[rainbowstripe]

Hello there,

I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced electric shocks from their treadmill? I'm lucky enough to have one in my house, so I can use it regularly and not have an excuse - it's right there, why not use it. The only frustrating part is that I experience electric shocks whilst in the jogging parts of my workout.
I guess this is because of friction created by something and the fact I don't use the hand bars whilst jogging - so whenever I make contact with any part of the machine with my hands or arms or even if my abs touch the front of it, I get a short sharp shock - not exactly something conducive to a good workout!

Anyone know a way to prevent this? Or have experienced similar? It's really frustrating.

[mazza]

Arrrrrrghh. Yes.

This happens to me all the time. Plus, if I've got my iPod resting on the machine's control panel, I get zaps that run up to my ears and gie me a little jolt.

Im pretty sure its caused by the static electricity generated by feet rubbing on the strip - maybe there's some kind of shoe material that prevents this happening?

[Marms]

Me too. I try to keep my hands off the bars but sometimes they accidentally touch and then it's ZING!! very annoying.

[BlueToBlue]

I have this same problem with the machines at the gym sometimes. I haven't figured out a solution except to try not to touch the machine accidentally. Which is hard, because I have a tendency to want to run as close to the front panel as possible. I guess I'm unconsciously afraid I'll fall of the back, but there's actually plenty of room for me to move back a bit. I'm so far forward that sometimes my feet even kick the front of it and almost cause me to trip. It's a wonder I don't break my neck.

I guess one thing that works that is that I started bringing a water bottle and setting that in one of the little holders on the front panel. The water bottle sticks up above the front rail, so now I hit the water bottle with my hand instead of the treadmill. The bottle is plastic, so it doesn't carry a charge. So I don't get a shock anymore, but now I'm scraping up my hand on the water bottle. If it's not one thing, it's another.

But that makes me think that maybe a solution would be to a towel or something over the rail or wherever you have a tendency to bump the TM. Something rubber would be ideal, but I can't think of anything rubber offhand.

[rainbowstripe]

BlueToBlue, I'm like you - I always stay close to the front of the machine, I think it's something to do with the little safety clip and the fact I feel weird toward the middle or back of the machine.

I am now thinking the electric shocks are something I'm going to have to deal with - I sort of plan when I'll have one now hahah - jog for a minute and then tap the back of my hand on the front of the machine - the jolt is less of a shock on the back of the hand rather than through the fingertips.

It is pretty annoying though, I wish it could be prevented - I wondered whether it was my stupid thighs rubbing together causing all that friction.

[Apple Cheeks]

Yup, I get a little zap when I reach for the rails after I'm done. I just figure it's static electricity from the belt, and nothing to be concerned about.

[rainbowstripe]

Just thought I'd give a little update - I've figured out something that stops the shock - or at least it did for me yesterday.

Listening to my iPod for an hour on the treadmill and I had no shocks - I'm thinking it's maybe because the iPod sits in the little holder on the front bar and I'm connected to the iPod by the headphones - so I'm connected to the bar in some way the whole time?

I could be completely wrong, but I was happy enough to not get any shocks - was also the longest I've ever been on the treadmill and it felt great!