Ask MetaFilter posts tagged with elliptical

Help me work out, in.

Ambrosia Voyeur — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 18:35:01 -0800

How do you make a home-based workout work for you? When I go to the gym, I pretty much only use the elliptical (an adjustable incline type so I get butt-work) and a mat for crunches or leg lifts. I think when I move out of this teeny apartment, I would like to buy my own elliptical, as it would pay for itself in a few years.

What are some strategies for guaranteeing good home workouts? How do you minimize distractions, stay comfortable (I'm used to a lot of air flow, and I workout sweaty hard) or keep the honeymoon going with in-home fitness routines?

I think one thing I'd like to do is have a small tv in the same area so I can do dance video workouts there some of the time, too.

How similar is using an elliptical machine to running?

sequential — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 11:15:24 -0800

How similar is using an elliptical machine to running? I sustained a minor stress fracture running about a month ago, which caused me to give up my normal run/walk routine. After being mostly pain free over the past two weeks, I decided to try the elliptical last night. I took it easy, only raising my heart rate to an average of 138 over 30 minutes. Other than the awkward motions of the elliptical, I felt fine - no pain associated with my injury. Typically, I run at 5 miles per hour with an average heart rate of 140. However, the elliptical reported that at a similar heart rate, I was averaging seven miles per hour.

I suspect that the primary cause of this difference is twofold. First, and primarily, the machine calculates miles per hour based on RPMs, which likely does not translate directly to running speed. Second, my muscular and cardiovascular strength has improved since the injury because I stepped up my cross training (cycling, swimming, and strength training) since I've stopped running and walking, but this might account for a 10% improvement, guessing, not a 40% improvement in my run speed, and even 10% is likely pushing it.

Since I'm stuck on the elliptical until I go two weeks without foot pain associated with my injury, I am wondering: how effective of a substitute for running is an elliptical machine? Are they similar at all or is the commenter on my fitness blog correct when he states that the elliptical is more like cycling? Is there anything one can do on an elliptical machine to better prepare for running again?

Thanks for your thoughts.

Is the Gazelle an effective cardio workout or what?

tastybrains — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 11:11:19 -0800

I'm looking for a definitive answer: Is the Gazelle a reasonable cardio workout or isn't it? I am very overweight and need a way to workout easily in my home. We unfortunately do not have room for a treadmill...we have a crappy elliptical but the only space for it is in the garage and it's the only elliptical on the planet that makes my joints hurt.

The Gazelle looks like it would be fun, easy on the joints, and really good for the space we have. However, from reading reviews online & commentary on message boards, I still am not clear if this is an effective cardio workout or not. It seems like it works mostly on momentum, so I don't know how much work it takes to keep it going.

Some people claim to love it, and other people say that it's not really a workout at all. I'm not in awesome shape and I just want something fun & easy to do to build up some fitness.

Can anyone please chime in with firsthand experience as to whether this is a tool that will make me break a sweat?

Decent elliptical on a budget?

Alabaster — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 02:24:44 -0800

Decent elliptical on a budget? (more inside) I'm looking to buy an elliptical machine to do cardio work at home. I really like the big fancy computerized ones at the gym, but I'm finding I'll be better off working out at home.
Can anyone recommend a good, solid elliptical with adjustable resistance and a "feel" similar to gym-style ones? It doesn't have to have all the bells+whistles of the gym ones (programming, heart rate monitoring, etc.).

I have a feeling that the 'gazelle' brand is not what I'm looking for but if anyone has rave reviews of one of those, I'm happy to listen.

The cheaper the better, as long as it's a reasonably quality piece of gear--I don't have $800 to throw into this. $2-500 is more reasonable, at the lower end if possible.

Home Exercise Equipment

benjh — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 17:59:00 -0800

Are home-grade exercise machines a waste of money? I started working from home about a year ago. Since then, I've put on some weight from mostly being much more sedentary than I used to be, just from not going to/from the office any longer.

I have a gym membership, however, with long work hours, it is not convenient to go as much as I would like. I used to be a gym rat, going 5-7 times a week to do cardio at least, and weights often.

I have considered purchasing a home elliptical machine, to work out a few days a week, and then go to the gym 3 days a week. So esentially, the elliptical would get used 4-5x a week on average.

