About to buy a elliptical trainer machine.

[Martin]

Found a nice one for $400 new (no luck on ebay or anywhere else).

Hopefully after a few months, I will be a normal person (weight wise) after more than 10 years!

 

[Vette73]

Buying one is not the probltm for most, using it 3-5 times a week is.

I ahev one and workout 20minutes 5 times a week and lift weights afterwards. Have lost a GOOD deal of weight and am in the best shape of my life.
I also bike, climb, surf, etc... so that helps. But only do that in teh warmer months.

 

[Martin]

My plan is to do 1 hour a day for 6-7 days a week, it will take a month-month and a half until I will be able to stay on for a full hour...but after that.....

 

[Ameesh]

beware of cheaper machines, it will not be any where close to gym quality

 

[jmcoreymv]

Youd probably be better off with a gym membership. For 400 bucks your probably going to get a poorly built machine and youll hate using it.

 

[Ameesh]

Originally posted by: jmcoreymv
Youd probably be better off with a gym membership. For 400 bucks your probably going to get a poorly built machine and youll hate using it.

yep

 

[Chumpman]

he probably doesn't want to lug his tub of lard ass to the gym to embarass himself infront of the serious gym-goers

 

[RagingBITCH]

Originally posted by: Marlin1975
Buying one is not the probltm for most, using it 3-5 times a week is.

I ahev one and workout 20minutes 5 times a week and lift weights afterwards. Have lost a GOOD deal of weight and am in the best shape of my life.
I also bike, climb, surf, etc... so that helps. But only do that in teh warmer months.

Doing anaerobic activity after aerobic activity is pretty stupid. Your glucose store is nearly if not empty, and your body goes into a catabolic state in order to get energy for lifting.

 

[HobbesAB]

Originally posted by: jmcoreymv
Youd probably be better off with a gym membership. For 400 bucks your probably going to get a poorly built machine and youll hate using it.

I disagree. Yuo can find a quality machine for this cost - just not a treadmill. However, I would definitely try one before you buy it in order to make sure it feels right to you and that you enjoy doing it. If not, I'll give you $50 in 6 months for it when its sitting in the back of your closet.

 

[T2T III]

This past summer, we had a charity garage sale for one of the volunteer orgs that my wife works for. Ironically, an elliptical trainer machine was donated - and in very good condition. I don't recall who manufactured it, but I do know one thing - the flywheel for the machine was damn heavy.

Oh, once we eventually did sell it later in the day at the sale, we got a whopping $60 for it. Someone got a fine machine - for a very low price.

 

[Riprorin]

What do you think of the build quality of the Nordic Tracks? I'm considering getting a CX 925.

 

[Squisher]

Originally posted by: Riprorin
What do you think of the build quality of the Nordic Tracks? I'm considering getting a CX 925.

Most are very good. Good aerobic workout. I have the pro, never had anything break on it.

 

[RU482]

Originally posted by: RagingBITCHDoing anaerobic activity after aerobic activity is pretty stupid. Your glucose store is nearly if not empty, and your body goes into a catabolic state in order to get energy for lifting.

Whoa, that's exactly why I quit working out a few years ago (amongst other reasons)
I'd run, ride the bike, do the eliptical and then lift. I friggen started to black out one day. I got so creeped out I never went back and let my membership expire. Looking back, it was probably a combination of dehydration and being out of gas

 

[RagingBITCH]

Originally posted by: redly1

Originally posted by: RagingBITCHDoing anaerobic activity after aerobic activity is pretty stupid. Your glucose store is nearly if not empty, and your body goes into a catabolic state in order to get energy for lifting.

Whoa, that's exactly why I quit working out a few years ago (amongst other reasons)
I'd run, ride the bike, do the eliptical and then lift. I friggen started to black out one day. I got so creeped out I never went back and let my membership expire. Looking back, it was probably a combination of dehydration and being out of gas

That sounds about right. Anaerobic activity = lifting weights, aerobic activity = cardio. Doing aerobic activity with a low glucose store converts fat into energy, whereas anaerobic activity converts muscle into energy. (In general) Sounds like you just wore yourself out and like you said, was way too dehydrated.

 

[Martin]

this is fairly close to gym quality IMO. It doens't have advanced features (incline adjustment), but otherwise its pretty solid. I also considered this $150 (used) one, but it was quite rickety and wobbly. I used this one for about 5 mins. Motion was smooth, no pain in my knees (I got that with the cheaper one).

Interesting to note that while there was a more expensive one, it was much worse, since its wheel was bigger and forced me to take larger steps with the up-down motion much more pronounced.

Anyway, machine is approximately this same as this:
http://www.fitnessdepot.ca/products/cardio/elliptical/sportop/images/sportop820.jpg

As for gym, I already have a membership (countesy of my university), but its just too damn inconvinient (too many to list).

 

[Entity]

What brand? I had two different NordicTrack ones and they both blew. :|

 

[TekDemon]

Originally posted by: jmcoreymv
Youd probably be better off with a gym membership. For 400 bucks your probably going to get a poorly built machine and youll hate using it.

I disagree. Psychologically speaking if your exercise equipment isn't convienient you're FAR more likely not to use it.

When I had a gym membership between where my school was and where the subway station was, it was a no brainer to just stop in after classes and work out. Once school ended and I worked at the hospital maybe 7 blocks away, I was faaarrr too lazy to go =(

Those few blocks make a big difference in whether you go or not unfortunately.

So I think the best thing psychologically is to put the elliptical somewhere where you can't avoid it. Put it in front of your TV, toss your couch or something and FORCE yourself to exercise on it while watching TV. Or something similar to that so you HAVE to use it.

 

[TekDemon]

Originally posted by: redly1

Originally posted by: RagingBITCHDoing anaerobic activity after aerobic activity is pretty stupid. Your glucose store is nearly if not empty, and your body goes into a catabolic state in order to get energy for lifting.

Whoa, that's exactly why I quit working out a few years ago (amongst other reasons)
I'd run, ride the bike, do the eliptical and then lift. I friggen started to black out one day. I got so creeped out I never went back and let my membership expire. Looking back, it was probably a combination of dehydration and being out of gas

Heh the trainer my friends were talking with at NYSC told them to do aerobic then lift, but I always did it the other way around for some weird reason.

Then again, they lost weight and I'm still a lardass. Oh well =(

 

[TekDemon]

Originally posted by: MartyTheManiak
As for gym, I already have a membership (countesy of my university), but its just too damn inconvinient (too many to list).

Man I feel your pain man....I moved to a really far off dormitory(it's technically not even on the campus but part of another separate campus lol) and I haven't been to the gym ONCE this school year. *sigh*

I too am thinking about buying an elliptical machine even with access to a gym. Twisted but I completely understand. You just have to make it so that you can't go two feet without bumping into your elliptical so you use it. Good luck man!

Personally I'm gonna force myself to hit the gym every day somehow. SOMEHOW!

 

[Geekbabe]

The elliptical trainer is my very favorite piece of equipment in the gym! I like the fact that I can chose from so many different modes of workouts.