Stop Holding the Handrails on the Treadmill Menu Verywell Fit Nutrition Weight Management Nutrition Facts Nutrition Basics Diets Meal Plans Meal Delivery Services View All News Fitness and Nutrition What to Buy How We Test Products Fitness Gear Nutrition Products Tools Recipe Nutrition Calculator Weight Loss Calorie Goal BMI Calculator Body Fat Percentage Calculator Calories Burned by Activity Daily Calories Burned Pace Calculator About Us Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Search Walking Treadmill Walking How to Stop Holding the Handrails on the Treadmill By Wendy Bumgardner Wendy Bumgardner Wendy Bumgardner is a freelance writer covering walking and other health and fitness topics and has competed in more than 1,000 walking events. Learn about our editorial process Updated on November 02, 2020 Reviewed Verywell Fit articles are reviewed by nutrition and exercise professionals. Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Michele Stanten Reviewed by Michele Stanten Michele Stanten is a walking coach, certified group fitness instructor, and running coach. She is the author of Walk Off Weight and The Walking Solution. Learn about our Review Board Print Steve Prezant/Getty Images Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Problems Created by the Treadmill Rails Handrails Don t Need to Be Used Holding onto the handrails while walking or running on the treadmill is a bad habit that reduces the good effects of your workout. Most people can train themselves to use the treadmill without gripping the rail. Once you do so, you will get more benefits out of your treadmill workouts. If you have any significant impairments, discuss your exercise needs with your doctor and physical therapist to see what modifications are appropriate for your condition. Problems Created by the Treadmill Rails There are several reasons why gripping the handrails reduces the effectiveness of your workout. Holding the handrails is an unnatural walking and running technique that: Doesn't build balance Reduces the effects of incline Reduces the number of calories burned Ruins posture and body alignment Handrails Don t Need to Be Used Do you use the handrails just because they are there? Or were you just taking a cue from others around you at the gym? You might have felt more confident on the treadmill using the rails at first and never tried walking or running on the treadmill hands-free. Many people who use the treadmill handrails are young, fit, and have no apparent medical conditions that would interfere with balance. Trainer Lorra Garrick, CPT, offers advice on how to wean yourself away from using the handrails. Follow these steps. Slow Down Start walking hands-free with the speed set lower than you are used to using. You might even want to start at the lowest speed and gradually increase it after a minute or two. You will be changing your body mechanics in a positive way, exercising your postural muscles and your legs more than when you were holding the rails. That means you can go slower and get the same, or better, workout. Go as slow as you need for maintaining your balance and good form. Focus on Your Posture Now focus on posture. You want to walk with your body upright and not leaning. Raise yourself up from your hips, imagining a string is attached to the top of your head. Tighten your abdominal muscles. Do a few shoulder rolls to loosen the tension on your neck, shoulders, and upper back. Your chin should be parallel to the ground and eyes forward, not looking down. You might have to give up reading or watching a video when on the treadmill if you can't position the book or screen correctly. This posture will enable you to breathe fully as well as walk and run correctly. Try Zero Incline At first, you may want to use no incline while you get used to walking on the treadmill without using the handrails. You'll be getting more of a workout already as you won't be leaning on the rails or supporting some of your body weight on the rails. Once you are used to a steady walk without the rails, you can vary the pace with faster-slower intervals. Use the Right Amount of Incline You may be one of the people who use the handrails when you are using a high treadmill incline, especially with higher speed. It's best to use the incline you can handle hands-free so you get the full benefit of it. As you practice, you will be able to go faster and use more incline. You probably hike slower uphill outdoors, probably at less than 3 mph. Set the treadmill at a pace similar to that of your outdoor hikes. Practice Safety First You can use the handrails when getting onto and off of the treadmill and you may grip them at first when you start the tread moving. If at any time you feel unstable, use the handrails briefly until you feel steady. Slow the speed and adjust your posture. You may have been going faster than you can handle right now. You will be developing better balance and ability over the course of days and weeks, don't rush it. Always use the safety cord that will stop the treadmill if you stumble or fall. If there are any distractions that might break your attention to good treadmill form, go ahead and use the handrails and slow the speed or stop the treadmill. A light touch on the handrails will be sufficient to help you maintain your balance. Just be sure you aren't supporting your body weight with your arms. 1 Source Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Ijmker T, Lamoth CJ, Houdijk H, et al. Effects of handrail hold and light touch on energetics, step parameters, and neuromuscular activity during walking after stroke. J Neuroeng Rehabil. 2015;12:70. doi:10.1186/s12984-015-0051-3 Additional Reading IJmker T, Lamoth CJ, Houdijk H, et al. Effects of Handrail Hold and Light Touch on Energetics, Step Parameters, and Neuromuscular Activity During Walking After Stroke. J Neuroeng Rehabil. 2015;12:70. Published 2015 Aug 23. doi:10.1186/s12984-015-0051-3 By Wendy Bumgardner Wendy Bumgardner is a freelance writer covering walking and other health and fitness topics and has competed in more than 1,000 walking events. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? 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