Crocheting on a treadmill

[sonnets_and_stitches]

I was just wondering if anyone had ever tried it. I was at a friend's house to use her treadmill, and I was bored out of my head, even with the personal-sized flatscreen television directly in front of it. All I wanted to do was crochet!

 

However, my life is plenty sedentary, and I need to incorporate more exercise into it. So, has anyone crocheted on a treadmill?

 

~ Joy

[The Donna]

If you are that coordinated, I say go for it. I, for one, would probably try to turn my work, make a mistep, go flying across the room . . . hilarity ensues (cue laugh track).

 

Sorry, just seemed very sitcom-y to me!

[Mandys76]

Not on a treadmill, but I have done it on an exercise bike and a cross trainer...once you get your balance right, and get used to the movement of the walking or cycling, you can crochet quite well.

[debora]

I do on my bike but not the treadmill!!!! I would have to have the video camera running for that one!!! haha

[eebrs]

Never tried it. Just becareful with your yarn. I'd hate to hear of a tragedy involving yarn stuck in a treadmill!

[JaneMarcy]

That sounds way too dangerous to me.

[LaurieE]

I have a treadmill that is not motorized so it might work. I'll have to give that a try because I also get very bored while on it.

[laurastar0962]

seems awfully complicated for very little gratification

[pryor208]

Maybe just look through some pattern books while you walk or watch some crochet related videos. I could see riding a stationary bike while crocheting, but I'm not sure I'd be coordinated enough to crochet and walk the treadmill. But anything's worth a try.

[vonnie]

I have to hold on, on the treadmill, so I am sure it wouldn't work for me....OH heck who am I kidding, I haven't been on that treadmil in years..... BE CAREFUL

[sonnets_and_stitches]

I hadn't decided to actually crochet on the treadmill - first I was going to scope out and see if anyone else had any experience.

 

I can't go very fast on the treadmill - level 2.8 (out of 10.0 possible levels) is the speediest I can walk. One of my arches gives me trouble, so I have to take it a little easy anyhow. I'm not thinking of running and crocheting. Goodness gracious dearie me, no.

 

This treadmill model has hard plastic pockets in the console - I think for bottled water? It would be very easy to have a ball of yarn in the console pocket. That would keep the yarn from getting tangled or in my way. Additionally, this treadmilll has an emergency shut-off feature - a plastic card-key with a clippable lanyard. I attach it to my top, and if I stumble or trip, the jerky action rips the card-key out of the machine and the treadmilll halts. In fact, it's very easy to turn off the machine this way. Occassionally I've done it inadvertantly.

[Hookmaster]

Put your yarn in a bag and hang it on the handle, if you have one. That way your yarn isn't going to get caught in the machine. Let us know if it works I might try that myself, I'd rather crochet than exercise. It would be nice to be able to do both.

[iamnichole]

well, i have tried to read a magazine on my treadmill because it is so boring! ugh, i died to have that stupid thing, but its just so boring. so, i gave it a shot. took my cosmo mag down with me and got all the way thru the first maybe 15 pages and i was an inch from falling off the back end of the treadmill. good luck to you. maybe you're more coordinated and alert than i am.

[Debbi-a1]

I wish I could help. I got bored on a treadmill. . Now it's my clothes dryer . We got an aerobic rider and I got bored on that, even changing positions too (one hand, turn left, two hands, use legs mostly, etc). Only exercise that kept me sort of interested was short aerobic and toning exercises. Of course now I crochet rather then exercise:blush .

If you can exercise and crochet, that would be great. I would like to be able to do that.

Debbi

[ksknits]

I've been thinking of trying the same thing myself. I usually walk at 2.8 to 3.0 MPH, which may be too brisk of a pace to keep and crochet also. I'm thinking of using a bag over my shoulder to hold my yarn in. That way it's not anywhere near the machine, and easy to put my hook and project in when needed. If that doesn't work, I'll try to walk at a slower pace.

 

Kathy

[Tampa Doll]

I listen to my cd's that have a nice beat to them. I also have a TV close by. I can't read or crochet in anything that moves, so I couldn't do it on a treadmill. I may someday try it on the bike, but I am a little leary of that also.

They do have book holders for treadmills, so I guess you pattern could go up there, but in the long run, it sounds a little dangerous.

[sonnets_and_stitches]

I was thinking of a memorized pattern.

[Mommy2Max]

I have an elliptical machine at home and now I MUST try to crochet on it. I used to try to read, but the up/down motion of the elliptical machine is just too jerky to concentrate. But if I'm working on a small, simple, memorized pattern, I might have to try the crochet thing.

 

For those of you who get bored working out in front of the tv, I highly recommend getting a TiVo system. I record all of my favorite shows and then just skip through the commercials with the TiVo. Some people keep a bottle of water in the cup holder on their exercise equipment... I keep the remote control.

 

But now I might check and see if my yarn will fit!!

[Debbi-a1]

If you have a small enough ball of yarn you could have both in the cup holder!

I thought maybe a good tv show would work. I don't have tivo, but some movies. I was thinking maybe an action or suspense movie might keep you moving...

[ankey]

Oh I've tried... with absolutely no success!! the first time I forgot to hold on to at least one handle bar while going just 1 mph and almost fell off - caught myself just in time. I've been able to read textbooks and study notes while running on treadmills but never been able to crochet. I usually run 4 to 5 mph on the treadmill so crocheting is out of the question for me normally. Now the elliptical and the stationary bike are completely different - I can definitely crochet on those machines!

[JessyT]

I haven't tried crocheting on a treadmill but I regularly take walks and crochet at the same time (mostly on fairly even trails with no car traffic). I haven't had much trouble except that I tend to be fairly oblivious to the area around me and got quite a shock when I turned a corner, looked up, and saw a black bear in my neighbor's trash! Good Luck!

[diamond]

I have an elliptical machine at home and now I MUST try to crochet on it. I used to try to read, but the up/down motion of the elliptical machine is just too jerky to concentrate. But if I'm working on a small, simple, memorized pattern, I might have to try the crochet thing.

 

For those of you who get bored working out in front of the tv, I highly recommend getting a TiVo system. I record all of my favorite shows and then just skip through the commercials with the TiVo. Some people keep a bottle of water in the cup holder on their exercise equipment... I keep the remote control.

 

But now I might check and see if my yarn will fit!!

 

I have an elliptical too and let me tell you....crocheting while working out on an elliptical is IMPOSSIBLE! I've tried and it's just not possible. Like you said, the up/down motion is too jerky.

[oliveoil]

I've had the same thought lately, of crocheting while on my treadmill. But I'm afraid I'll accidentally drop my hook:eek !!! And who knows what will happen, my luck, that little hook might break my treadmill:hook !! What I've always done is get a lot of pattern books, crochet magazines, etc. plus my music and before I know it my half hour or hour is done. I do have a new stationary bike, maybe I'll try it on that:think ????