Ask HN: Anyone use a treadmill desk daily?

Here's a profile of a NYTer who loves her treadmill desk: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/04/technology/personaltech/t...

How about you just go to the gym and build real strength and endurance instead of having a treadmill desk. The treadmill desk will only make yourself feel better about sitting around all day but it won't move the needle significantly on much else besides emotion.

The reason I chose the harsh wording is because there truly is no substitute for getting in the gym to correct posture, build strength, build endurance, and prevent injuries long-term among other things.

You just have to make time for it and do the work, just like with anything else worth having in life.

Walking rather than sitting or even standing has helped me with my back problems after having had two surgeries for a herniated disc. The constant motion helps prevent me from developing problems that would always develop from those static positions.

Additionally I tend to pace when I think and this means I can stay at my desk while puzzling something out. The fact that I can burn a thousand calories on an extended day of focus is just icing on the cake.

I see my treadmill desk as something that helps me work, not a substitute for the gym. Maybe dial back the judgement and "harsh wording" in the future, or at least talk to people before developing and/or sharing such a strong negative opinion.

I've been using a treadmill desk almost daily for the last 2-3 years and I absolutely love it. I had two laminectomies for herniated discs about 5 years ago and the dynamic motion of walking has helped me maintain my back health better than an ergonomic chair or a standing desk would. On days when I had a lot of meetings and couldn't walk at my desk it was noticeable.

It works particularly well for me, but your mileage may vary (literally). I tend to walk fast (2.0 mph) which means I need light clothing and a fan blowing on me. That seems to be faster than most people who walk (and beyond the speed you should start at). I'm also able to walk longer than a lot of people do (I've walked a marathon distance several times during 24 hour hackathons). Contrast this with my partner who found it almost impossible to work while walking.

I tend to pace when I think, something about walking helps me think; my treadmill allows me to stay at my computer where I can still write code or make notes, versus getting up from my desk and wandering away. This really helps me switch rapidly between deep thinking and focused working.

Two things I highly recommend if you want to take the plunge: make sure you position your keyboard and monitor(s) carefully as it makes a huge comfort difference, and use a trackpad over a mouse. I've used my Magic Trackpad and had no problems controlling my cursor, but the few times I tried to use a mouse I found it very jumpy (especially at my faster pace).

If you're unsure I recommend looking for a used TR800, take a lot of breaks, and start slow. And a quiet fan can help keep you cool.

I do. Against all the online advice to not DIY I have a normal running treadmill (a freebie from the people we bought our house off, who didn't want to move it) with a couple of polystyrene blocks across the bars. The blocks support a bluetooth keyboard and a wireless mouse. I use normal garage shelving (also left for us) to support a 32" 2560x1440 monitor. My laptop sits on the shelves, but the one screen is plenty big enough for work.

I use the treadmill for 2 hours every day, and have done so for the last 6 months. I do 40 minute sessions, with a decent break in-between, at 5.3km/h, with the incline set to the point where I can feel it, but not to where it changes my gait or makes me sway so much that I can't type.

Honestly, it's great. Because I work from home I don't get any of the walking exercise I used to from going to and from work. But I get more now - 10kms a day, at a fairly fast pace. Combined with intermittent fasting I have been slowly losing weight over the past 6 months.

And it feels really good to walk. It was something I missed. Being able to work it into my... work... has been great.

I don't think it's probably a good idea to walk all day. After some experimenting I settled on 2 hours. I used to do 3 hours, but by the end of the week my back would be getting a bit sore.