Question is, will a lower-grade "home" elliptical hold up, or would I be better off just forcing myself to make the time to get into the gym more often. Work keeps me going constantly, unfortunately it isn't more than being in front of a computer doing statistical analysis, creating reports... Excel is hardly a workout.

need to get high

mustcatchmooseandsquirrel — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 11:45:44 -0800

Can I get the "runner's high" without running? Elliptical trainer hurts my knees (with or without stretching), swimming seems icky to me for many reasons. Is there any other way I can get the exercise high?

I already walk 2-4+ miles a day but that doesn't really do anything for me. I have not tried actually running because of elliptical trainer experience.

Help me choose a home elliptical

Saucy Intruder — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 07:41:34 -0800

Help me choose between two similarly priced home elliptical machines (1, 2). #1's advantages: Longer stride, heavier footprint.
#2's advantages: Rear flywheel, smaller footprint.

I really like #1, the Sole model, but my wife thinks that the wheels-on-rails mechanism is a Bad Idea in terms of longevity and maintenance cost. The big problem with #2 is that the stride is too short.

Anyone out there have experience with either of these models? Am I generally stupid for buying such a thing over the internet in the first place?

No, that's not a "laundry rack"

theantikitty — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 14:53:25 -0800

NewYearsResolutionFilter: My husband and I want to cash in on the New Year's savings and buy an elliptical machine. Right now, we feel like we're in a little bit over our head. So, we've decided to buy an elliptical machine. Grand! I've discovered, though, that i have absolutely no idea how to buy one of these things. I checked out the most recent big review of ellipticals at Consumer Reports; I think it was from late 2005. However, i'm encountering a lot more brands than they included in their ratings. Obviously, cost is of some concern. We're hoping that, with the sale prices, we can spend $1000 or less. Space is also an issue. This torture device has to fit in our bedroom (with all the other torture devices). I've heard that the ones that fold up are to be avoided, though, because they're less sturdy. That means we need a machine with a medium to small "footprint." Still, it needs to be a well built machine. I'd like both my husband and I to be able to use this machine safely. Therefore, I'm thinking a maximum weight capacity of around 300. I hate hate hate when the arms swing involuntarily on the machine. It's OK if they CAN be moved, but there should be an option for them to remain still. So far, we're looking at Sears and Dick's Sporting Goods...and I can't even think of anywhere else to buy one that isn't a specialized equipment store.

I'm a little overwhelmed! Does anyone have any advice about how to go about making this purchase? Any additional things I should be looking for, or mistakes I'm making in my criteria? Personal recommendations are also extremely welcome.

Elliptical trainer rentals?

The corpse in the library — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 10:01:52 -0800

Where can I rent an elliptical trainer near Seattle? I won't be able to get to the gym for several months, and I miss the elliptical trainers. I know about Aurora Rents, but they only have bikes and treadmills. Any suggestions?

Workouts!

SirStan — Sat, 18 Nov 2006 18:38:11 -0800

Advice for training for a 5k run. I am looking into running a 5k run this May, which leaves plenty of time. For a while I was working my way up on the Couch to 5k progression, and I am (was) at step 6. I took a ~8 weeks off from the gym when I broke my toe, and am now getting back into it. I have started back at step 5, which I can handle.

My question is this.. Being overweight (~250lb, 6'2", 23yr) how bad is this for the knees? I am exercising mainly on a treadmill at a gym. Should I be doing this more on an elliptical? How applicable is a elliptical workout to a treadmill workout for a real-life 5k run on streets?

Thanks!

Where to rent an Elliptical Machine in NYC?

dudeman — Thu, 10 Nov 2005 15:32:05 -0800

Where can a person rent an elliptical exercise machine (e.g. Precor) in New York City? I'm interested in getting a high quality elliptical machine for home use, but I'm concerned about the cost and my relative lack of self-motivation. I don't want to spend $2000+ on a machine that I use five times then ignore. I'd rather rent for a while until I'm sure it works for me. I need something at home -- gym membership is not an option. Is there any company that will rent me an elliptical machine by the month, and deliver to my apartment in Manhattan?

Shoe recommendations for exercise

tidecat — Sat, 19 Feb 2005 09:27:02 -0800

What type or brand of tennis shoes is most appropriate to use when working out on an elliptical trainer? One of my New Year's Resolutions was to get in a daily 1/2 hour workout on the elliptical trainer. A month and a half out I'm now having some pretty serious tendonitis problems on the ball of my left foot. I wear a very nice pair of asics running shoes that never gave me problems before. What should I be looking for in a shoe that will give me support on this type of machine? Any brands/models geared toward use on ellipticals?