. “I thought it was the right thing to do because I’ve seen TRAINERS themselves doing it.”
This kind of relates to excuse No. 19. I once knew a trainer who smoked cigarettes. Does this mean you should smoke, too?
18. “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. I used to see a woman with MS all the time holding on. Get this: She actually walked faster OFF the treadmill, and did not use a cane or walker! She was literally downgrading herself every time she used the treadmill by holding on.
If you can walk unaided in everyday life, you can walk on a moving tread without holding on. The issue is speed. The need to hold on is only a perceived need, not a clinical need. This woman could have let go anytime without a hitch.
Worse-case scenario: She would need to slow down even more. Her gait off the treadmill was so normal-looking (though slow), that never mind that I’m not a doctor; I’m relying on common sense in declaring that she could have handled the treadmill without cheating.
19. “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. Nowhere in medical literature does it state that walking with swinging arms is harmful to the heart. But holding on can increase blood pressure and fools the person into thinking his heart and body are getting an efficient workout.
20. “If the power in the gym goes out and the tread suddenly stops, I’ll go flying off if I’m not holding on.”
It’s not a good idea to live life with this kind of fear swirling in your head. You are more likely to get struck by a car when you exit the gym to walk to your vehicle.
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