elliptical

joann

omg...............finally bought my elliptical, what I desperately wanted right?...wow when I tried it at the store I though this is simple..hahahahaha got on in and within 2 minutes I was out of breath....but I will keep trying, and trying and trying..any suggestions?

CasperO

Great, it's working. That's what it's supposed to do.

Today 2 minutes, tomorrow, 3. In a week it'll be 10, and soon it'll be a full 30 minute program. Just remember to do it a little every day, maybe get good and sweaty before your morning shower, and you'll be knocking it out before you know it.

kksam

Start out slow and build up each day. Watch your heart rate. It's a very good workout but has to be built up so you don't overdue it. Be sure to do your stretches.

grove29

Just add a little longer each day, I promise it will get easier.

jdp21

Don't worry, it totally gets easier! It's my favourite thing to use at the gym. It's low-impact so it doesn't destroy my shins, and it somehow feels less monotonous than jogging on the treadmill. I was proud when I saw that I could keep my heart rate from going up to the "danger" zone in a 30-minute program.

mscocoa30

Trust me I know the feeling. That machine is no joke. Yet, it burns lots of calories in a relatively small amount of time. It's worth the investment.

havingitall

I love the elliptical at the gym! Whne I started out I could only do 5 minutes and I was panting. I can now do an hour with the resistance set at 15 and I feel glorious afterwards. I have sweat streaming down me and I am so pumped!

Ripgirl

I find that I can always manage longer on those cardio machines (elliptical, treadmill, stairs) with a distraction. Is there a TV nearby? Watch a show that you either really love, or that maybe is in 'theme' with what you're doing - the Last 10lbs or X-Weighed or something.

when I run outside (which I am learning to do, and trying to learn to like) I find I just cannot do it without my ipod. I'm not sure if it is the selection of songs that are motivators for me, a beat I can run to or that it blocks out the sound of my breathing. Whatever the case, the music makes all the difference. The same can be said for spinning classes (or even the strength classes) I do in my gym - all are to music and I can't imagine getting through them without the music.

Good for you - keep at it!

joann

Thanks everyone, I did do another 5 minutes today, :laugh: my hubby thought I was a wimp when I told him hell I can only do 3 minutes...he got on it....:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: 2 minutes and he said.... well I cant repeat what he said , but it wasnt good :laugh: :laugh:

paddlemom

Oh thank heavens!!! I've only tried it once and barely lasted 2 minutes. It was at a hotel gym with no one to show me how to use it, so I thought maybe I was doing it wrong or it really wasn't a good machine for me! I mean, I can do a half hour on the bike!!! Now that I have joined a gym, I will give it an honest go and know that I just have to work my way up!

Serenifly

Just keep at it, it gets easier ..it will be like that with any new cardio you try ... Just keep at it

I run over 30 K a week, did my first spinning class, felt like dying in the first ten minutes! haha

Just the way it goes, think of how strong your cardio will be after!

Serenifly

Just keep at it, it gets easier ..it will be like that with any new cardio you try ... Just keep at it

I run over 30 K a week, did my first spinning class, felt like dying in the first ten minutes! haha

Just the way it goes, think of how strong your cardio will be after!

NotSurprised

Wow the elliptical is that difficult, sounds intriguing may have to give it a shot, no wonder you burn so many calories in a short period of time.

CricketClover

I decided to just hop on the elliptical a couple days ago at the gym and I also thought that maybe I was doing something wrong because it was so hard and my legs felt like they were on fire and I was so out of breath. I managed to keep at it for about 12 minutes and it said I had only burned 77 calories, I don't see how that is possible I felt like I was dying. I am gonna wait a bit before I get back on it. I have only been at my gym for a week so I got a ways to go!

stormieweather

That was me, the first time!!!

I oozed off the thing after 2 minutes, legs quivering, sweat dripping into my eyes, breathlessly cursing the evil machine. And this was at level 1!! But I determined that it would NOT get the best of ME! I decided that every single time I came to the gym, I'd add 1 minute to my first time. No more, no less, just 1 minute. They fly by, right?

Last night, I did a 20 minute hill interval routine at the machine's highest level of difficulty and completed it easily (although still sweating and out of breath). It took me a couple of months of gradually increasing both my time and the difficulty in order to accomplish that, but I did it.

You can too!

joann

I guess theres hope...It just scares me after spending the money on it...I will probably have to pay for a divorce if I dont use it:laugh: ya know like the exercise bike and the tread mill that when we moved we got rid of...I wish now that I kept it all, but I had a hip resurfacing and could not longer do the pounding of the treadmill on my hip.

TCASMEY

I have noticed when I do the eliptical machine that the first five minutes feel like they are going to kill me but if I push through those first few minutes I can keep going for an hour.

To mkwrose....were you using your own hrm or the one on the machine? The one on my machine at home is way off compared to my HRM that I wear.

CricketClover

tcasmey: I don't have my own hrm yet. the initial joining of the gym just about killed me financially so I have to wait a week or so before I can get one. do the watch only style ones work, I don't like the idea of a chest strap.

