Anyone else hate the eliptical..or is it just me?

2

Replies

  • bethabeeg
    bethabeeg Posts: 63 Member
    Amen! I don't know how people can do them either. I go on one and feel as though I'm going to die... Not due to being out of breath or anything my body just isn't built for them. I have strong legs but not the span they use of feet distance. So it's strange to me and only causes more of a headache then a helpful work out tool. Don't fret though there are pleanty of us like this out there :)
  • mauck1975
    mauck1975 Posts: 77 Member
    I just started doing 5 minutes a day last thursday. I think now i will do 7 minutes for a week. this is really hard for me but I am hoping to work up to at least 20 minutes.
  • danilandry
    danilandry Posts: 48 Member
    They hurt my knees too fast, i think my balance may be off haha
  • nickeymhughes
    nickeymhughes Posts: 115 Member
    My sister hates it too, it hurts her knees, but I love them. If you just getting on it and going it should be on #1 setting which shouldn't be hard, does it have the ability to tell you what your heart rate is? If I have a hard day with my legs I can't do the eliptical even on #1 cause it seems like to much work. I only do like 20 minutes on it before my lifting and another 20 on the treadmill after lifting.
  • kimmerroze
    kimmerroze Posts: 1,330 Member
    The arc Trainers, or the "experience series adaptive motion trainer" Are a combination of running and the elyptical. This is my most FAVORITE machine!!! I LOVE IT!

    You burn more calories, and it is easier on your joints.

    As far as the Elyptical goes, I would say you aren't controlling yourself if your heartrate is going out of control. Its about moving but it is also about control. Kinda like lifting weights If you don't let the weights come down slowly they smack together and make a loud sound right. I would suggest flexing your core muscles while you are doing it. Also I would make sure the incline is lower. If you are getting on a machine and it was previously used by someone at a higher incline, you are going to die on it.

    but I think your main issues is that you are just Peddling away instead of trying to make it go slower by controlling the movement.

    Its a great machine if you can master how to use it. Just take it slowly.
  • cnjbarry
    cnjbarry Posts: 91 Member
    I hate them too :) I just cant seem to get to a comfortable pace.
  • newnicole
    newnicole Posts: 44
    its supposed to be hard... if it didn't raise your heart rate then why would you even do it?
  • redbirdsings
    redbirdsings Posts: 38 Member
    :happy: I'm not alone. Good to know i am not the only person out there that doesn't like it. honestly don't think i have given it a fair try. It's so intimidating to first of all be of the few fat people in my gym, let alone a newbie on a stupid machine that makes me want to pass out.
    I will try it slow and low for a while. I am a simplest. I want to utilize the most effective caloric burner in the shortest amount of time.
    My usual MO is treadmill, with variant speed and incline, the more the incline the more i like. I miss hiking in the mountains where i used to live.
    which gets a pretty good burn going, but there is a fascination with this machine that continually kicks my tail! I will conquer, then move on. Really someday i would love to start running....(outside) someday .....but that day is not today.
    I am a member at anytime fitness, it is a brand new gym just opened 6 months ago so equipment is all new and honestly have no idea what the brand of machines are, they are all very nice though and thankfully sturdy. Im 6 feet tall and no small person, so they take a beating at aleast from me :)
    Thanks for all the words of advice!!!
    Keep at it everyone!!!:tongue:
  • HollyLLillis
    HollyLLillis Posts: 113 Member
    When I first went to the SNAP fitness and she showed me the eliptical I was thinking wow how cool is this machine, it works your arms and legs and burns a lot of calories..... I did a 10 minute stint and holy crap I thought I was going to die... haven't been on it since... I would like to but I feel I'm just not in the shape I should be to do it... So I'm with you there... so it's an hour on the tredmil for me each night and I do the weighloss and will do a bit more of an incline on days I want to work a bit harder and no incline on the days I just wanna get my walk in quick!!
  • NOLAdy
    NOLAdy Posts: 133 Member
    I only do 10 min. on the eliptical, just to get my heart rate up before doing weights. I do 5 min in one direction and than 5 min. in reverse. I don't do resistance, or whatever else you can adjust on it, I just get on and push enough buttons to get my time running. Than I get on the treadmill for about 5-10min. after doing weights just to walk off my heart rate so that I'm not walking out the gym all pumped up and breathing heavy. LOL I have no idea how people do such a long time on the stationary machines. More power to them, but I get bored with just my 10 min. Though, I would prefer to do the same activity outdoors for a considerable amount of time. I think a lot of it is "mind over matter". At the gym you have nothing to think about except the fact that you're working out. I was struggling through my spin class yesterday even though I've done harder routines. I just couldn't get my mind in the right zone. I try hard to focus on some sort of daydream so that I'm not focusing on the fact that I'm not comfortable. I can do that very easily at the park. LOL At the park I'm a super hero, at the gym I'm a girl whos obviouslly pushing herself.
  • sprinkledlove
    sprinkledlove Posts: 9
    I absolutely hate the elliptical, but I've found myself on that machine the longest while I'm at the gym. Since I hate it so much, I make sure I do it the longest. Another reason is it gives me the best work out and I burn the most calories doing the elliptical than anything else.
  • princesschikee
    princesschikee Posts: 138
    The same arm and leg on one side goes in the same direction, if that makes sense. You burn more calories that way.
  • ShrinkinMel
    ShrinkinMel Posts: 982 Member
    I do not care for them either. The movement feels unnatural to me and I just didn't like it. It could be that I had the same problem my legs felt sore within minutes.

