That’s one way to pass the time! Weird social media trend inspires people to pour soap and water on their floors to make ‘treadmills’ during quarantine – including an Olympic runner
- People are taking to social media to share videos of themselves dumping dish soap and water on their floors to make DIY treadmills while quarantined at home
- The viral trend actually started in April 2019 when a Twitter user shared a video of herself running on soapy water in her kitchen
- Olympic silver medalist runner Paul Chelimo posted a clip of himself walking on soapy water in his bathtub to keep fit
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With gyms across the country closed and many Americans quarantined to their homes amid the coronavirus pandemic, people are finding bizarre new ways to work up a sweat.
As part of a new online trend, people are dumping dish soap and water on their floors to make their own ‘treadmills,’ so they can get their steps in or at the very least amuse themselves while hunkering down at home.
Social media users across the country have been posting videos of themselves slipping and sliding on their kitchen floors — or in one man’s case the bathtub — as they test out the ingenious, albeit somewhat dangerous, DIY trick.
The viral trend actually started long before the coronavirus emerged when a Twitter user shared a video of herself running on soapy water in her kitchen in April 2019. ‘I can’t afford a gym membership so,’ she captioned the footage, which has been viewed more than 23 million times.
Now, with nowhere to go and nothing else to do, people are trying it out with varying results — including Olympic silver medalist runner Paul Chelimo.
Chelimo tweeted a video of himself walking on soapy water in his bathtub on Monday, writing: ‘Trying this out in case, there is a curfew! No Treadmill, No Problem!!!!!!! Tough Times calls for Tough Measures. I’m not about to show up at the Olympics Trials out of shape. Go Hard or Suffer the Rest of Your Life!’
Say what? Olympic runner Paul Chelimo is among the people who using soap and water to make at home ‘treadmills’ while quarantined amid the coronavirus pandemic
Always training: In the clip, Paul can be seen pouring dish soap into his bathtub to make the wet floor nice and slippery
It works! He holds onto the towel rack while walking on his tub as if it were a treadmill
Loving it: Kia Zolgharnain made his own how-to video demonstrating how people can turn their kitchen floors into makeshift treadmills
Process: After pouring liquid soap on the floor, he sprinkled water on top
Be careful! Kia proved that the trick does work, but he almost slipped and fell when he upped his speed
Don’t try: A Twitter user named Jamie joked that this is ‘not recommended for married men’
Added touch: He took the extra step to rub the soap and water with his foot before getting started
Getting going: He held on to is kitchen counter while slowly walking on the tile
Before corona: The viral trend actually started in April 2019 when a Twitter user shared a video of herself running on soapy water in her kitchen
Making it work: The woman joked that she couldn’t afford a gym membership, so she was running on her kitchen floor
Advanced technique: The woman held herself up on her counters while running in place