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?

Yeah, I don't really understand why walking on the treadmill vs doing it outside is any different to running on a treadmill vs doing it outside or joining a rowing club instead of using the rowing machine.

But to add to the many legitimate reasons above, here are some of the reasons I have just walked on the treadmill:

1 I'm starting out an exercise program but frankly, am not strong/fit enough yet for running so walking to start. Often also with some other activity eg rowing, light circuit, cross trainer etc. All of which I will do in the gym. If things go well,in a few weeks, you'll see me running on the treadmill for 20 minutes, not walking.

2 Walking allows me to measure distance, speed, time.

3 And, because it's on the the treadmill, it forces me to walk at a consistent speed even if I get a bit tired or lazy.

Walking and running on treadmills is what they are designed for.. have you been doing wild choreographed dances like the band OK Go?

Because it’s part of my warm up or cool down.

-Warming up or cooling down
-It’s too hot outside
-They want to watch a video at the same time
-They are doing it to annoy you

Probably one of those reasons.

Because it’s their choice what they use it for not yours

I do this because I have a hidden disability which means I find it hard to walk on uneven surfaces without giving myself joint pain and I’ve also got vision issues (which you wouldn’t know about looking at me) so find it hard to keep looking down where I’m walking. On a treadmill the “road” stays exactly the same.

It's a confidence thing with me....I don't have the co-ordination to run on a treadmill somehow....

I can watch or listen to something while walking without having to think about crossing roads or bumping into something. I can walk at a faster pace too than outside.

At a guess, I’d say that it’s because they prefer walking on the treadmill to walking outside.

Same reason people use them to run...

Because they want to.

they are warming up or cooling down.
they want to exercise with air con
they don’t like being outside
they want to walk but have an incline
they are building up to running

No dogs, have had a couple of falls in the past due to uneven road surfaces which doesn’t happen on a treadmill. Ideal instead of going for a walk in the hot weather.

I walk on the treadmill at the gym to avoid off lead dogs outside.

Do you run on them OP? Because you could also do that outside - as you’ve said, fine weather, safe area etc

The temperature outside is 26 degrees. The gym has air conditioning. Running isn’t an option because I snapped my ACL about 5 years ago.

Go for a walk outside? Take a longer route back to their student flat?

I knew I shouldn't have started this as people are getting all snitty.

I don't care really, I was just wondering why so many young people amble along on a treadmill at the end of a gym session and then walk home.

Literally every single thing you do in a gym you could do for free outdoors, though -- lift heavy things, run, walk, cycle etc.

You obviously do care or you wouldn't have started this thread.

They pay for a gym membership and they are using it.

I live literally 10 mins walk from my gym in an area where people travel to walk, but I will still walk on a treadmill.

Because they want to. That's the reason for all of them.

You really can’t tell by looking at someone who looks fit and healthy exactly what issues they have. Someone who tires easily and suddenly might feel safer in the gym because they can step off when they feel like it rather than having to walk a distance home, ditto if recovering from surgery. Waking a short circuit outside is no more interesting than walking outside.

Maybe they are using the gym to try to make social contacts.

Maybe they are scared of walking out alone because of past experiences.

And yes, there will be some who will tell themselves and others that ‘they have been to the gym’ - even if they haven’t done very much.

So many very good reasons it could be, we shouldn’t judge.

at the end of a gym session and then walk home.

You even have this in your second post and you still don't get it? You dont' do your cool down 20 minutes after you've done your session. You do it immediately after. So finish the work out, on treadmill for cool down. Not "Finish session, go get changed, maybe showered, then cool down with a walk home".

People get "snotty" because the judgement is 100% there in your opening post.

And for someone like me, who is not very fit and struggles to get myself to the gym, it's people who are judging the decisions I make when I do get there who make it x10 harder to make myself go.

Id struggle to run 10 min on a treadmill because id be bored, I could happily run for an hour outside. But not everyone likes to.
DD is starting c25k (she's 20) It involves walking and running. she feels self conscious running outside. She feels she can pace herself better on a treadmill and she uses it for a warm down or cool down if she's doing weights.

Maybe they’re gorgeous and want to show off in gym gear, maybe they want to watch other people walk in gym gear, maybe they’re sick of men in vans watching them walking outside, maybe they don’t like getting sweaty before a lecture, maybe . . .

The brass bands who use the treadmills for rehearsals must go at a different time to you OP.

Oh my gawd you guys , why do
people use a gym when they can just go like outside ? Why are they using exercise bikes when you can just cycle outside . I don’t understand why people can’t lift lift tins of baked beans in the kitchen rather than taking up space in the gym