Oh noes, could TV and treadmills be a bad combo?!?

Obviously from the title of this blog and its pure focus on TV and running, it's clear that I like watching TV while on the treadmill. In fact, I have been known to stay on the treadmill "for just another episode ... "

But here's a sports doc who says TV and treadmills might be a bad combination. Bottom line:

If you're able to watch TV without craning your neck, holding on to the sides of the treadmill, or skimping on intervals, then you're probably OK running while watching. But otherwise, you're better off turning off the tube. 

The reasoning is that watching TV can force you to crane your neck at a bad angle, it can reduce your calorie burn if it makes you grab the handrails, and it can leave you in a rut where you just keep running at the same pace.

Actually, this all sounds right. I'm definitely cognizant of the first point. There are a couple of treadmills at the gym I use that have a straight edge along the top of the display that works perfectly for draping my Kindle Fire, with the back of the cover acting as a counterweight to the tablet. The other treadmills would all require that I rest the Kindle Fire along the bottom tray, which in turn would force me to look down too sharply.

I don't hold the handrails, so the second point isn't applicable to me.

And as for the third point, I don't watch TV when I'm doing speed sessions on the treadmill. (I try to do speed work on the track, but if it's nasty weather, I'll run indoors.) It's either an audiobook, music, or nothing.

So, yeah, I guess TV and treadmills could be a bad combination. But maybe not too bad....