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?

You've mentioned "walking" and "ambling" on a treadmill - do you think people should only run on them?
Or should there not be treadmills?
Not being "snitty", genuinely curious.

I like walking. I don't like running.

I do it while I’m waiting for the teenagers to get off the weights machines that I want to use. May as well raise my heart rate while I wait and points in the right direction so I can leap into action when there’s a gap. Also my book is in a good spot so that works too. Are these acceptable reasons OP?

Why shouldn’t they though, just because they’re young? They’ve paid for gym membership because they want to use the gym. Perhaps they like the air con if there is any, perhaps they like the social side of a gym rather than solo walking. Plus all the other things about consistent speed, consistent terrain, lack of obstacles, obstructions, dogs, sun.

Plus if it’s at the end of their gym session then clearly they are warming down in a consistent and controlled way, rather than using their walk home to do so.

Warming up and cooling down or just as a break after a jog/run.

warm up
cool down
recovery
reaching their steps quota safely
and without being harassed or annoyed in the street
building up to a specific program
motivation because they find the street boring and they are going to the gym to do other exercise too
because they want to?

We have people who are active instead of slobbing on the sofa watching tv or their phone, and someone still manage to be negative?

I did the whole of C25K on a treadmill! Then when I’d finished it I felt a lot more confident going for a run outside.

When I used to go to the gym, my main exercise was walking on the treadmill. I would do an hour. I could read a book or watch a film and there's a nice little holder for my drink. None of that happens on an outside walk. Plus when I had enough I could just turn it off and be exactly where I started.

I do long distance walk challenges - 50km+ - but live in a very flat area with no hills whereas the events are often in very hilly areas. So, treadmill walking on an incline while I'm building up to a long walk is as close as I can get.

Exactly.
Complete with "why do people use a machine exclusively designed for walking and running for those purposes"?

Say it like that op and you'll realise how silly your question is.

Perhaps the gym might not be in a dodgy area but where they live is.
Perhaps they work long hours so by the time they are home its already dark
Perhaps they have non obvious mobility issues
Perhaps it makes sense to them to do cardio, use machines, weights and showers all in one place rather than doing a gym work out and then going for a walk at a different time
Perhaps they go for walks outside as well!
Perhaps, given its out 5th heatwave in 2 months its been too hot to exercise outside for much of the summer so they got a gym membership and now want to get their use out of it
Perhaps they do like to watch TV etc while working out
Perhaps theyve had bad experiences with people being rude to them or men being inappropriate when exercising outdoors

Or, most relevant PERHAPS THEY JUST WANT TO!

I use the treadmill to warm up and cool down. I have injuries so cannot run on the treadmill and cannot walk on an incline.

If I'm having a bad day (injury wise) it can be too painful to walk on the pavement as they are often uneven and where I live is hilly. Using the treadmill at home or at the gym means I can still get my steps in

I often wonder this. But I walk to the gym and forget some people drive there.

To warm up?
that’s what Dh and I do.

I quite often walk on the treadmill if it’s not a running day. I have it on a 3% incline and walk at 6mph for 30 minutes. It feels like a workout and then I can go straight to the cross trainer or weights.

Because they are probably doing a weight session as well, so they get their steps and strength training done together. They may not get the chance to dedicate time to two separate sessions.

Hay fever

To cool down…

I've been raped and feel much safer in a brightly lit, public gym. In a rape survivors group many other survivors recommended it as a way to restart exercise and feel safer than being outside.

What are the treadmills for if not walking/running?
Yes, we could all exercise outside, but then treadmills/gyms wouldn't exist.

And there's many reasons people might not run (non-visible injuries/to avoid injuries in the future), and walking is the only other obvious exercise (I know there's the pushing when it's switched off one, but few people do that).

I choose a treadmill at a gym because I’ve been called names/approached by men while walking/jogging.

The gym has air-con, during the summer kts
too hot to walk/run outside in the heat.

It’s also flat and I can remain level at a consistent speed. I’m a clumsy person and have tripped/fallen over on uneven land.

I feel safer at a gym compared to walking/running outside on my own.

Oh god I’m going to do this soon and already feel embarrassed about what people may think 😂😂😂 not enough to not go though.
I had an operation and I can’t lift weights or do anything except walk at the moment. Ds and I go to the gym together, he’s too young to go without me but he’s really missing it as much as I am. I said well go on Thursday, I can walk on the treadmill and maybe try the stairmaster while he works out.

I also only run inside on a treadmill as I once had a stress fracture from running and ended up miles away with no signal to call dh and had to hobble for about half a mile to the nearest road. I didn’t run for years and now I’ll do a 15 minute running warm up on the treadmill but I’m still a bit wary about running outside.

As Billie once said...

Because we want to because we want to

Because Im too fat and unfit to run OR Ive forgotten my sports bra

I get fed up of walking round the same housing estates just for the sake of getting steps in.

Also it’s easier to go and walk on the treadmill for 30 mins - an hour after work and before my Pilates/body balance class.

Who cares?! They are obviously paying to be there so can use the treadmill how they please.
not everyone wants to speed run a 10k 🙄
I am sick of people asking this, it’s so boring. People moan the population aren’t getting enough exercise and then when people, who’s first time it may be at the gym, dare to walk on the treadmill they get criticised.
just concentrate on what you’re doing and don’t worry about anyone else, unless they ask.