Elliptical Help Please!

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  • RockinTerri
    RockinTerri Posts: 499 Member
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    I agree with many of the other posters - start out slow. I could barely do 5 minutes myself when I started 6 months ago, now I'm at 30 minutes (and most of the time could actually do more).
  • sypop
    sypop Posts: 102 Member
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    I STARTED AT 8 MIN AND EVERY WEEK I ADDED A MIN, I NOW DO 33 MIN AT A TIME ON THE ELIPTICAL AND AM NOT NEARLY AS EXHAUSTED AFTER 33 AS I WAS WHEN I STARTE AT JUST 8 LOL

    lol sorry about the all caps, i wasnt yelling just forgot they were on
  • meadowsmummy
    meadowsmummy Posts: 108
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    Thank you for this thread- my elipitcal is unused at this moment and colleting dust for the same reason - i need to be patient
  • cmeranda79
    cmeranda79 Posts: 15 Member
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    When/if you're deconditioned (or new to an activity), you start out by building the neuromuscular ability, then progress to building muscle for that activity. Personally when I took two years off of working out, even walking for a short distance was challenging for me, and I've been very athletic in the past (marathons, snowboarding, gymnastics). Give it a week, and as others posters have suggested, use good music and/or TV shows that make you laugh. Also you might try only doing 5-10 minutes for the whole workout on the elliptical, but do high intensity intervals of 30 seconds difficult, 30 seconds easy/rest, so you know it will be a SHORT challenge :)
  • tworthen79
    tworthen79 Posts: 1,173 Member
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    I've had my elliptical hybrid for almost a month now and when I did the workout dvd it switch from 5 mins on the recumbent bike to 5 mins on the elliptical, and 2 mins in I was spent..... Now I'm up to 15 mins. So just up your time a min each week. And take your time!! Good luck!
  • pangy1958
    pangy1958 Posts: 151 Member
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    Like everyone else build up slowly. When i started I could only manage a couple of minutes before I thought i would collapse. I have been building up slowly and now can manage 15-20minutes. I know its getting better each time i get on it. I now listen to music and as i go I think i can get to the end of this track, then I can do the next track. It takes your mind off, how long have i been on here.
  • conniemaxwell5
    conniemaxwell5 Posts: 943 Member
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    I had the same problem! I downloaded the C25K program (a running program that takes you from the couch to a 5K in 8 weeks) and used it on the elliptical. It starts with a minute of running and a minute of walking alternating for 20 minutes, with a 5 minute warm up and cool down. I increased the resistance for the running, or tried to do it faster, and lowered the resistance and went much slower for the walking segments. I loved the alternating between speeds and resistance because it passed the time faster and I was focusing so much on the changes that I actually lost track of time and went longer than I thought I could. Cover up the timer on the machine too so you don't really know how long you've been at it (I had a mental barrier about how long I could go). After 8 weeks I was able to go for 30 minutes at a pretty good resistance plus some incline!

    Don't feel bad if you can't do even this for more than 5-10 minutes. It takes time to build up endurance. Start slow. If you decide to use C25K, don't be afraid to repeat weeks if you're not ready to advance. But also don't be afraid to challenge yourself. When you feel like you can't go any more, go 30 more seconds or a minute. You'll be amazed at what you really can do!
  • TiffieLand
    TiffieLand Posts: 159
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    I have to say that the first 10-15 minutes are the hardest when you're on one. But after that, somehow my body kicks in and I can do till 1 hour. It is always hard at first for me even though I been doing it for quite a while. Push through and you will feel good doing it after 10-15 minutes. Allow short rest but not a lot but that get your body to be more lazy in my opinion with my experience.
  • andezz99
    andezz99 Posts: 56 Member
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    I have an elliptical in my garage that I rarely use unless the weather is not good and I am stuck at the house and even then I hate it. I just find it boring. To make the time go by, I installed a TV just to take my mind off it. This helps. I prefer a run to the elliptical but the elliptical to nothing at all.

    Since you are new, start low, 5 minutes low resistance, next time add a little more resistance and time and don't get discouraged. Before you know it 20 minutes will turn into 30, then 45 and 60 and by that time you'll want to get off the damn thing and start jogging outside.
  • LizaDK914
    LizaDK914 Posts: 54 Member
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    I started out exactly where you are and can now do 20 minutes on level 2. It's not great, but it's something!

    The personal trainer at my gym said either up the resistance or the time - by as many minutes as you can stand - every couple of weeks. I've been increasing like a minute or two per week. It gets easier. I also agree with tiffanydang12, it gets easier the longer you're on. I usually find myself a little disappointed that my time is up. But, I don't want to overdo it, so I usually stop at the time I've set it to.
  • MissKittyCaroline
    MissKittyCaroline Posts: 18
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    Thank goodness for this topic!!! I just got an elliptical and 5 minutes KILLED me....... I guess we all have to start somewhere.... 5 minutes is better than zero.... I am going to keep pushing forward!!!
  • JustMeee333
    JustMeee333 Posts: 233
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    Thank goodness for this topic!!! I just got an elliptical and 5 minutes KILLED me....... I guess we all have to start somewhere.... 5 minutes is better than zero.... I am going to keep pushing forward!!!

    Me too! First time, managed about 7mins, 100kcal. My legs were like jelly, but isn't that the whole point? You build up, do more time, increase resistance etc. I certainly am not giving up anytime soon!
  • JessG11
    JessG11 Posts: 345 Member
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    I LOVE LOVE LOVE the elliptical. I have a lot of weight to lose and my knees have suffered because of it. The elliptical quickly became my friend. But I could only do 5 minutes when I first started. Actually, I think I'd do 2 then stop and rest, then two more, stop and rest, ....you get the picture. Now, even if I've not been on it for a long period of time (I just started back exercising this summer and have been walking and swimming and have taken up biking-I love being outside) I can still get on the elliptical and easily do 45 minutes or longer. I sweat something fierce, but the low impact makes it easy and more enjoyable for me...okay...as enjoyable as working out can be for someone like me.

    I will say this. Since I've been out of the game for a while, though I can still do a long period of time easily, that's on the lowest level. I don't increase my resistance because it does sometimes aggravate my knee and cause swelling.
  • JMaxwell52
    JMaxwell52 Posts: 8
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    The elliptical is a good place to start because you can adjust the resistance and how hard you work at it. Five minutes is a start and you may want to decrease the resistance until you can go longer. Listening to music or watching TV can take your mind off the workout and prolong your time.

    Good luck with it.

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