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.

Nope. 2-4 minutes rest. Former bodybuilder here.

There may well be people with heart conditions who should only walk on the treadmill as they need to balance exercise and over exertion on the heart.

You are being VERY unreasonable.

It's generally called a Farmer's carry - you carry a kettlebell or dumbbell in each hand & walk or run.

Or if you have my trainer, you carry a 32 kilo kettlebell in each hand and go up and down the stairs between the two floors of the gym ... twice.

I used to walk everywhere at all times of the day and night (former PT), loved nothing more than taking my dog out for hours, until gradually after several scary instances I felt utterly unsafe and actually quite nervous of being out as lone female. I’m no wall flower but it just wasn’t ok to be out simply walking. Ridiculous isn’t it. But there we go, this apparently is the world we live in.
ad annoying as it might be, maybe that has a factor in the treadmill strollers

Fuckaduck, Appleandcidergravy! That's a proper fast walk. All the very best for your mega-impressive step challenge!

OP others might see you running and be upset with you hogging the treadmill if on for an extended period of time and think you sweaty and selfish. Have you ever considered this? Alternatively could you not do your running at a different or less busy time. For example, earlier or later or first thing on a morning.

I go to a gym, I am 60, overweight couldn’t run to save myself. I do weights and do a 10 minute warm up or cool down either on the treadmill on an incline if free or if not rather than waiting I will use the stepper, cross trainer or one of the exercise bikes. It’s just a small community gym, we all pay the same and I have as much right to the treadmills as anyone else but if they are in use I am flexible enough to do something else. Maybe you could consider this as an alternative.

Or OP you might be better off doing yoga, tai chi, meditation to help calm you down.

Well, this thread has certainly brought up a lot of discussion, much of it thoughtful. Yes, it’s annoying when you want to get your exercise done in a set period of time. Parenthood can cramp your style and this is a massive challenge many people, but especially women, face.

In a similar situation, I would love to get my run in but, equally, if the equipment is being used it cannot be helped. As a woman, I would rather see these young women in a gym even if they do not seem to be managing their time effectively by some people’s standards. Those sort of people are one of the reasons I cannot get together the courage to go to a gym.

Absolutely hats off to all of the people who go and do what they can and need to to care for themselves. It has certainly been a theme on this thread. I sincerely hope that those young women ‘hogging’ the machines with their leisurely promenades never experience the fear and grow into women who feel they can enter and occupy that space and create a place that promotes health and fosters collaboration. People can generally tell when they are being judged. It can leave a lifelong impression and not always positive.

i hear you want to get your interval done. It’s annoying you couldn’t. But you have to wait your turn or find an alternative. You’re all paying guests.

I am one of those women walking slowly. i have a heart condition

i have a family friend who also exercises like this, she has multiple health conditions/chronic illnesses. One that causes bad pain all over.

her and I are young and look fit and healthy

and also whatever the reason. IT IS NONE OF YOUR GODDAMN BUSINESS

Ridiculous entitlement. Whilst I was recovering from a car accident, that was me walking on that treadmill.

Much love to you all rocking a solid walk on a treadmill. You earned your spot. Keep on looking after yourself and your health

Honestly, please don't feel like that.
Not everyone is a judgemental dickhead.
I only started going to the gym a couple of years ago (prior to that I only ran - OUTSIDE! Woohoo, go me!) and the gym I go to is so friendly and inclusive it's lovely seeing so many people of all ages, shapes, sizes, and fitness just having a go. The staff are very helpful and encouraging (and you don't have to have booked in a session with them for them to be so). But so are the clientele - made a few gym friends quite quickly. There were a few pumped up blokes who I thought were probably going to be laughing at my attempts but after I spent ages trying to get the move and position correct on one lift, one of them came over and very patiently helped explain and demonstrate til I got it right. Was also good to see the guy that's cleaned my oven for years, in there just before Christmas. He must weigh around 20 stone I'd imagine but he's taken the plunge and he's definitely doing well with his weight loss. He also 'walks' on the treadmill - difference is, no ones judging him for 'lacking purpose'.

Same here. I had thought about it. The only equipment I would use would be a treadmill at a normal walking pace in the winter months when it's cold, wet and miserable.

I walk on a treadmill very slowly as I am recovery from surgery on my heart. I can assure everyone that although I look as though I am sauntering, for me it is me pushing myself to my absolute limits. I thought I was being judged by the obviously fitter than me folk, and now I know I am. Thanks - I am chuffed with my progress anyway!

That hour is the only time of the week I can be certain I can go for a run without setting my alarm before 5am (which I do as well, but it’s really nice not to). So when that time is ticking down and half the treadmills are taken by stroll-and-scrollers, I am silently wishing they could do their insta thing on one of numerous empty bikes, ellipticals or step machines instead.

I walk on the treadmill due to a slipped disc in my back and if I run it will give me a flare up. So am sorry am not running, I walk on an incline.

I walk on a treadmill because I have health issues that mean I cannot currently run. I like a treadmill for the same reason you like running on it probably. It's an even surface and I can monitor my fitness. I can also walk faster on a treadmill than I can on streets etc because I can hold on. I think YAVVU it's fitness equipment.

Can you join a running club OP?

It gets dark at about 5pm at the moment and a lot of women would feel unsafe walking outside.

Lots of people need to do gentle exercise for various medical reasons, some of them unseen.

There's no fitness hierarchy in the gym. Everyone pays the same for the same access to the equipment.

Oh gosh I do feel awful for putting people off the gym.

Believe me, even I, clearly a judgemental dickhead, am not judging the people who are starting out or recovering or doing their best, whatever that looks like.

There really is a very particular type of social/performative gym-goers that irritate me, no-one else. And when I am at this gym, the majority of people there are either these performative youngsters or people of very varying fitness levels just doing what they can.

Until I find a 5am running club, no.

Those performative youngsters will hopefully not be scared to enter the gym when later on they realise the beauty of strength and health and what they can achieve. Yes, it’s annoying - we hear you! Youngsters rarely start from a very focussed approach; that’s age and experience. I hope they keep going and never develop the fear of being judged as inadequate

And I hope that you find more free treadmills. It’s tough trying to fit in time for one’s self. I hope your event goes well

I joined the gym because it got dark in the mornings which meant I didn’t feel safe exercising outside before and after work. I’m a runner so mainly go to the gym for the treadmills but can honestly I’ve never noticed or paid attention to what other people are doing in their workout time. Maybe you need something more important to think about? Or join a gym with more treadmills? Or run outside?

Ask the gym to invest in more treadmills, citing the queue at certain times as indication of a need.

Ok fair enough your original post talked about being at the gym ‘last night’ so I thought you had some free evenings.