    That said the last time I had a gym membership I did work up to 20 minutes at once.
  • ambernwms
    ambernwms Posts: 27
    I love the elliptical I normally aim for 1 hour but at the least 30 mins sometimes I will do resistance which is a good workout. The machine told me i burned 700 calories in 1 hour but I know that probably isn't right.
  • kimmerroze
    kimmerroze Posts: 1,330 Member
    I love the elliptical I normally aim for 1 hour but at the least 30 mins sometimes I will do resistance which is a good workout. The machine told me i burned 700 calories in 1 hour but I know that probably isn't right.

    I burn about 700 calories in one hour. I would say that is correct. 10 calories a minute is about average so doing 12 calories a minute isn't a streach.

    I can do an hour or longer on there too. Its an awesome calorie burn to see!
  • ShrinkinMel
    ShrinkinMel Posts: 982 Member
    I also get bored even with great music but I like to change between the machines. I'll start off with 15-20 on treadmill then switch to the elliptical for awhile 10-20 if I work up to it then on to the bike for awhile before I do some lifting(if it was the day for it). Oh how I wish I could afford a gym membership.
  • Kristen81
    Kristen81 Posts: 342 Member
    I hate, hate the elliptical!! It's so boring and I also feel kind of lazy when I'm using it. It just doesn't take enough effort for me.
  • Secondmac
    Secondmac Posts: 1
    I love it! When you exercise you heart rate is SUPPOSE to climb. If it stays normal you aren't getting any benefit. What does "heart rate problem" mean anyway? Most machines do NOT measure you heart rate or calorie count correctly.
  • NOLAdy
    NOLAdy Posts: 133 Member
    I love the elliptical I normally aim for 1 hour but at the least 30 mins sometimes I will do resistance which is a good workout. The machine told me i burned 700 calories in 1 hour but I know that probably isn't right.

    I burn about 700 calories in one hour. I would say that is correct. 10 calories a minute is about average so doing 12 calories a minute isn't a streach.

    I can do an hour or longer on there too. Its an awesome calorie burn to see!

