this has been bothering me for a while...

jaci232

do you ever go to the gym and see that person working on the ellipitcal but they're not moving their whole body, they're only moving their legs? like their entire torso is just still! thats what the BIKE is for, right?!
is it just me, or do you move your whole body when you use the elliptical?

TaraMaria

How can you not move your whole body on the elliptical!? :noway: I'm confused? I know that when I get going on in, I do interval, I pace myself. Alot of times I will go through one hard section pulling with my arms and then the next section chugging away with my feet. But dude, I'm pouring sweat and the ground is practically shaking while I am on that thing! Haha!

poeticpurl

Are they short people or tall people.

As a short person I don't think I could keep my torso still and still reach all the things I need to.

HealthyChanges2010

I'm with Tara...I'm not sure I understand either how someone would NOT be moving their whole body while using the elliptical, it's a full body machine.

I wouldn't let it bug you too much as it's not really effecting your workout, what it matter, right?

I pay more attention to what I'm doing on machines I'm on than I do of others on machines unless it's a machine that's new in the gym and I wanna watch and see how it's done other than that...I stick to my own routine.:drinker:

TheShrinkingGeek

Are they short people or tall people.

As a short person I don't think I could keep my torso still and still reach all the things I need to.

Me too! The elliptical is my favorite! I usually go on it for an hour.

jaci232

it's not affecting my workout, but wouldn't YOU want someone to tell you that you weren't burning as many calories as you thought you were?

sometimes you need to think about others, not just yourself! that's what MFP is all about..

buck1994

Have you tried holding your upper body steady(not going up and down with the pedals)? It's one hell of a workout! It will smoke your legs...It's good for people who like to run but whose knees can't handle the pounding.

randyv99

I think I know what you're talking about. I do that sometimes to get ramp up the speed by holding onto the machine and moving my feet (much easier to do on the ellipticals with stationary, non-moving arms). It's a much fuller workout when the whole body is engaged though.

LuckyLeprechaun

the first time i tried the elliptical, i thought THAT was the goal...hold still and make your legs do all of the work, no bouncing. I quickly learned that was much too hard to keep doing. Now I bounce away :blushing: :flowerforyou:

HealthyChanges2010

it's not affecting my workout, but wouldn't YOU want someone to tell you that you weren't burning as many calories as you thought you were?

sometimes you need to think about others, not just yourself! that's what MFP is all about..

Oh didn't realize this was a workout friend, oh then definitely mention it and I'm sure they'd appreciate it. But would be a bit hard to bring up to a stranger as it might be seen as criticism so it's a good think you know them and are thoughtful enough to want to help your friend:flowerforyou:

My mistake I thought you were simply complaining about someone at the gym...

ProTFitness

It bothers me me I see alot of things at the gym that is one of them,seeing people training wrong, bad for ect but maybe they don't know better. We really cna't do anything unless they ask for help.
:-)

Julezebub

I had a fitness instructor once who told me that when you're on the eliptical you should try and keep your head as level and still as possible and then it works out your legs much more. It feels like you've just done loads of squats when you get off.

I do the other way though where you're dispersing the energy used from your whole body instead. Incidentally I don't use the arms on the eliptical and I assumed that meant that the calories spent read out might be inaccurate for me on that machine but since I've got my HRM I've realised that the are fairly accurate. Which is good to know!

Oh and incidentally @Tonya if someone who obviously knows what they are talking about approached me in the gym and gave me some pointers I wouldn't be offended. I learn from other people all the time there whether it be from watching or overhearing or chatting.

Azdak

The irony of this topic, of course, is that the first model of the elliptical trainer, the Precor EFX, did not have any arm movement at all. The early competitors mimiced the Precor design and did not have arm movements, either. It took several years for the first integrated upper/lower body machines to appear--as well as the advent of the term "cross trainer", which was meant to compete against the Precor term "elliptical".

DeeDeeLHF

Have you tried holding your upper body steady(not going up and down with the pedals)? It's one hell of a workout! It will smoke your legs...It's good for people who like to run but whose knees can't handle the pounding.

I am with you. I think the harder work out is when you are NOT bouncing all over. If I up the tension on the elliptical and try to keep from bouncing I use my leg muscles to make the machine move. If I "bounce" then I am using my weight to get it to move.

I get a much higher calorie burn and a much better work out by upping the tension and really pulling and pushing hard with my arms and legs.

I also spend time in a semi squat going backwards. You work out a totally different set of muscles that way.

To be honest, I look at people when they are moving all over and wonder what they are doing?

D

turbojanem

some people have physical issues that keep them from moving the way that most do. a shoulder/arm issues would keep them from moving their upper body. or maybe their heart rate goes to high when moving both arms and legs. and yes, the bike just moves your legs, however, that movement may not work for their knees. i can't do a traditional elliptical because of the pain in my knees and my my short legs, however an upright bike works for me.
judgment from other members is one reason i quit the gym scene and decided that DVD's are what works best for me. and my results, much better. biking and gym=10 pounds off in 6 months. DVD's=20 pounds and 18.5 inches in 3 months!
what works for one, doesn't always work for others.
Jane

jkestens63

I find I work the hardest when I don't hold on to the elliptical at all, let my arms pump like I'm running. That way I'm working my core at the same time to keep my balance.

I like seeing what others are doing in their workout - I'm so competitive I try to meet and beat the ones that are going full out, and I admit I get a feeling of superiority to see the slackers.

The only thing that really bugs me is when there aren't enough machines available and someone is on there chatting on their phone, even texting and their instensity is equal to a slow stroll in the park. - wastes my time waiting for a machine while you are there to socialize.

MissingMinnesota

I will go into short burst periods of about 1-2 minutes where I hold a chair position and my legs will be flying (8-9mph) on the elliptical. This majorly works my thighs and gets my heart rate up.

jennylynn84

Yeh, me personally, I use the Precor that doesn't have the crazy arm handles that make me do the huge movements. I have pretty awful neck and shoulder pain most days and I normally just can't handle it. Just hope no one is thinking this about me - I'm trucking on the machine I choose, but I do choose it for a reason.