Gazelle or cheap elliptical?

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McMehu
McMehu Posts: 103 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Do you get a decent workout with something like a gazelle edge or cheap elliptical like from walmart?

Looking in the under 200 dollar range.. closer to 100 would be better.. I see 2 or three on Amazon and Walmart.com but hearing some bad reviews... Broke and would love something low impact to do cardio (Live on second floor apartment.. jumping jacks and treadmill not an option)
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  • mrsamanda86
    mrsamanda86 Posts: 869 Member
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    I would try looking on craigslist or somewhere for a used elliptical. And before getting it, read reviews on that model on amazon or somewhere. DO NOT buy a cheap elliptical, it will suck, and then break. Then you'll be out all that money, or have to deal with returning it. PITA. Trust me :grumble:
  • McMehu
    McMehu Posts: 103 Member
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    haha that's what I was worried about.

    I havent heard as many things about gazelle except you cannot change resistance.. is it less of a workout?
  • eryquem
    eryquem Posts: 66 Member
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    The gazelle has no resistance built in. My brother in law has one, and just for kicks I got on it when we visited him for new years and gave it a try. It's way too easy. Once you get moving, the momentum takes over and you can just keep going with almost no effort.

    A cheap elliptical could be a better chioce, but as mentioned, it will likely not be an enjoyable experience, and will ultimately break with heavy use.

    If I were in your shoes, I'd think outside the box a bit. For example, the Bob Harper weight loss yoga DVD will give you a good cardio workout, while also improving balance and strength. There's a lot of options (some of them free online) for video-based cardio workouts.
  • McMehu
    McMehu Posts: 103 Member
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    Bob Harper? I will look up. I was doing Jillian Miachaels but had to stop every time she did cardio besides punching because I didnt wanna piss off the neighbors
  • mrsamanda86
    mrsamanda86 Posts: 869 Member
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    Could you maybe time your workouts around when they will be gone?
  • McMehu
    McMehu Posts: 103 Member
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    Haha that would require talking to them. Yeah I could consider asking them what appropriate hours would be. May be if I bring them a small gift and ask nicely- the wife doesnt seem to have a job so I never know when she will be home. I might try asking them.
  • airdiva1
    airdiva1 Posts: 198 Member
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    My parents have a gazelle in the storage closet and I pulled it out for usage.
    The device that tells how many calories don't work.
    I would like to use this for workouts.
    How do you figure the calories.
    Now before anyone tell me to buy or try anything else,
    My budget is very limited, so just answer concerning the gazelle.
    I do walk and have loss 30 lbs. Want something else to use.
    I DON'T want suggestions on DVDs or free weights, just the GAZELLE
    I say this because notice this alot.
    Thanks
  • jeremywm1977
    jeremywm1977 Posts: 657 Member
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    haha that's what I was worried about.

    I havent heard as many things about gazelle except you cannot change resistance.. is it less of a workout?

    I liked the workout on a Gazelle, and resistance on it comes from either leaning forward or backward (although that might only be working your arms). My complaint against it, and the reason I returned it, is that is feels pretty cheaply made and after only 1 week of use, it started squeaking bad.

    No amount of WD40 or any of the included lubricant would stop it for longer than a day. I wanted to do a workout after the kids were in bed, but the squeaking would have kept them awake. If you live by yourself, maybe you can tolerate it.

    Being that I only had it for a week, who knows how long it would last.
  • BlueBombers
    BlueBombers Posts: 4,065 Member
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    I would try looking on craigslist or somewhere for a used elliptical. And before getting it, read reviews on that model on amazon or somewhere. DO NOT buy a cheap elliptical, it will suck, and then break. Then you'll be out all that money, or have to deal with returning it. PITA. Trust me :grumble:

    ^ THIS!!
  • czechwolf52
    czechwolf52 Posts: 194 Member
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    This thread is so fitting, I just used my gazelle for the first time in 6 weeks (roads were too bad to go to the gym). I used my HRM with a chest strap and i burnt 440 calories in 40 minutes, so you can definitely get a great workout out of one. I use it while watching a tv show or two. It's very quiet, low impact, and great for small spaces. You need to concentrate on building up speed on it, but once you get going you can get an awesome workout.
  • F00LofaT00K
    F00LofaT00K Posts: 688 Member
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    In. I'm looking for the same. :)
  • CantonMan1234
    CantonMan1234 Posts: 142 Member
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    My parents have a gazelle in the storage closet and I pulled it out for usage.
    The device that tells how many calories don't work.
    I would like to use this for workouts.
    How do you figure the calories.
    Now before anyone tell me to buy or try anything else,
    My budget is very limited, so just answer concerning the gazelle.
    I do walk and have loss 30 lbs. Want something else to use.
    I DON'T want suggestions on DVDs or free weights, just the GAZELLE
    I say this because notice this alot.
    Thanks

    If you don't have a heart rate monitor try this ... it won't be completely accurate, but it will put in in the ballpark ...