TCASMEY

From my research that ones that have chest straps work better. When you adjust them correctly you really cannot feel the chest strap. They are supposedly better because they give you a constant reading where as the watch only style you have to push a button every once in awhile to get a few readings while you are working out. Watch ebay sometimes there a some great deals on them.

CasperO

I have the watch style and it's pretty shaky. It seems that one time it'll do great and track my work and then another time it doesn't even realize I'm exercising. My wife has a chest strap unit and it's bulletproof accurate. Nice unit.

Chest straps are easy for gals. You're probably wearing a bra anyways, just strap it on there right below your bra strap. My wife forgets hers...

My first time on the elliptical I lasted 3 minutes and really thought I'd made a mistake buying it. Then it was 5 minutes, then 10. Now I do a 30 minute routine (almost) every morning and I feel lost if I don't get it done.

The health benefits are unbelievable. When I started I was flirting with high blood pressure and my pulse was usually 80'ish. 2 flights of stairs winded me. Now,,, BP-110/65. Pulse 55. 6 flights of stairs, no problem. Just a wonderful amazing transformation, and I'm thrilled.

So stick with it. You'll get stronger, and it'll happen quickly and you'll feel amazing and it's SO worth it!

amk1725

Thanks to reading this post yesterday, I went down to the gym and got on the elliptical for the first time in months...probably before summer!

I forgot how much I loved it and the workout it gives you. My goal is to add it into my current routine and get on it at least once a week.

Thank you! :flowerforyou:

paddlemom

Ok, I'm going to give it a try when I hit the gym tonight.....at least I am confident I won't be tying up the equipment for long.:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

RhondieJFB

Yup.....It's true....It's real hard the first few times...the first time I used the eliptical I could only do 5 minutes... now I can do an hour and I am an asthmatic. You CAN do it. Everyone should try it and if you can only do a few minutes, don't give up....you have to build up to do it. It's a fantastic work out and it's low impact. Once you get aclumated (sp) you will love it! So the eliptical I know I can do, but I haven't tried those spin classes yet. I guess I am intimidated... not sure if I can keep up....but I am so sure that I have to build up for that too. Good luck all.

CricketClover

Thank you for the HRM advice. I will get one with the strap, I was just afraid it would be uncomforable.

I also want to try a spinners class but I know I must wait for that. I think my gym has 3 or 4 a day though.

TuscanySun

Can I ask...does anyone know what a good at-home model to buy would be?

CasperO

I have the $300 walmart special - Gold's Gym Stridetrainer 300 or something like that. It's the one with the adjustable stride length. Purists will say that it's awful, it's junk, don't buy one. Here's the deal with mine.

Bad news - RH pedal broke a couple months after we got it. I'm a handy guy, took it apart and welded it back together with an additional gusset for strength. The LH pedal broke in the same place 6 months later, I did the weld repair/gusset job again.

That one part of the machine is weak, just a bad design. They should have welded on one more little metal plate to strengthen that area. The rest of the machine has been just great, no problems.

Bear in mind, I'm a good sized guy. I was 260 pounds when I bought the thing, and I'm 212 pounds now. I pound the crap out of it, stomping hard working hard, for 30 minutes every day. That's a lot of pounding. If you're not so heavy, or you don't stomp quite so hard, or you don't work out quite so often, then yours may never have a problem. All in all I'm still satisfied with my purchase. Quality machines are 3 or 4 times as much. I saved several hundred dollars, and I'll do 2 little weld jobs for that any day.

So - cavear emptor.

BTW - an elliptical is really like a motorcycle helmet, you have to try it on. It's a very personal thing, you have to find one that "fits" you. Stride length is very important. I'm 5'8" tall, and I know I'd never want one with less than 18" stride length.

TuscanySun

Thanks for the info Casper....I may look into one and will keep that info in mind.

paddlemom

Well, I did it!!! I was afraid to start off cold, 'cause I have exercise induced asthma and I typically have to get over the 'hump" before I can breathe, so I did 10 minutes on the bike to warm up. Then I jumped on th elliptical and did 7 whole minutes!!!! I see why you all love it so much, it was nice getting into a rhythm and chugging along...I'm hooked now!!! Next time I will do it cold, now that I know what to expect. Great thread, I never would have given it another chance otherwise!!!:drinker:

joann

just want everyone who encouraged me to do alittle at a time it gets easier. Well it is day 5 and I am up to 10 minutes on level 2 and my knees are now feeling like they will hold me up alittle longer...:laugh: ..I am sweating like a pig but its a good feeling. thanks again everyone...

CasperO

Actually that's a myth,,, pigs don't sweat. You're sweating like a Joann. :laugh: Excellent, it's good for you. Ellipticals are great because they work you hard without pounding on you, if you think about it - you never actually pick your feet up - so you never put them down, so there's no impact.

Enjoy, keep working it. What do you do to pass the time? I watch my morning news.

CricketClover

Should I not be picking up my feet at all on it? My heels pick up when I do it. Probably a stupid question but like I said before I felt I was doing it all wrong so maybe I was!