
My Treadmill Desk - jeremyrwelch
http://joshwhiton.com/lifestyle-design/treadmill-desk/
======
VLM
Computer programmers have a fixation on treadmills other sedentary hobbyists
don't have.

I have a treadmill behind the main TV couch in my house, and I sometimes use
it while the TV is on. I don't watch much TV with the result that I don't walk
on the treadmill very much, but it does sometimes happen.

The main treadmill problem I can see is they're not really compatible with
little kids or small animals WRT obvious hazard, so for a variety of reasons
its only recently that I can safely use mine without any worry. This focus
does fit in with the stereotype that startups are really good at solving 25
year old kid problems, not so good at the other 90% of the population. What
doesn't fit in is a stereotypical startup kid would live in a tiny apartment
and the "whiiiiiir" would drive the other inmates crazy pretty quickly, to say
nothing of the horrible open office fad, if my treadmill takes up 3ft x 6ft or
so area and a fad style open office only allocates a 2ft x 2ft space per
person this is a problem.

I have no complaint with this implementation and anytime I see someone do
carpentry I like it. I'm just commenting on the general fascination with
treadmills and desks seen on HN, its kinda funny.

~~~
tspike
There's also something deliciously ironic about literally being on a treadmill
while you're working. It's a metaphor we often use to describe the feeling of
not getting anything done, or working just for the sake of working.

~~~
VLM
There is truth in that. However why are computer programmers utterly
fascinated with the concept, but not, for example, accountants? Or stock
traders? Or customer service? Those seem like even more stereotypically
cyclical jobs.

I propose the analogy of the "endless loop" of the treadmill and endless loop
software bugs.

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brador
No doubt sitting is bad, but don't overthink this. The original and following
studies could not possibly have controlled for every related variable. There's
just too many potential nodes and arcs.

If you're in generally good health, get a standing desk and call it a day.

It could also be argued that having a treadmill desk leads to spending more
time at the desk. Since treadmill means less work done due to fatigue + less
productivity because of loss of deep focus. Overall, bad news. Standing desk +
general cardio is what I recommend.

~~~
aspirant
Actually, at such a low speed I find it only helps focus. It's meditative,
similar to how a labyrinth is an ancient meditative walking device.

Also, our bodies evolved walking 10+ miles per day. Not standing in one place
for hours. The broader point is about reconciling modern lifestyles with the
evolutionary past that we are still largely bound by.

~~~
brador
How low a speed are we talking here for maximum focus? Have you tested with
different speeds? Would be interesting!

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imacomputer2
I built a treadmill desk a few years ago and I love it. It's tough to get
myself out of my chair to use it, but once I get started I like it.

It's definitely not an all day solution though. I usually start feeling tired
after about 45 minutes. I start sweating at about 1 hour. After 1.5 hours, I
need a break. So I go back the my sit down desk.

The basic idea is to avoid staying in one place for a long time. Treadmill for
an hour or so, then site for a while. Repeat.

~~~
wpietri
How fast are you going? I had mine set on 1-2 mph, and never broke a sweat.

Regardless, I am a big fan of breaks; if I'm out hiking I'll also stop every
couple of hours to sit down for a bit. And really, when I'm sitting I try to
stand up and move around every couple of hours.

------
nobodysfool2
All those things wrong about 'sitting' are wrong about standing also. It's the
fact that your spine is supporting your weight that causes back pain and
issues. If you are sitting, it's best to use the chair back to support your
back so you can recline in a 135 degrees.

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sitting#Posture](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sitting#Posture)

~~~
subsection1h
> _If you are sitting, it 's best to use the chair back to support your back
> so you can recline in a 135 degrees._

This idea is supported by a study that focused only on the volunteers' backs,
not their necks, shoulders, etc.

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jgrahamc
_For me, this is not about “cardio”. This is simply about not sitting. That’s
it. That’s all._

In which case, wouldn't the author be better off with a lectern with a stool.
Then they could stand or sit depending on mood.

