Want better results???? Ditch the elliptical and......

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Replies

  • VMarkV
    VMarkV Posts: 522 Member
    The elliptical has some use, it's low impact on the weight bearing joints so it's better for beginners and those with injuries.
    I personally only use the treadmill and stairmaster because these are useful/real life movement patterns and are weight bearing since they work the knees and hips (helps maintain/build bone mineral density)
  • tobafa
    tobafa Posts: 344 Member
    Up the resistance to 8+ and you'll be huffing ang puffing. I do eliptical at 5 resistance with two minute intervals at 8 resistance and I'll tell you it's no joke nor is it misleading and the machine definately is not doing the work there. So next time, put the incline at 10 and up the resistance and you'll be huffing and puffing no doubt. I have to agree the step mill is a grind too.
  • waldo56
    waldo56 Posts: 1,861 Member
    The principle of specificity applies to all exercises, to get good at an exercise you have to do that exercise. A competitive distance runner hopping on a bike, if they never ride, is probably not competitive on a bike. A competitive biker that enters a running race, if they don't run, probably isn't going to be a very fast runner.

    Doing lots and lots of elliptical makes you good at the elliptical. There wouldn't be much transfer to the stepper, but probably more than a distance runner or weight trainer, who would likely be even worse at the stepper than the elliptical users. No single machine or exercise is superior to all others. The wisest exercisers train many different things to work all facets of their fitness, (not necessarily all at once, but change things up every 6-10 weeks), which is the principle behind things like the P90X program and Crossfit, likewise competitive non-endurance athletes (such as football players) have to train a number of different things (speed, endurance, power, strength, flexibility, etc...) if they have any hope of getting good.
  • acg1305
    acg1305 Posts: 224 Member
    Or the treadmill on a steep incline.... the cals rack up sooo much quicker than the eliptical
  • mandylooo
    mandylooo Posts: 456 Member
    I had to Google "stepmill" because the steppers we have in the gym I use are pathetic, but it turns ou they're not the same thing.

    I've never been on a stepmill, but I do use the London Underground everyday and I always run up the escalator when I can (nobody impeding me), so yeh, I can see it would be hard work for any duration, even on an easy setting. But you can make the elliptical hard work as well.
  • 4flamingoz
    4flamingoz Posts: 214 Member
    (1) Cannot afford gym fees; (2) Cost of one of those machines is OVER $2,000 and up to around $5,000; 3) I moved from my lovely home to this nice two story apt. building for those over age 55. I'm on the 2nd floor and our building has an elevator BUT... I'm taking the stairs a lot more these days & wearing my FitBit.

    (4) Climbing the stairs, regularly, for fitness is FREE
    (5) I keep my car in the parking garage under the building. Now, when I come in with groceries, I don't use the elevator to haul them upstairs in one trip. I carry them up and make as many trips with the bags as necessary. To begin with, carrying a heavier load up the stairs helps burn more calories AND.... I'm getting my flights of stairs in for fitness for the day.
    (6) I'll be 75 in early December this year. What's your excuse?

    This! Rock on!!
  • Mompanda4
    Mompanda4 Posts: 869 Member
    Bump
  • natashamcn
    natashamcn Posts: 145 Member
    The OP was right about personal trainers not liking these things for people who are in good shape and have no health issues. My personal trainer refused to put me on one of these machines after doing my initial fitness assessment. After years of running uphill outside and lots of soccer playing these machines couldn't make me break a sweat. He also didn't like them because they build momentum and your legs will continue to be pushed forward after you have stopped moving (unlike a treadmill). However I'm pretty sure he used them for people who were out of shape/ had health problems. They're not bad to help you get into shape though. They have their place in the gym just like the rest of the equipment there.
  • pantsdailyon
    pantsdailyon Posts: 173 Member
    Tone? I did not imply "tone" at all. I never said the elliptical was useless. It's better than nothing obviously. If you push really hard on it then great. But..I challenge ANYONE who is a regular elliptical user to go on the step mill for 1/2 the time they use on the lip, say a lower level like a 5...THEN come back and tell me how hard the lip is.
    When I do the elliptical, my goal is to get my heart rate to 90% for, usually, around 40 minutes. With that goal in mind, how would it help for me to switch to doing half the time on a stepmill?
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    Please let this stupid thread die!
  • MeeshKB
    MeeshKB Posts: 120 Member
    Yup, I was right, all the elliptical people came out and got offended in full force! I never said it didn't have it's uses, but people are going to twist things how they see fit. to the guy who lost 200 pounds. CONGRATS!! Something tells me though..that you also cleaned up your diet. give yourself credit, it wasn't just the elliptical machine.