    Take your pulse for 15 seconds right before you start, multiply that by 4 and record it

    Take your pulse for 15 seconds right before you finish, multiply that by 4 and record it

    add the two numbers together and divide by 2 ... this will give you a very rough average of your heart rate while working out. plug that number into a online calorie calculator such as this one http://www.shapesense.com/fitness-exercise/calculators/heart-rate-based-calorie-burn-calculator.aspx and that will give you an approximate number for the calories burned on the gazelle
  • CantonMan1234
    CantonMan1234 Posts: 142 Member
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    Do you get a decent workout with something like a gazelle edge or cheap elliptical like from walmart?

    Looking in the under 200 dollar range.. closer to 100 would be better.. I see 2 or three on Amazon and Walmart.com but hearing some bad reviews... Broke and would love something low impact to do cardio (Live on second floor apartment.. jumping jacks and treadmill not an option)

    Check out your local thrift stores. They may have a good elliptical for an affordable price
  • danimalkeys
    danimalkeys Posts: 982 Member
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    The main thing about a cheap one is the weight capacity and the quality of the moving parts, along with the weight of the flywheel. I ended up spending more to get one what was built better. We got a livestrong model from one of the sporting goods stores. Expensive but it held my 280lb butt when I started my weight loss.
  • jlahorn
    jlahorn Posts: 377 Member
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    If you're just looking for mindless cardio you can do while you watch TV or whatever, I recommend an aerobics step. It's small, light, packs away in a closet, and is much cheaper than a gazelle or elliptical. It's a variable height so you can adjust intensity, and it even works well as a platform for ab work and light weights.
  • RllyGudTweetr
    RllyGudTweetr Posts: 2,019 Member
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    The gazelle has no resistance built in. My brother in law has one, and just for kicks I got on it when we visited him for new years and gave it a try. It's way too easy. Once you get moving, the momentum takes over and you can just keep going with almost no effort.

    A cheap elliptical could be a better chioce, but as mentioned, it will likely not be an enjoyable experience, and will ultimately break with heavy use.

    If I were in your shoes, I'd think outside the box a bit. For example, the Bob Harper weight loss yoga DVD will give you a good cardio workout, while also improving balance and strength. There's a lot of options (some of them free online) for video-based cardio workouts.
    All you need to do with a resistance-free Gazelle (the older models did have a resistance option) is lean forward or backwards while you use them; your own body weight provides some resistance. It's not weight training, but it's not resistance-free either.
  • McMehu
    McMehu Posts: 103 Member
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    I found one on craigslist that has a resistance bar. It was very affordable so I picked it up. I need to tighten some things because although it glides silently when the resistance bar is attached it is a little noisy. I used it with my heart rate monitor and it is a lot easier than an elliptical but even with no resistance bar it got my heart rate into fat burning mode so over long periods it is good. I can try adding resistance tomorrow and see how that goes.
  • danimalkeys
    danimalkeys Posts: 982 Member
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    I found one on craigslist that has a resistance bar. It was very affordable so I picked it up. I need to tighten some things because although it glides silently when the resistance bar is attached it is a little noisy. I used it with my heart rate monitor and it is a lot easier than an elliptical but even with no resistance bar it got my heart rate into fat burning mode so over long periods it is good. I can try adding resistance tomorrow and see how that goes.

    Nice! I get a lot of use out of mine, hopefully you'll have some success with yours too!
  • mlh37214
    mlh37214 Posts: 517 Member
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    I had a gazelle years ago. Used it, but didn't notice any good coming from it. I have a cheap elliptical now (bought from a family member for $100) and I love and hate it, just like an evil trainer. My legs are crazy sore 5 minutes in (I actually think the tension is too high and don't know how to change it, just working on building up to do it longer!!).
  • RllyGudTweetr
    RllyGudTweetr Posts: 2,019 Member
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    Just sort of thinking out loud here (don't mean to hijack the topic), but do we have enough Gazelle users to warrant interest in an MFP group?

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