Elliptical kicking my butt

BobJ19956
BobJ19956 Posts: 32 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I never tried using an elliptical until just recently when I confiscated one from a relative who owed me money. This thing is really kicking my butt. Even on the lowest resistance setting of "1" I can only go a couple of minutes.

Granted, I'm 62 and out of shape. But I routinely ride a stationary bike 4-5 miles with interval resistance from 1-12 (heart rate avg about 130). I been walking about 12 miles per week at about 3 mph (heart rate avg = 120). Not yet ready for jogging.

So is my poor performance on the elliptical from being out of shape or am I just a wuss?

Replies

  • lhurt11
    lhurt11 Posts: 1 Member
    Totally out of shape! It took me a few weeks to work up to even 30 minutes.
  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
    Just out of shape. :)

    Just keep at it and it will get easier. When I first started a few years ago I jumped on one at my gym. 5 mins at 7mph and I felt like I was gonna die. Last night I did a whole 60 minutes at 14mph.
  • 20yearsyounger
    20yearsyounger Posts: 1,630 Member
    Agree. Use to see 1 all the time with the training program I use. A month later, I never see 5.
  • cw106
    cw106 Posts: 952 Member
    BobJ19956 wrote: »
    I never tried using an elliptical until just recently when I confiscated one from a relative who owed me money. This thing is really kicking my butt. Even on the lowest resistance setting of "1" I can only go a couple of minutes.

    Granted, I'm 62 and out of shape. But I routinely ride a stationary bike 4-5 miles with interval resistance from 1-12 (heart rate avg about 130). I been walking about 12 miles per week at about 3 mph (heart rate avg = 120). Not yet ready for jogging.

    So is my poor performance on the elliptical from being out of shape or am I just a wuss?

    elliptical is tough going for me too.
    i am 52, have lost almost 50 lbs and can/ do exercise 90 mins daily for 4 months.
    i started at 2 min intervals,built it up to 5 mins,now can do 3x 8 mins for about 2k.
    nothing wrong at all in starting small and building up.
    it will be worthwhile after a few weeks.

  • BobJ19956
    BobJ19956 Posts: 32 Member
    OK. Thanks for the replies. I'll just keep at it. I would really like to get to a point where I could start jogging but I've got a long way to go ... sorry to say. Once I get my weight down and not have to carry so much around I'll give that a try too. Back to the elliptical ... think I'll start referring to it as the "Transformer". Later.
  • fobs13
    fobs13 Posts: 1,080 Member
    The elliptical is hard. Used to do an hour at the gym at my fittest and like you acquired one recently and sweat like hell when I do it. Perseverance will pay off as can do 30 minutes now after building up.
  • amberj32
    amberj32 Posts: 663 Member
    I'm the opposite. The elliptical is easy for me. I can only walk the treadmill so long and only even jog for a minute at a time. The treadmill is just like torture to me. But the past week I've been trying to change it up and just do it! I think your body just gets use to doing what it's been doing. The stationary bike just hurts my butt too much so I can't even be on there longer than 5 minutes.
  • 20yearsyounger
    20yearsyounger Posts: 1,630 Member
    The thing about the elliptical is that it is easier on the joints than running. It definitely can be a tool that you can use for years to come.
  • LazyFoodie
    LazyFoodie Posts: 217 Member
    edited October 2014
    I think some of it is due to working out in a new way that you are not used to. No muscle memory for the movements. I find ellipticals easier than stairmaster or jogging on a treadmill but I have been doing ellitpicals for years.
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    You said you'd never done it before and that you are out of shape, so no, I don't think you are being a wuss.

    There was a time I couldn't last even 5 minutes on the lowest workout interval setting and now I can do an hour of it.

    Just increase your time as much as you can each session, whether it be 10 seconds or a minute.
  • jerber160
    jerber160 Posts: 2,607 Member
    I love the elliptical. I found it's easier to burn calories on it than an ebike. in fact I hate my exercise bike-it's an aerodyne with the arm moving thing going.. I think it has to do with standing up rather than sitting down. I do find that if I miss time at the gym, I can't go a full 45 minutes.... 20 is pushing it... gotta build back up to it. good work by the way
  • cblue315
    cblue315 Posts: 3,836 Member
    You are out of shape and a wuss. To get to 60 minutes it took me 3 months. 2 minutes 1 minute break, repeat. Add one rep every 3rd or 4th day. When you sweat it is your fat crying for mercy. Show no mercy!
  • amcook4
    amcook4 Posts: 561 Member
    It takes a while to build up to it. When I first started working out I could hardly even go a couple of minutes, now I can get in a full cardio workout. It takes time, but slowly you will get there!

