13 May Reasons to Move Your Arms While on the Treadmill

When you jump on your treadmill, you may be tempted to grab hold of the armrests to provide you with a little extra support.  While this may seem like a good idea, particularly  if it makes it possible for you to seemingly move a little faster, there are many reasons why you should let your arms swing freely rather than hanging on.

Maintain a Proper Posture

One reason to let your arms swing freely is simply to maintain proper posture.  When you hang onto the armrests, you tend to bend your back a little, particularly if you are tall.  As a result, you may experience back pain and other spine-related aches and injuries.  By swinging your arms freely, you reduce the amount of stress you place on your back and reduce your chances of suffering from injuries.

Build Muscles

Another reason to swing your arms freely is to aid in muscle building.  Even if your goal is to lose weight, building muscle mass will help your body work more efficiently at burning calories.  Furthermore, performing only cardio exercises without building muscle can actually lead to a loss of lean muscle mass.  By working out on the treadmill with your arms swinging naturally, on the other hand, you will build up your core muscles and enjoy all of the benefits your treadmill provides.

Burn More Calories

If your goal is to lose weight, you certainly don’t want to do anything that will reduce the amount of calories you burn.  After all, who wants to workout for hours every week only to see no results?  While you will still burn calories while hanging on to the armrests, you will reduce the number of calories you burn during your workout.  In fact, you can reduce the calories burned by as much as 25% when you hang on to the armrests!  So, do yourself a favor and, unless you have been specifically told by a doctor to hold onto the armrests, let them go and enjoy an improvement in your workout results.