Does It Help Burn Fat To Run On The Treadmill Without Holding The Rails?

Whenever you get on the treadmill to run or walk, your goal probably is either to burn fat or improve your cardiovascular fitness. In either case, you will obtain the most benefit by working at a higher level of intensity. Holding onto either the front or side railings on a treadmill, or on any other cardiovascular machine, reduces the intensity of the exercise, causing your heart rate to decrease and a reduced number of calories to be burned.

Intensity

Intensity level plays a large role in fat loss and the amount of calories you burn. The optimum fat burning zone in which the largest percentage of calories from fat are burned is between 55 percent and 72 percent of your maximum heart rate, notes Jack H. Wilmore and David L. Costill, authors of the "Physiology of Sport and Exercise." Higher-intensity exercise burns a larger percentage of calories from carbohydrate stores and a greater amount of total calories. When you hold onto the treadmill, your intensity level is reduced, thus affecting the number of calories and fat burned.

Posture

When you hold onto the railings you are pulling your shoulders forward and not walking or running completely upright. This affects your posture and can change your gait, which might lead to injuries, states Dr. Theresa Lawrence Ford, M.D., on ArthritisToday.org. Stand upright and walk or run naturally when on a treadmill, just as you would if you were walking or running outside, or when you are not on a treadmill.

Letting Go

Balance or fear of falling off the treadmill is the reason people hold onto the treadmill. No matter if you are running or walking at a flat incline or at a 15 percent incline, you should not hold on to the railing other than to check your heart rate or to aid in getting off of the treadmill. You will obtain the most benefit by decreasing the speed and/or the incline of the treadmill to a pace in which you feel comfortable walking or running without holding on. Even at a decreased speed, you will burn more calories by not holding on than by holding on at a higher speed.

Other Cardiovascular Equipment

Holding onto the the railings is not only an issue with the treadmill, but also with other cardiovascular equipment. Excessively leaning or holding onto a stair stepper or elliptical trainer also lowers the intensity and is hard on the wrists, elbows and postures, notes the American Council on Exercise. When using other cardiovascular equipment, maintain an upright position and lightly place your hands on the railings for balance if necessary.