Elliptical bad?

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Replies

  • enigmaneo
    enigmaneo Posts: 61 Member
    I train on the treadmill to my heart rate monitor keeping a constant heart rate. Don't see how that is bad.
  • nokanjaijo
    nokanjaijo Posts: 466 Member
    I don't care. But I do know what the logic is behind the statement.

    It forces you into a specific range of motion that generally isn't finely calibrated to mimic your own natural range of motion. So, if you being forced into an unnatural stride, that can have adverse effects on your joints or your ligaments or your bending fairies or whatever. This one of the arguments about weight machines, too. But, people who dislike ellipticals find them worse simply because of the number of repetitions involved.

    Again, I'm just telling you what the reasoning is behind this statement that I know of.

    I ain't got no pony in this race.
  • kpnive
    kpnive Posts: 64 Member
    I use the treadmill to warm up (and i want to try to run more) but I do an hour on the ellipitcal, nice steady even motion. I go up/down with resistance too and I try to hit the highest at 25. My gym just got all new ellipticals, so I hope the heck the calorie count is somewhat realistic!!! I sweat like crazy and feel it afterwards!
  • 17ChargerGirl17
    17ChargerGirl17 Posts: 441
    The only Cardio I have done in the past 15 months is the Eliptical and I have lost over a 100 lbs
    with no side affects so I don't belive that for one minute.
  • SexyLovinmeCook
    SexyLovinmeCook Posts: 1,393 Member
    I like the Elliptical but by far...absolutely love the Arc Trainer....
  • that_Va_chick
    that_Va_chick Posts: 112
    This is my only form of cardio and I love it...what a great burn!!!!
  • that_Va_chick
    that_Va_chick Posts: 112
    The only Cardio I have done in the past 15 months is the Eliptical and I have lost over a 100 lbs
    with no side affects so I don't belive that for one minute.

    ^^^^bump^^^^^
  • Flowers4Julia
    Flowers4Julia Posts: 521 Member

    It forces you into a specific range of motion that generally isn't finely calibrated to mimic your own natural range of motion. So, if you being forced into an unnatural stride, that can have adverse effects on your joints or your ligaments or your bending fairies or whatever.

    Yeah, unfortunately for me, this was a problem and I ended straining lower back and tailbone ligaments after about 3 months :cry: . and, to be perfectly honest I was over doing it, 60-90 minutes at a shot! So, I still use it cause I LOVE it, but just 30-45 minutes and at a moderate (not heavy) setting.....

    It was a really good question original poster!
  • rwhawkes
    rwhawkes Posts: 117 Member
    I think it has something to do with supposedly you can hyper-extend your knees, or something like that on elliptical. But, it's one of my favorites too.

    I did that once and it hurt like hell but learned how not to do it again. You can hurt yourself doing any exercise if your form is wrong

    I think the elliptical is really good for low impact hardcore calorie burn. I alternate between it and the stationary bike for some variety.
  • NavyKnightAh13
    NavyKnightAh13 Posts: 1,394 Member
    I wouldn't say its bad, people have a lot success. Personally though, it started to hurt my one knee a lot (I think its from the un natural movement) so I don't use it unless I have to. I run on either road (I prefer to run outside what can I say) or track (I have had to run on track because of the weather outside and the treadmill is boring at the y).

    If its working for you, keep going at it.

    ETA: "have had" don't need grammar nazis....also I use the weigh machines because its the only form of weight training (other then body and dumbbells) that doesn't cause me to lose feeling in my one elbow (its from an injury I had years ago and so I have had to take it easy weight lifting wise).
  • ottermotorcycle
    ottermotorcycle Posts: 654 Member
    elliptical intervals w/arms + a high resistance = workin my muscles really hard. all of them.

    i don't trust calorie estimates on a machine unless i put in my weight and possibly age and gender. but it's still an estimate.
  • vicrandom
    vicrandom Posts: 80 Member
    Posture is the big negative with the elliptical. If you use the hand thingies, it tends to cause you to hunch forward, while a natural walking or running posture should use neutral spine. Let go of the handgrips - improves your balance, ups your heartrate, and saves your back. It also promotes shortened hamstrings (as do treadmills) because the range of motion is somewhat unnatural - your leg never extends out behind you, so you aren't using or extending your hams/calves (the reason treadmills don't use your hams much is different, of course, since your leg DOES extend out behind you - but not because you pushed off with force as you would while walking on ground that doesn't move).

    That said, anything you do in a gym cardio setting, or repetetively (like bodyweight exercises) is not going to be a very natural movement and will have downsides. Doesn't mean you shouldn't do it - just try to balance it with walking, hiking, or sports.
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
    New to eliptical, what Hiit stand for??
  • nokanjaijo
    nokanjaijo Posts: 466 Member
    Yeah, unfortunately for me, this was a problem and I ended straining lower back and tailbone ligaments after about 3 months :cry: . and, to be perfectly honest I was over doing it, 60-90 minutes at a shot! So, I still use it cause I LOVE it, but just 30-45 minutes and at a moderate (not heavy) setting.....

    It was a really good question original poster!

    I truly believe we tend to wrongly prioritize effectiveness over enjoyment in terms of exercise. If you like it, that is the most important thing. The best exercise it the one you actually do. It's the one that becomes a part of your life that you like. Everything else should be afterthought.
  • VickiMitkins
    VickiMitkins Posts: 249 Member
    I love mine. I admit though if you are short and are using one that does not fit your stride, it can certainly cause issues. That is one of the reasons I bought my own. I'm 5'1" and needed one with adjustible stride and narrower stance. Like being able to go backwards and resistance. As for boredom I have a tv in the room and turn on Netflix. Watching Jennifer Garner kick butt in old episodes of Alias certainly makes one wish to work harder. It's good cardio.
  • cutchro
    cutchro Posts: 396 Member
    I like the Elliptical but by far...absolutely love the Arc Trainer....

    I do not care for the Arc I am constantly getting "Max Speed Reached" messages. What?? :tongue:
  • teamstanish
    teamstanish Posts: 274 Member
    Wow! Thanks everyone for the responses. I think her reasoning was when people use it on the lowest resistance, but still any cardio is good cardio. I am in love with the elliptical with resistance of course. I was just making sure I didn't miss something that said ellipticals were horrible!!

    That's funny, that is like saying a treadmill is bad because you can walk on it. I love the elliptical, give my shins a break after I've been running hard.

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