Why do some people choose to walk on treadmills at the gym?

[MagpiePi]

I will start off by saying, I am not trying to be goady or suggest that people are wrong, I am just curious.

When I go to the gym there are always people who walk on the treadmills and I wonder why they don't walk outside instead. They are often young (it is in an area with a lot of student flats) with no obvious mobility issues, they are not using cars as they are walking too and from the gym. It is daytime, the weather is fine - not raining, not too hot or cold, the gym is not in a dodgy area or surrounded by roads clogged with traffic and pollution. They are not setting the treadmill to an incline or walking at a sustained brisk pace, but are generally ambling along on the flat.

The only reason I can think of is that it means they can watch videos or scroll on their phones without worrying about walking in dog shit or having to look up to cross roads or avoid other people but still get their step count up.

Am I missing something?

10 minutes walking on the treadmill was my usual warm-up - as specified by my personal trainer.

Maybe the start or end of a workout? Maybe to get steps in and don’t feel safe walking about local area? They may have other issues. You wouldn’t know it from looking at me but I have bad knees and I get my steps in on the treadmill as it’s easier on my them.

Warming up, cooling down? Tired of dog shit?

You could ask the same question about why are they running on it though. It’s there to be walked/run on. That’s its purpose surely?

You could ask the same about why people choose to run on treadmills, surely? Why do people bother to use a treadmill to run when the weather is good, it's safe outside etc etc? The answer's the same - they just prefer to use the treadmill for whatever reason.
If I'm early for a class, I quite often walk on the treadmill. I don't want to run as I don't want to knacker myself out before the class but I do want to get my steps up a bit rather than just hanging around,

I walk on the treadmill, and walk outside too. I enjoy the gym treadmill because I can pace myself better, watch videos , listen to music and books without having to worry about bumping into anyone. I don’t run on it because I don’t trust my ankles

I do it as a warmup.

I also currently have a knee injury so need something as flat and regular as possible (which precludes walking outside unless routes are cherry picked).

I think it's mainly because they want to and prefer it to walking outside. I don't think it matters at all why they do it, even if it's to watch videos or scroll on their phone.

It’s normally a warm up or cool down.

They are warming up or cooling down after their workout, most likely. If they are only doing that, then it is probably because they want to control exactly how fast/far/what gradient they are walking at.

Because I've had a hip replacement ( in my 40's, quite fit with no obvious limp so you wouldn't know) and I've been told I can't run yet. Walking on the treadmill is part of my rehab alongside cycling, cross-trainer and weights.
I do walk outside but it also forms part of my gym routine. Tbh the treadmill is more stable than outside so it was helpful in teaching myself to walk properly again in the weeks post surgery.

I wish people would just leave people alone to do whatever workout they want - it's none of your business how I choose to exercise.

Warm up, cool down, too hot or wet outside.
Treadmill is easier on the joints than concrete pavements
At the moment I'm ambling along because Ive just finished chemotherapy and Im broken. It will be weeks before I can think about inclines of increasing pace.
Ive also got a dodgy knee but you wouldn't know that to look at me.

Warm up

Consistency of environment and climate

Predictability of inclines and speeds

Injury

It’s a treadmill.

What else are you supposed to do on it?

Anything you do on a treadmill can be done elsewhere!

I do a walk to get my HR up, then work on the resistance machines and then go back and walk run and walk to cool down before stretching.

My DH, after a lifetime of running outside, has just moved to running on the treadmill due to a couple of falling over accidents (due to wobbly/cracked pavements) His reasoning is that the surface won't change and if he does fall over, someone there can help him

As a warm up for another exercise like weights. Or maybe they like to combine cardio and weights in one evening so do everything in the gym.

I get shin splints if I run so I walk on the treadmill set at an incline.
Since I'm at the gym anyway, I might as well warm-up on the treadmill and it's part of the cardiovascular part of my workout.
Do you think people should only run on the treadmill or should they only do their running/walking outside and the gym shouldn't have treadmills at all?

I work on the treadmill. It’s part of my post-surgery recuperation. While I can and do walk outside, the treadmill is better in this extreme heat.

Why do people use the rowing machine when they could just row on a river?

Why do people lift weights when they could just get a job with a Furniture Removals company?

Why do people go on the escalator thingy when they could just walk up and down their own stairs, or the stairs in a shopping centre?

Why do people…..erm, tell me some more gym equipment and I’ll finish the sentence.

Why do people get dogs to walk when they can just walk without the dog and save money by not buying the dog, not buying dog food and not spending money at the vet?

Why do people go to Parkrun when they could just park is there every day?

Warm up? Also I use the treadmill for speed sessions so I can accurately maintain a constant speed for a specific amount of time.

This. I run outside. I know EXACTLY why people don't.

My current routine is a 20 minute walk on the treadmill and then some weights. I’m getting back into fitness after a miscarriage. I was really fit before and I’m starting from zero now. I’m slowly increasing my pace until I am running again. I do it at the gym because I want to do weights afterwards and it fits into my lunch break.

What should they be doing on it OP? Curious?

One more reason - where else are they going to meet other weird treadmill people so they can make weird treadmill videos that win prizes and entertain people like me?

It can be very loud outside
There aren't always suitable walking paths
Some people have hay fever that's exacerbated by the wind
Some people do not like to be in the sun for many reasons
Many are treating it as a warm-up only

There are so many reasons