    "Elliptical is a great start for poeple who are unfit or elderly..."

    I believe that was your quote. So unfit people and my grandmother can benefit from this, but for more advanced and fit users...well, they shouldn't waste their time. :)

    I haven't decided if you're just thriving off the attention or you really believe what you're saying.

    This.

    I'm not an elliptical user, but I am offended by the tone of the OP. It's condescending and judgemental. It implies that anyone who uses an elliptical is unfit, elderly or just plain lazy. And also, indirectly, that you are working harder than those people because you are working on the stairmill.

    You find the stairmill a tougher workout. Awesome. Keep rocking it. But keep your judgements of others' choices to yourself, please.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    The OP was right about personal trainers not liking these things for people who are in good shape and have no health issues. My personal trainer refused to put me on one of these machines after doing my initial fitness assessment. After years of running uphill outside and lots of soccer playing these machines couldn't make me break a sweat. He also didn't like them because they build momentum and your legs will continue to be pushed forward after you have stopped moving (unlike a treadmill). However I'm pretty sure he used them for people who were out of shape/ had health problems. They're not bad to help you get into shape though. They have their place in the gym just like the rest of the equipment there.

    Your trainer may know a lot of other things, but in this case, he/she is just pulling an idea out of his/her butt.
  • TheChosenOne_
    TheChosenOne_ Posts: 72
    Elliptical is too easy :) You're right
  • tyoung4
    tyoung4 Posts: 30
    LOL I had an elliptical. Was great for hanging up wet towels after swimming ;)

    Hated using it. 3 minutes and my knees HURT. Not ache, but down right HURT.

    Sold the elliptical, joined a gym, and started the treadmill. I LOVE the treadmill.

    What's the Step Mill and how is it used?

    So I'll join you on the anti-elliptical band wagon :)
    The elliptical made my knees hurt as well. I just wanna give it away! And to make it so bad I really wanted and had to have it.
  • obeseto13point1
    obeseto13point1 Posts: 144 Member
    Ditch the elliptical. Ditch the gym. Get some kettlebells, a jump rope, and a bike. But if you are going to keep wasting money on monthly gym dues, then yes; the stair mill will kick your buttocks.


    It is not a waste of money if you go to classes. No real substitute for that. Also a great access to a variety of equiptment if that is what you are into.
  • Bethee101
    Bethee101 Posts: 99 Member
    I agree! The eliptical is kinda a scam I think... your body quickly learns the movements and then cheats itself by conserving energy! The step machine is hard to cheat on!
  • DeckerDoll
    DeckerDoll Posts: 201
    I like the elliptical just fine thanks.
  • futuremalestripper
    futuremalestripper Posts: 467 Member
    I damaged my knees doing sports when I was younger.
    Steps = knee pain so awful I can't move after (feels like they are shattering)
    Elliptical = minor pain and good cardio

    I love the elliptical. Doing it routinely has helped make my knees hurt a lot less day to day.
  • natashamcn
    natashamcn Posts: 145 Member
    Can you tell me when the last time was that you saw a personal trainer spend an hour on an elliptical at the gym? I've been working out for years and they usually spend 20 minutes tops to get the HR up and move onto other things.
    The OP was right about personal trainers not liking these things for people who are in good shape and have no health issues. My personal trainer refused to put me on one of these machines after doing my initial fitness assessment. After years of running uphill outside and lots of soccer playing these machines couldn't make me break a sweat. He also didn't like them because they build momentum and your legs will continue to be pushed forward after you have stopped moving (unlike a treadmill). However I'm pretty sure he used them for people who were out of shape/ had health problems. They're not bad to help you get into shape though. They have their place in the gym just like the rest of the equipment there.

