When working out on a treadmill the time clock seems to move faster if a good movie is on. Some persons find music a great motivator to keep them in the zone, while others find watching scenes from a story line appealing, and this is a fantastic way to burn calories with less conscious effort.
Treadmill videos on the internet are mostly about dogs, cats, and (even shrimp!) on treadmills, men dancing on treadmills, and people falling off treadmills. Those are not treadmill movies! Treadmill movies do not feature a treadmill as the hero, villain, or theme. No, a treadmill movie is simply a movie that people watch while using a treadmill! Treadmill users have being doing this at the gym for years, but, now that some home treadmills have bigger screens and can connect to the Internet, home users can choose the movies themselves, and watch in the privacy of their own homes.
A good treadmill movie is not simply one that is so mindless that you really don't have to pay attention. Nor is it one featuring things that bounce up and down more than a pornographic movie. No, a treadmill movie is like a movie you’d see on an airplane. That is, it keeps you engaged, passes the time, and you can follow the plot without having to pay close attention, or even to listen to, the words. So which movies are best for watching from a treadmill? On to the reviews!
Chariots of the Gods- This film won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1981. It features runners who run for God and to overcome social prejudice. They run, they run, and they run. The well-recognized music plays. You run, you run, you run. Monkey see, monkey do. They win. You win. Everybody wins. What's not to like?
Following are a few of the best movies to watch while using a treadmill:
The Expendables - Many of the action heroes of recent years are in this one. You can probably identify with, or at least tolerate, at least one of these guys. As with most action movies that engage at all, you get to want to see how it turns out. If that takes long enough to get your workout in, that's a treadmill movie!
High Noon- This classic you may cause you to end up injuring yourself from running too long if you haven’t seen it before. It runs about an hour and a half, so you need to be in good shape for this one. As the clock ticks closer to noon, your running pace will quicken to match the ticking of the clock. You will identify with the hero and won't give up!
The Family Man- Tia Leone is in this one, so men will want to watch it, but it could be any movie that features the personification of your personal lust. That is, whatever leading lady or man you most desire. Sublimate your sexual desire into physical effort and replace heartbreak and alimony payments with cardiovascular health at the same time!
These movies have something in common. It's that they all feature a protagonist who faces formidable forces and must draw on all of his strength to prevail. This inspires us to pursue our own goals. If Schwarzenegger can neutralize that many bad guys while barely hanging on, we can at least put one foot in front of the other. Or at least you could tie a carrot to a string and dangle it in front of the treadmill.