    My spin instructor always announces the calories that he burns after a class and I go by what he says. Though I know it'll be different for me. He is usually around 800-900, one hard class he announced a little over 1000. Who knows if it's right but they all seemed OK with that number.
    The elliptical, for the 10 min that I do, is usually around 100-120 calories.
  • ambernwms
    ambernwms Posts: 27
    I forgot to mention I put in my weight (240) and my age (20) and they also have a bar you grab to see what your heart rate is.

    spin class would kick my butt. I think i may try it soon!
  • MakingAChoice
    MakingAChoice Posts: 481 Member
    I prefer the elliptical, but I get bored easily. So I do not stay on it more than 10 minutes at a time. I try to push hard while I am on there to maximize my heart rate and calorie burn. Then I hop off and go do my strength training. After strength I might come back for another 5- 10 minutes, most times I don't though. The 30 minutes I spend seems to be working fine so far. I want to run outside eventually, but I'm still to heavy for that I think.
  • crystal_sapphire
    crystal_sapphire Posts: 1,205 Member
    hate it. it's not a natural movement. i think it has it's usefulness in people starting out with knee injuries but other than that it's treadmill all the way. not to mention those machines over exaggerates calories burned more than any other i've seen
  • mmcgille
    mmcgille Posts: 60 Member
    I love it. Do what the other posters mentioned and start slow at the lowest resistance. I tend to change up what I do frequently while on it to combat boredom (and to help me push through). I have tried doing the C25K program on the ellpitical which has worked well. Now I typically do 2 minutes forward (no arms), backwards for 3-4 minutes, and then forward using the arms for about 6 minutes. I do this in a rotation so I'm never doing the same thing for more than 6 minutes. I use the non-arms segments as opportunities to slow my heart rate, too. I get a little overzealous using the arms! When I was first starting I would change every 2 minutes to make it be more manageable. Also, upbeat music helps! Start slow and work up from there. It really is a great workout.
  • sherip22
    sherip22 Posts: 81 Member
    Nope- hate it with a passion. Maybe you are doing it wrong- cuz I've never had a heart rate problem, just a "blech" issue of boredom. :-)

    I agree about the boredom. I used to love the elliptical until I started really getting into running. Now I think it is the most boring thing ever. I've tried watching the TV and listening to my ipod but I just get so bored so quickly. Put me on a treadmill and I can run ans run. I will say that if my friend is with me at he gym, I will do the elliptical. It's not as bad when talking with a friend.
  • htimpaired
    htimpaired Posts: 1,404 Member
    Hate the elliptical. I can do almost any other machine-treadmill, stair climber...heck I'll even use the rowing machine. Just can't get on board with the elliptical. They sure are popular at my gym though. I'll probably end up getting one though eventually....my husband has bad knees.
  • bjshooter
    bjshooter Posts: 1,174 Member
    I saw loads of people raving about these, saying they coud do it for hours etc. So I bought one :O Big, big mistake, I never ever use it, hate the thing, boring and it hurts and I would like to think I was fairly fit.

    Anyone want to buy one :D
  • ivyjbres
    ivyjbres Posts: 612 Member
    So i think i must be doing it wrong. I see where people spend what seems like hours on those dang things

    I get on one and 30 seconds later my heart rate is so through the roof im about to pass out.

    I think i must be doing it wrong..i just get on and start moving.

    What should i be doing to make sure the eliptical becomes my friend.

    thanks for any help here :)

    Actually, you're doing it exactly right. The people who can stay on for an hour have worked up to it. Keep at it and your cardio-
    vascular system will catch up to the rest of you.
  • ivyjbres
    ivyjbres Posts: 612 Member
    I saw loads of people raving about these, saying they coud do it for hours etc. So I bought one :O Big, big mistake, I never ever use it, hate the thing, boring and it hurts and I would like to think I was fairly fit.

    Anyone want to buy one :D

    No but I'll move it for free!
  • barbarajean3
    barbarajean3 Posts: 132 Member
    Don't torture yourself! Exercise should make you feel good not like your doing something wrong. I have found I really love yoga its peacefull.:flowerforyou:
  • backinthenines
    backinthenines Posts: 1,083 Member
    I hardly ever use ellipticals. They are sooo dull.

    They are an absolute last resort for me, for example if I can't run for whatever reason, and even then I would much rather do spin or use the C2 for a bit.
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