    Your trainer may know a lot of other things, but in this case, he/she is just pulling an idea out of his/her butt.
  • Hezzietiger1
    Hezzietiger1 Posts: 1,256 Member
    i almost cry when my trainer puts me on the step mill.. HAHAHAHA.. That's his, "so you broke ur diet and need ur *kitten* kicked" go to... BLAH. Nothing gets the sweat rolling like the step mill!!
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,605 Member
    The elliptical made my knees hurt as well. I just wanna give it away! And to make it so bad I really wanted and had to have it.

    Me too! Everyone looks at me oddly when I say that, but the elliptical really makes my knees ache. Whereas running outdoors doesn't. Weird.
  • Jain
    Jain Posts: 861 Member
    My only issue with the step mill is that I have bad knees and it's really easy to step wrong and mess up my knee for a week.

    This. I can & do walk up very steep hills every day, I don't have a choice I live at the top of one. But the stairs in my house kill my knees. When my trainer had me on the stepper she stopped my after just a couple of mins and had me move to the Ark (x=trailer). Shes a hospital physio so knows her stuff.

    The Ark is a whole lot tougher than the standard x-trainer, I can go forever on the normal x-trainer but the Ark kicks my butt!
  • rwisner
    rwisner Posts: 56 Member
    I guess I am fat and old, then, because the elliptical works great for me. I don't wimp out. I work hard. I sweat. I burn. I lose weight. I feel good. My knees don't grind (like they do on a step or Arc machine). Thanks for your support.

    Nice commercial for the other thing. Good luck with that. You're a distributor, right?

    When you become a fitness trainer and have earned the right to tell everyone that you know better than us, please, please do let us know. I'm glad the stair thing works for you. That doesn't mean it's the best exercise for everybody. Even us fat, old people.

    Love it! Totally agree!
  • juicy011
    juicy011 Posts: 200 Member
    Love the stairmill....burns twice the cals in a shorter time, but not sure if I'm using it correctly because my knees hurt for about a week after using it. I had to quit. Any tips that'll be easier on the knees?
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  • Darkskinned88
    Darkskinned88 Posts: 1,177 Member
    While i disagree with the elliptical slander i do need to think differently (rip steve jobs) and perhaps give this a whirl. I've recently abandoned the elevator at work and i'm feeling every flight so maybe this will build my tolerance up a bit
  • tsh0ck
    tsh0ck Posts: 1,970 Member
    35 minutes this afternoon on the dreaded elliptical. HIIT with peaks at incline of 10 and resistance 10. steps per minute between 150 and 170. result was 505 calories dead and a shirt that definitely needs to be washed. I think it worked again.
  • mumkelly
    mumkelly Posts: 1
    I lost 70 pounds on the elliptical. It does work. Any machine will work. The problem is after so long your muscles get trained to not react as well to that same motion. You have to mix it up and add variety. I spent 6 months at the same weight working out 5 days a week on the elliptical. It wasn't until someone mentioned I should try something new that I was able to get past that plateau. In order to burn fat you need to build muscle. That doesn't necessarily mean you have to lift weights, but anyone would benefit from some strength training. I was also told to stay away from any machine that you sit on or at. It does nothing to build muscle. You want your whole body involved. I recently switched to the stair climber and I can literally wring out the sweat from my shirt. That's not something I could do on the elliptical. Even at a higher resistance I never sweat like this, but the calorie burn is the same. Even if it's the same I'm sticking with the stair climber for now to enjoy the extra sweat. But I won't stick with it permanently because the new muscles I'm engaging will eventually stop responding to the repeated motion. Then it's time to mix it up again!
  • Kevalicious99
    Kevalicious99 Posts: 1,131 Member
    The Stair Mill is my new favorite machine ... it is a serious workout. No other machine in the gym even comes close.

    I never regret a good workout on the StairMill .. I am at about 808 stairs (50 stories) in 15 min .. my personal best so far. I hope to continually improve ... as it is the best workout.
  • FitVego
    FitVego Posts: 10 Member
    definitely agree!

    Stairmaster/stairmill will kick you butt! But it is great if you don't have much time and want a great calorie burn! It also works your heartrate like no other cardio machine!

    I run 8-10km a few times a week and I end up pretty tired, but 20 minutes on the stairmill and the sweat will be pouring off you!

    Excellent for high intensity cardio and a great calorie burn!
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