People walking on treadmills in the gym

[crinklechips]

OK to start with I know I'm being a bit U but I need to have a mini-rant.

I use currently use the gym mainly for running intervals and speedier sessions which are easier to manage indoors.

Every time I go in all the treadmills are taken, and mostly by people walking.

Now I can totally understand that people have different fitness levels, might be using the treadmill to warm up or for recovery and that's absolutely fine.

But there seems to a growing number of people (actually, exclusively younger women in my observation) just using the treadmills for a gentle stroll while messing around on their phones.

I ended up next to a young woman last night who spent the entire half hour I was on the neighbouring treadmill walking at 3kph, no incline, while scrolling instagram. I can barely call that exercise, it's below a normal walking pace. If that's how you want to kill time then I guess it's up to you but it just seems selfish when there's a queue of people waiting for a treadmill.

Same, my hips are buggered due to pregnancy, I like that can go for a ‘walk’ and not have to worry about getting back from anywhere if my hips pop!

Just to add again as I said in my OP I see lots of people walking on the treadmill who are clearly at various fitness levels and that's 100% fine.

And I know I can't know for sure at a glance who is there for recovery or managing ill health and who isn't.

But there's a regular type of young woman who is in the all the fancy gym gear at the gym but is barely using the equipment in a meaningful way at all.

I know it's U but it doesn't stop it being a source of frustration!

People like you are the reason that disabled me will never join a gym.

I'd love to be able to do some gentle exercises, or try a walk on a treadmill at a very slow pace and for a very short period of time, etc. in a safe and warm environment. But the prospect of being sneered at and judged by someone like you means I will never, ever do so.

Yes, you are BU, but I think you know that.

You'd be waiting the same length of time regardless of their pace.

I do this in the winter (although slightly quicker and not looking at my phone). Its because I don't feel safe doing my usual summer walk in the dark but I still want to get that walk in. I pay the same gym fees as everyone else so can use the gym how I want to.

YABU but I am also BU as I would be inwardly irritated too, although would never show it or say anything. Signed a sweaty pounder But that’s why I got a treadmill at home as hell is other people.

My daughter is 16 and disabled. You would have seen her doing the same thing. If you judge her for it, shame on you.

With the dark nights, maybe young women who would go for a walk in the evenings are doing it at the gym because it’s a safer environment. If you judge them for that, shame on you. Why aren’t you out pounding the streets? What’s easier to manage than a pavement?

I agree with you OP and I am not a fit gym bunny any more. It would drive me crazy to see the treadmills blocked by people strolling on them. Either walk briskly or run.

So they have a self propelled treadmill? I use one on my gym and I prefer it for intervals etc as it's a harder workout and you don't have to wait for it to speed up. No one else seems to use the one in my gym which is a bonus

I don't look disabled but I cannot run and can only walk on a treadmill. You would be shocked at how low my HRV daily rate is according to my fitness tracker. Dh used to run on them next to me whilst I walked. Running outside he tore his knee, had to have surgery to fix it and had to slowly work back up to a jog, cannot run at all these days and was walking for months on a treadmill in the gym where we have been members for 20 years.

Your attitude is the reason so many people hate the gym.

Younger women, possibly for safety?
They might have had a bad experience walking in public and enjoy the safety of a walk inside with other people.
Injury, postpartum recovery, there’s many a reason why a young woman might just be walking on a treadmill.
If you don’t like to share equipment because you feel your running is more important than their walking, buy a treadmill to use at home?

Ahh, I get it now. You’re judging a specific “type” of young women because they do something different to you.

But - ‘why’ is it frustrating?

I think you need to get to the bottom of your thought process here. There is no reason that someone who has paid the exact same money as you and is using the exact same piece of equipment for the same length of time, they’ve just selected a different pace setting, should cause frustration.

as it does, this is a you problem.

Well, you're allowed to find it frustrating, but it's entirely their right and you'd be waiting the same amount of time whether they're gently walking or sprinting. They're clearly not trying for speed records so they're almost certainly just going to be on there for X minutes, however much distance that is.

Well they’re getting exercise out of it surely?! They’re paying the same amount as you to use the same equipment as you. Do you care about the amount of weight people lift on the machines? What if someone ran for an hour on the treadmill instead of walked? They’d still be using it for the same amount of time.

Do you think other faster runners get annoyed with you when you’re on the treadmill?

I really can’t understand your logic!!

What are they getting out of this….i will tell you what i am getting out of it.

I am moving my body in a way that works for me that benefits my physical and mental health and I am doing in a “safe” environment where I feel I am not going to get attacked again like I was when I was walking in a local park previously.

it has taken a year and lot of work for me to face being in public and doing this and feel good about it.

and to know that I am being judged. Someone who feels their “need” is more deserving than mine is shit.

I agree with you, OP.

The gym I use has six treadmills and two are designated for running only. So anyone/everyone can use the other two but the running-only treadmills are for people who want to pound.

What kind of gym are you at?

I’m about to start treadmill walking! I have a disintegrating knee so limited with what exercise I can cope with. A lot of equipment and classes is unsuitable. I look like your average middle aged woman but my left knee is about 100 years old.

Can’t walk outside as much as I would like so treadmill walking it will be mostly. I’m hoping to get one for home eventually so I can keep the gym free for more important people like yourself @crinklechips

Exercise presumably.

I think its fair enough to rant. We all have our annoyances, and feeling that non-serious people should step aside for others. i.e. at a bar, those ordering multiple cocktails or at a cafe ordering mocha pumpkin spices soya shite should step aside for those in the queue wanting their pint of lager or an americano.

I get annoyed at people who hog weights machines between a large amount of sets, with very long rest periods where they sit on their phones. I clocked one woman at 25 minutes on one machine. When she finally left, her husband went on it and did the same thing. That machine was out of use for 40 minutes for a couple who weren't even using it properly!

All the things that people have pointed out above are fair. Injuries, lack of fitness, cool down, ill health etc. It might not look like much but they're still lapping those who don't bother. Its probably better that you rant here than make them feel uncomfortable and unwanted at the gym. As superior as you may feel now, you might feel that a proper serious gym, everyone was laughing at you with your cardio and your 5kg weights etc. and ridicule you for not grunting away with a barbell weighing the same as an SUV!

So what actually happens if you can't complete your work out ? The Apocalypse?

It is a bit irritating but there is nothing you can do about it and YABU to judge them. They'll all have stopped bothering in a week or two though so just wait it out.

The people warming up I can usually identify, I think.

It's the people sauntering incredibly slowly for ages and ages that are frustrating.

Omg you cant be serious

I think people are giving you a bit of hard time, implying you're ableist.

Everyone gets unreasonably irritated. I can't stand being stuck behind people who walk slowly. I can acknowledge they have as much right to be on the pavement as me, walking at any pace they want - while envisioning shoulder-barging them and sticking my fingers up at them. Humans are complicated animals, we contain multitudes.