Precor AMT

[Don Vito Corleone]

I was at the gym last night (Lifetime Fitness in Fridley, MN), and since I've had an ankle issue lately I didn't want to run. They recently got in some new machines, including something called a Precor AMT, so I thought I'd try it. It appears to be an elliptical trainer, but in fact it is much more - what an impressive machine!

Instead of having a fixed elliptical stroke, this has an eccentric four-bar linkage that allows you to independently control the length of your leg stroke. On the short end it's like climbing stairs, but on the long end it's like a long-strided sprint that is surprisingly strenuous. Meanwhile, because your legs are independent of one another rather than being locked into a fixed linkage, you have to kind of balance in a way that is, I suspect, much more demanding of each involved muscle group than a normal elliptical trainer. The machine seems to automatically go into a stairstep-type stroke when you are not holding the handles, because I could easily imagine someone falling off if they tried to take a long stroke without using the handles.

Here is a video of one in action.

Has anyone else tried this thing? I highly recommend it.

 

[Accipiter22]

For some reason I get the feeling that if I click that link I'll see an "IT" from that episode of South Park where Mr. Garrison invents a new way of traveling...

 

[Accipiter22]

Honestly though I thought all ellipticals were like this? All the ones at my gym are similar

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: Accipiter22
Honestly though I thought all ellipticals were like this? All the ones at my gym are similar

No. This is a very different feel. Most ellipicals have a very defined range of motion that you can only control by shortening your own stride.

This works the opposite way by shortening the stride within the machine. It's a very different than any other type of product out there. Precor is the best builder out there for cardio equipment. They started the ellipse movement and nobody has been able to make a better one yet.

http://www.precor.com/comm/en/amt/amt100i/

 

[theeedude]

Precor makes some great equipment. I lost 50 lbs on a Precor at the company gym.

 

[marvdmartian]

Just watching that, it looks as though the girl on the machine suddenly started going backwards! So does this thing have the added benefit of teaching you how to moonwalk while exercising your body???

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: marvdmartian
Just watching that, it looks as though the girl on the machine suddenly started going backwards! So does this thing have the added benefit of teaching you how to moonwalk while exercising your body???

I know you are joking, but running/striding backwards actually has incredile merit in training. Normally when you run you are working the large muscles on the back of leg - hams & calves. You get a little bit of quad work on hills and in extreme sprints, but normally not a lot. When you do backwards strides you hit the opposite sides of your legs that normally aren't worked. It's a great way to get a more "full" workout and strengthen less used muscle groups.

 

[theeedude]

It's a lot of work going backwards on a precor, because it's using muscles that aren't usually as well developed.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

This video gives you a better sense of how much you can vary your stride on an AMT.

 

[CPA]

I wonder how much one of those suckers cost. It has to be expensive since the site wants to you contact the Sales Rep.

 

[Phokus]

Originally posted by: DonVito
This video gives you a better sense of how much you can vary your stride on an AMT.

Wow, that's really cool, i'd like to buy one of those... but i bet it's ridiculously expensive though.

 

[ric1287]

don't mind the creepy guy in the corner filming you.


muahahahahha

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: CPA
I wonder how much one of those suckers cost. It has to be expensive since the site wants to you contact the Sales Rep.

Under $6000

Which I was actually kinds of suprised of. Knowing the costs of their commercial Elliptical machines I was guessing $8,000+

 

[RagingBITCH]

Meh. The only cardio that doesn't bore the crap out of me is running.

 

[glenn beck]

Precor is junk, Life Fitness is way better,

 

[Pepsi90919]

Originally posted by: senseamp
It's a lot of work going backwards on a precor, because it's using muscles that aren't usually as well developed.

maybe for you

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: Pepsi90919

Originally posted by: senseamp
It's a lot of work going backwards on a precor, because it's using muscles that aren't usually as well developed.

maybe for you

You do chase your own ass rather frequently.

 

[Accipiter22]

Originally posted by: vi_edit

Originally posted by: Accipiter22
Honestly though I thought all ellipticals were like this? All the ones at my gym are similar

No. This is a very different feel. Most ellipicals have a very defined range of motion that you can only control by shortening your own stride.

This works the opposite way by shortening the stride within the machine. It's a very different than any other type of product out there. Precor is the best builder out there for cardio equipment. They started the ellipse movement and nobody has been able to make a better one yet.

http://www.precor.com/comm/en/amt/amt100i/

I think all the ones at my gym are actually precor's now that I think of it

Originally posted by: ric1287
don't mind the creepy guy in the corner filming you.


muahahahahha

It's this guy

 

[Tiamat]

yeah, my uni's gym has half precor and half elliptical

 

[TallBill]

Youtube doesn't work here, but I prefer actual running. Granted OP, you are old so a machine is good.

 

[everman]

Interesting. On a related note, does anyone really "know" if "High Intensity Interval Training" (aka H IIT) is as good as people say it really is? If you're not familiar with it: you alternate sprinting and a slower pace for equal amounts of time. IE: Sprint 2 mins, slow down for 2 mins, repeat 10 times. It's supposed to be better than maintaining a single speed for a longer period of time because it's harder for your body to adjust so it burns more calories and fat.

 

[TheTony]

Friendly Fridley?

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Originally posted by: TheTony
Friendly Fridley?

Ayup. I live in Nordeast and this is my closest Lifetime.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Originally posted by: TallBill
Youtube doesn't work here, but I prefer actual running. Granted OP, you are old so a machine is good.

Drop and give me 20, soldier!