Advice on elliptical type gym machines, please!

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hellolouisey
hellolouisey Posts: 51
in Fitness and Exercise
I like to use these kind of machines for cardio at the gym:

'Step' type motion: http://www.healthclubsathome.com/products/Technogym-Step-XT-Pro-600.html

'Ski' type motion: http://www.johnlewis.com/231138613/Product.aspx

The beautiful and super skinny girls at my gym go at one million miles an hour on these types of machines, almost faster than I can think!

I tend to go at a more steady pace, so it requires a bit of a longer stride.

My question is: Which is better? Are super fast and steady different types of workout? What 'should' I be doing?!

Any advice on this, or general gym going, is very welcome! :)

Replies

  • JBennis1013
    JBennis1013 Posts: 377 Member
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    Once your heart rate is past its target zone you're really not doing anything except exhausting yourself. If your doing the machine at a steady pace, but are in your target heart rate zone you're fine.
  • shesblossoming
    shesblossoming Posts: 426
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    For me, I do both. I generally spend 45 minutes on the elliptical, and I like to do interval training. I go really fast, get my heart rate up and after a while, I go back to a steady pace and let it go back down. I repeat until I'm done. I feel like it's made a major difference with my endurance.
  • skippykip
    skippykip Posts: 15 Member
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    When I used to see a personal trainer, he has me doing toning with baby spurts of cardio in between, because he said it was good to "shock your system" with intense exercise. By the book, its said that shorter exercise of greater intensity are ideal, but I personally believe do whatever makes you comfortable! I do an hour of elliptical everyday and I go at an average pace. I feel so proud that I have been able to set aside an hour for an elliptical, let alone that I last that long! haha, so I guess my point is exercise is exercise, and to be doing it (regardless of the type) makes it worth while enough. :)
  • dmpizza
    dmpizza Posts: 3,321 Member
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    Elipitcals on high speed require have the resistance set low. These girls possibly don't have the muscle to do the machine at lower speed.
  • hellolouisey
    hellolouisey Posts: 51
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    Thanks everyone! I guess I'll mind my own business and carry on with what I'm doing!

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