Just how good is the cross trainer

vixxxen88
vixxxen88 Posts: 69 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi everyone, I recently got a cross trainer from my friend who is now pregnant and no longer needs it , I have been on it everyday since i got it ( 7 days now ) as well as doing some kettle bells and treadmill training in the gym.

I usually use it for about 30 mins / 45 mins at night while i stick my tv on and just work away, what im wondering is , just how good is it for you for burning calories and fat ?

Obviously i know the higher the intensity the better , I usually start at intensity three and work up to about 8 or 9 - it goes to level 12 , I am sweating by the end , but what im really looking to find out is do any of you have good success stories by using these ?

This is my first week so im not expecting any major drops in weight or anything like that , but even after 7 days I have found im ever so slightly more toned looking ( only a weeeee bit )

Any one any tips or stories or anything just to keep me going at it :) ?

Replies

  • svarcy
    svarcy Posts: 3
    Using the cross trainer alone and neglecting your diet will not make any difference. No one has success stories from just using a cross trainer. Eat in a calorie deficit, exercise a few times a week and do this over an extended period of time and you will see changes. Not within a week, usually by a month you can see a few changes but it takes around 3 months to start seeing some real changes and by that time your friends and family should too. You don't even have the exercise to lose weight but I recommend exercise for whole range of reasons.
  • vixxxen88
    vixxxen88 Posts: 69 Member
    I have altered my diet a good 4 or 5 weeks ago to hopefully drop some pounds, I am at the gym two to three times per week and do , Cross trainer , Treadmill , abdominals , kettle bells , and also weights / shoulder press / leg press etc etc.

    Ireally what im asking is justhow good you all think it is, as on some other forums people have said the cross trainer is a usless piece of kit for dropping weight :(

    Do any of you use it on a daily basis ? I usually do 10 mins going forward , 5 mins going back , 10 forward 5 backwards etc etc
  • jimmie65
    jimmie65 Posts: 655 Member
    I assume you mean some sort of elliptical. They're fine for cardio.
  • Lonewolf1507
    Lonewolf1507 Posts: 507 Member
    Hi Danielle

    All of the cardio based machines are good for weight loss and toning, it all comes down to the effort and time you put into it. I use the Cross Trainer/Elliptical nearly every time I am in the gym either as a warm up or as a main exercise session.

    Good luck with you plans. :flowerforyou: :happy:

    Andy
  • Microfiber
    Microfiber Posts: 956 Member
    A crosstrainer is ace!!
  • HappilyLifts
    HappilyLifts Posts: 429 Member
    Cross trainer is as good as any other cardio machine in my opinion. It's how you use it. I use it for a warm up or cool down, if I'm a bit stiff, or I use it for interval training.
    There's lots you can do for interval training....alter your speed, the resistance, whether you use your arms or not, or you can alter the intervals.
    Some of the interval work I've done includes tabata training (20 secs as fast as you can to 10 secs recovery for four minutes, doesn't sound long, but if you really go as hard as you can you'll be gasping and watching the second hand!), resistance intervals (say, 30 secs at a low resistance, 30 secs at high resistance), or work up through resistance settings, a minute at each, then come back down again.
    I typically burn more on the cross trainer and I do walking on the treadmill, especially if I find a funky tune and really pump my arms :)
    Hope that helps.
  • vixxxen88
    vixxxen88 Posts: 69 Member
    Thanks for all your replies, very helpful ! when i use it in the gym i usualyl have the music on loud and use it for warming up! when i use it at home the music channels get blasted through the house and i go hard at it , my poor neighbours must wonder what the hell is going on lol !
  • Nikibell41
    Nikibell41 Posts: 10 Member
    Anything thats raising your heart rate and making you get a sweat on is working luv. I've been using the cross trainer and kettle bells for 45 days now along with healthy eating and theres a dramatic difference in my shape already, not so much on the scales but definate toning up. Keep at it, your doing great x
  • vixxxen88
    vixxxen88 Posts: 69 Member
    thanks for the advice Niki , heres hoping it works for me too :-) !

    4 months until sunny spain! ;)
  • Nikibell41
    Nikibell41 Posts: 10 Member
    lol same here! lanzarote in june, we can do it! x
  • HappilyLifts
    HappilyLifts Posts: 429 Member
    thanks for the advice Niki , heres hoping it works for me too :-) !

    4 months until sunny spain! ;)
    5 months and a bit for me :)

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