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  • brightsideofpink
    brightsideofpink Posts: 1,018 Member
    I'm with you. I'm an elliptical wuss. I can walk for hours, am even starting to run 20 minutes at a time. But damn if I can make it more than 3 consecutive minutes on the elliptical, lol. For me at least, its the muscles. I burn so badly, and these are muscles I just don't use very much in most other workouts. I've stayed away because my legs burn so quickly that I never even reach the point where my heart rate goes up. I'm going to start dedicating more time to it now though. It seems much lower of impact and its a great calorie burn.
  • MSeel1984
    MSeel1984 Posts: 2,297 Member
    Just takes time to get used to it. Stick with it. It's easier on the joints too since it's lower impact...a good place to start if you have any interest in running.
  • Cortelli
    Cortelli Posts: 1,369 Member
    BobJ19956 wrote: »
    I never tried using an elliptical until just recently when I confiscated one from a relative who owed me money. This thing is really kicking my butt. Even on the lowest resistance setting of "1" I can only go a couple of minutes.

    Granted, I'm 62 and out of shape. But I routinely ride a stationary bike 4-5 miles with interval resistance from 1-12 (heart rate avg about 130). I been walking about 12 miles per week at about 3 mph (heart rate avg = 120). Not yet ready for jogging.

    So is my poor performance on the elliptical from being out of shape or am I just a wuss?

    Now that you've received several solid answers to your main question(s) - can you expand on the bolded part above, because this sounds like it could be interesting.

  • amcook4
    amcook4 Posts: 561 Member
    Cortelli wrote: »
    BobJ19956 wrote: »
    I never tried using an elliptical until just recently when I confiscated one from a relative who owed me money. This thing is really kicking my butt. Even on the lowest resistance setting of "1" I can only go a couple of minutes.

    Granted, I'm 62 and out of shape. But I routinely ride a stationary bike 4-5 miles with interval resistance from 1-12 (heart rate avg about 130). I been walking about 12 miles per week at about 3 mph (heart rate avg = 120). Not yet ready for jogging.

    So is my poor performance on the elliptical from being out of shape or am I just a wuss?

    Now that you've received several solid answers to your main question(s) - can you expand on the bolded part above, because this sounds like it could be interesting.

    Yes, there is a good story there...
  • ponycyndi
    ponycyndi Posts: 858 Member
    Glad I'm not the only one.

    When I first got my elliptical a few years ago, I thought I was a bada$s when I worked my way up to 10 minutes on level 1. Took me a week, working every other day!
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,059 Member
    I've been scared to try it out at the gym; looks so intimidating, so I watch from afar on a bike. Glad I found this thread, because maybe I'll finally take the plunge! Starting easy on the lowest setting and working my way up sounds like a great idea.
  • Foamroller
    Foamroller Posts: 1,041 Member
    edited October 2014
    BobJ19956 wrote: »
    (...)This thing is really kicking my butt. Even on the lowest resistance setting of "1" I can only go a couple of minutes.

    Granted, I'm 62 and out of shape. But I routinely ride a stationary bike 4-5 miles with interval resistance from 1-12 (heart rate avg about 130). I been walking about 12 miles per week at about 3 mph (heart rate avg = 120). Not yet ready for jogging.

    So is my poor performance on the elliptical from being out of shape or am I just a wuss?

    There are several possible explanations to your question.

    1. Out of shape. But because of your noobness you'll notice progress pretty quickly if you're persistent:)
    2. Training is muscle specific. Just because you're good at one type of sports, doesn't auto imply you're good at something else, that require a different way to use and move muscles.

    I'm very good at cycling, but I'm a total noob at running. Or people say running on treadmill is very different to running outdoors.

    3. Engage the butt. Riding your stationary bike while sitting at a fairly low intensity doesn't engage the butt. Gluteus maximus only joins the party when there is heavier lifting to do, like in standing cycling on high resistance, walking stairs or elliptical on higher resistance. Place your hand on your behind while doing the stair motion with your leg, and feel it contracting, and you notice the difference:)

    No, you're not a wuzz, quite the contrary. You're trying to improve something that you want to change and isn't deterred off by being a beginner. We're all noobs at something! Good job, keep going:)



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