It seems to me that some combination of sitting and standing are likely to
have the greatest health benefits. There's evidence that standing all the time
is itself not good for you.

~~~
aspirant
The extended content in grey covers my experiments with standing desks prior
to this. tl;dr: Standing for a half hour leads to aching body parts — walking
doesn't.

~~~
jgrahamc
Right, but I wasn't talking about walking vs. standing, I was talking about
standing vs. sitting. There seems to be evidence that being upright all the
time isn't good for you either.

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mykhamill
My personal thoughts would be that if computer interfaces catch up to the
point of being able to use them in a redwood forest you won't be looking at
the redwood forest you would be working.

Much better to be in a controlled environment that does not distract you from
your work but takes into account all the evolution that has taken place so
far.

------
scottjad
Treadmill desks can cause seasickness.

At least for people video chatting with you :)

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-SKWfNWS08](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-SKWfNWS08)

Not sure how fast the person in this video is walking though. [edit: looks
like he's walking at 2-2.5mph, whereas author recommends 0.5mph]

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mrfusion
Why does the article cut off unexpectly? Is it not finished, or is it a chrome
bug?

~~~
aspirant
Does it really just cut off? I colored the second, less essential half of the
article grey for visual simplicity. Is it not showing up as such for you?

~~~
mrfusion
This is the last paragraph I see when I get to the bottom of the page:

    
    
        Noise — If you’re in an office environment noise is a real concern, especially for the $35 Craiglist special. There are exercise treadmills out there that are whisper quiet but you’ll need to find out which ones. I assume the new generation of treadmills geared for desk use are a fair bit quieter.

~~~
aspirant
That is the last paragraph. Shouldn't be the last word though. You're seeing
it cut off with the word "for" ? Anyone else?

~~~
bdegman
I don't think it's cutting off for them. The lack of margin at the bottom
makes it feel unfinished though.

~~~
wpietri
Yeah. Lack of margin definitely made me try scrolling down a few times. Also,
from the amount of intro, I was expecting a longer, more detailed article. And
it didn't seem to conclude so much as stop.

------
Jehar
I'm interpreting this as pretty hardcore satire. Is anyone else picking up on
that?

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wil421
50%-20% of my days are spent on the phone. I doubt anyone would want to talk
to me if I was huffing and puffing or breathing heavily into the phone.

I think the best approach is to talk a jog during lunch it gets the blood
flowing and make me less tired afterwards.

EDIT: I didnt realize you would be walking at 0.5 MPH.

~~~
jerf
If you're huffing and puffing at .5 mph, you probably really need a walking
desk...

~~~
wil421
I didnt realize that was how slow they were going. But just moving around with
a headset you can hear the noise.

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coldtea
Reminds me of those hamster wheels.

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contextual
_In the middle of a redwood forest._

Is it because he "loves" nature so much he'll tear down dozens of redwood
trees and displace wildlife so he can casually mention it in his blog posts?

Anyone who destroys nature to be close to it does so out of ego, nothing more.

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contextual
_In the middle of a redwood forest._

Is it because he "loves" nature so much he'll tear down dozens of redwood
trees and displace wildlife so he can casually mention it in his blog posts?

Anyone who destroys nature to be close to it does so out of ego, nothing more.

~~~
lifeformed
Wait, what? Since when was appreciating the aesthetics of nature bad? Since
when was living in a cabin in the woods a nature-destroying venture? How did
you conclude his motivations were solely narcissistic? Yes, he's living out
there just so he can mention it in blog posts...

This sort of extreme snap judgement just comes across as envy.

~~~
contextual
No, disgust. I'm exposing the truth and advocating for wildlife. I'm allowed
to do that. It's my planet too.

~~~
aspirant
Then give up whatever device you are typing on, and never set foot again in
whatever structure you are typing from. Surely you know that your activities
have destroyed at least as much nature as whatever you're criticizing.

