16 Apr What to Do with Your Arms While on a Treadmill

So, you are ready to start getting a great workout on the new treadmill you have just purchased, but you aren’t quite sure what to do with your arms, huh?  If you are like many people, you will put your hands on the arm rests of your treadmill because it will give you a feeling of security and balance.  Or, you may simply place your arms on the rest because you aren’t certain what else you should do with your arms.  Regardless of your reasoning, failure to use your arms properly while working out on your treadmill will detract from the effectiveness of your workout.  Therefore, it is important for you to follow a few simple guidelines when trying to determine what to do with your limbs.

Keeping it Natural

The most important thing to keep in mind when trying to decide what to do with your arms is that you should try to keep your stride as natural as possible.  Think about it – when you take a walk down the street, you do not place your arms on arm rests that float magically by your side.  Rather, your arms hang down at your side and swing back and forth with each step.  Therefore, your arms should be taking on the same motion when you walk or run on your treadmill.

To get the most effective work out possible, you should keep your arms close to your body as you walk or run on the treadmill.  You should also keep them bent at a 90 degree angle while keeping your shoulders relaxed.  Your arm movements should be kept relatively short and you should focus on moving them quickly, as this will also help you get your legs moving faster so you can burn more calories.

Why You Should Keep it Natural

There are many benefits to swinging your arms naturally as you walk or run on your treadmill.  Some of these include:

•  Helps build core muscles as you are forced to balance your body rather than lean on armrests
•  Burns more calories because you involve your whole body rather than just your legs
•  Reduces the chance of injury or strain because you are moving with a natural stride

If you feel uncertain about letting go of the armrests, try moving at a slower pace so you can let go.  Then, slowly increase your speed while keeping your arms free from the armrests by your side.