Skip navigation
Life Fitness
Hammer Strength
Contact
Arabic - Arabic Dutch - Belgium Dutch - The Netherlands English - Belgium English - Europe English - Hong Kong SAR English - Netherlands English - United Kingdom English - United States French - Belgium French - France French - Switzerland German - Germany German - Switzerland Hungarian - Hungary Italian - Italy Italian - Switzerland Japanese - Japan Norwegian - Norway Portuguese - Brazil Portuguese - Portugal Simplified Chinese - China Spanish - Latin America Spanish - Spain Traditional Chinese - Hong Kong SAR Turkish - Turkey

Fitness Solutions for Your Market

Health Clubs

Hospitality

Multi-Unit Housing

Home Gyms

Athletics

Education

Corporate & Medical Wellness

Uniformed Service

Equipment for All Training Types

Learn about our brands: Life Fitness Hammer Strength

Explore the full Equipment Catalog

Cardio

  • Treadmills
  • Ellipticals
  • Bikes & Indoor Cycles
  • Arc Trainers
  • Stair Climber & Stepper Machines
  • Rowers
  • Consoles

Strength Training

  • Selectorized
  • Plate Loaded
  • Racks, Rigs, & Platforms
  • Cable Machines & Functional Trainers
  • Benches
  • Storage Racks

Accessories

  • Dumbbells & Fixed Barbells
  • Barbells & Plates
  • Functional Training Accessories
  • Conditioning Accessories
  • Mobility Accessories

Digital Solutions

  • Connect System
  • Facility Connect
  • Life Fitness™ On Demand+
  • Connect Kit

Featured Lineups

Symbio Cardio Integrity+ Cardio LFX Functional Strength Training Hammer Strength Performance Trainers

Support

Facility Design & Layout

Service Hub

Education Hub

Financing Options

Menu

  • Health Clubs
    • YMCA
  • Hospitality
    • Cruise
    • Country Clubs & Golf
  • Multi-Unit Housing
  • Home Gyms
  • Athletics
  • Education
  • Corporate & Medical Wellness
  • Uniformed Service
Learn about our brands:
Life Fitness Hammer Strength

Explore the full Equipment Catalog

  • Cardio
    • Treadmills
    • Ellipticals
    • Bikes & Indoor Cycles
    • Arc Trainers
    • Stair Climber & Stepper Machines
    • Rowers
    • Consoles
  • Strength Training
    • Selectorized
    • Plate Loaded
    • Racks, Rigs, & Platforms
    • Cable Machines & Functional Trainers
    • Benches
    • Storage Racks
  • Accessories
    • Dumbbells & Fixed Barbells
    • Barbells & Plates
    • Functional Training Accessories
    • Conditioning Accessories
    • Mobility Accessories
  • Digital Solutions
    • Connect System
    • Facility Connect
    • Life Fitness™ On Demand+
    • Connect Kit
  • LFX
    • LFX - Virtual Tour
  • Hammer Strength Performance Trainers
  • Symbio Cardio
  • Integrity+ Cardio
  • Facility Design & Layout
  • Service Hub
    • Request Service
    • Order Parts
    • Warranties
    • Tech Support Documents and Knowledge Base
    • Product Registration
    • Service Agreements & Contracts
    • Become a Service Partner
    • Invention Submission
  • Education Hub
    • Life Fitness Academy
    • Blog
    • Ebooks
    • Whitepapers
    • Success Stories
    • Events
    • Press Releases
    • Digital Requests
  • Financing Options
Contact
About Find a Distributor Find a Store Product Catalog Legal Careers Sign in to Facility Connect

My quote builder

For additional customizations, including color, material selections, weight options, etc., a sales representative will follow up with you.

Are you a home user? Visit shop.lifefitness.com - fast checkout, live support and exclusive outlet deals.

Looking for something specific?

Blog Education Hub Customer Support Home

Is Treadmill Calorie Burn Affected by Holding the Handrails?

July 29, 2024

Are You a Treadmill Slacker or Lean-Backer?

You know the drill: hit the gym, log a couple miles on the treadmill, then check "cardio" off your to-do list for the day. And you don’t waste your time walking at an incline and holding on to the handrails, since that’s cheating, right? Well… not so fast!

In a 2014 study conducted by Cybex and researchers at the University of Massachusetts—Lowell and published in the International Journal of Exercise Science, factors like incline, posture and handrail use all impacted calorie burning power for treadmill users. The results may surprise you.

Here's what the data revealed:

  • Walking at a 10% incline and using the handrails burns about the same calories as walking at a 5% incline without using the handrails.
  • If you use the handrails to lean backward while walking, the calorie burn of your workout is reduced by 31.8%. Despite this, it feels like more work to hold the handrails and lean back at a higher incline, even though you're burning fewer calories. Listen to what your mother told you as a child and "stand up straight!"
  • Remaining upright and using the handrails while inclined is an alternative that does not reduce the calorie burn of the workout as drastically as leaning back. It's the leaning back that throws off calorie burn.

So what's the smartest treadmill position?

  • Walk at the highest incline that you can comfortably maintain without holding on, OR...
  • If you feel more comfortable holding on, ensure that you keep an upright posture and don’t lean back!
Take a closer look at the biomechanics behind Life Fitness Treadmills, which provide multiple options to hold on and remain upright. And remember, you don't necessarily have to go hands-free to get a solid treadmill workout.

Like what you read? Share this post.

EXPLORE OUR BRANDS
Life Fitness Hammer Strength
Arabic - Arabic Dutch - Belgium Dutch - The Netherlands English - Belgium English - Europe English - Hong Kong SAR English - Netherlands English - United Kingdom English - United States French - Belgium French - France French - Switzerland German - Germany German - Switzerland Hungarian - Hungary Italian - Italy Italian - Switzerland Japanese - Japan Norwegian - Norway Portuguese - Brazil Portuguese - Portugal Simplified Chinese - China Spanish - Latin America Spanish - Spain Traditional Chinese - Hong Kong SAR Turkish - Turkey

Markets

Health Clubs Hospitality Multi-Unit Housing Home Gyms Athletics Education Corporate & Medical Wellness Uniformed Service

Equipment

Cardio Strength Training Accessories Digital Solutions

Customer Support

Facility Design & Layout Service Hub Education Hub Financing Options
About Find a Distributor Find a Store Legal Accessibility Careers Sign in to Facility Connect
Contact Us Privacy Settings Privacy Policy Terms and Conditions

Copyright © 2025 Life Fitness