Please help me enjoy my elliptical

no1racefan2
no1racefan2 Posts: 90 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I don't have a gym membership, I work out at home. I mostly do Daily Burn videos--kickboxing, cardio, light strength training, etc. I used to have a treadmill and then it died last year. I had tried the elliptical a couple of times at hotels and such and mentioned to my husband that I think I'd like an elliptical to replace the treadmill. So he bought me an elliptical for Christmas last year.

The problem is...I just haven't taken to it as much as I thought I would. I really WANT to enjoy it because he got it for me and it's winter outside and I need more activity. I also signed up for a bike race next June that I think the elliptical would really help me get ready for. I'm wondering if there's any good training schedules or tips that anybody has to get me more excited about the elliptical, haha.

Replies

  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,992 Member
    Intervals. Because you can increase your stamina and fitness with burst of speed. Do like 30 seconds as hard and fast as you can. Then take as long as you need going slower to recover, then hit it again.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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  • Retroguy2000
    Retroguy2000 Posts: 1,848 Member
    Netflix.
  • loulee997
    loulee997 Posts: 273 Member
    edited December 2023
    no1racefan2 wrote: »
    I don't have a gym membership, I work out at home. I mostly do Daily Burn videos--kickboxing, cardio, light strength training, etc. I used to have a treadmill and then it died last year. I had tried the elliptical a couple of times at hotels and such and mentioned to my husband that I think I'd like an elliptical to replace the treadmill. So he bought me an elliptical for Christmas last year.

    The problem is...I just haven't taken to it as much as I thought I would. I really WANT to enjoy it because he got it for me and it's winter outside and I need more activity. I also signed up for a bike race next June that I think the elliptical would really help me get ready for. I'm wondering if there's any good training schedules or tips that anybody has to get me more excited about the elliptical, haha.

    A lot of the home ellipticals don't feel as good as the gym ones. The stride is shorter. They feel more unsteady. Depending on the version of the elliptical, the stride may be significantly different.

    So, it may be the actual elliptical.

    Perhaps an audio book? If the elliptical is fine, perhaps you need different entertainment.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,261 Member
    If you enjoy music, maybe playlist-paced elliptical workouts? Put on your favorite playlist with a variety of tempos, and switch up your tempo to go with the music? (I know some super fast music could be too fast, but 2 beats per stride could still work.)

    Make a personal rule that you can only listen to your favorite podcast, watch your favorite TV show, or listen to a special audio book while you are elliptical-ing?

    I have to admit, I don't get huge inherent joy from my Winter workouts. My main strategy is to set up a schedule of what I'm going to do, then treat it as something I don't make a decision about day by day: I just do it, like I'd do grocery shopping or laundry. (I do find that once I'm in a groove of regular workouts, I feel increasingly crummy - stiff, moody - if I take a few days off. That'll get me going again.)

    During those workouts I do either stream public radio shows I enjoy or play music while machine rowing; or play games or watch videos on my tablet while stationary biking. I enjoy the energized feeling I have during/after the workout, if I'm honest, even though neither is as inherently fun as their summer outdoor non-stationary versions.)
  • no1racefan2
    no1racefan2 Posts: 90 Member
    loulee997 wrote: »
    no1racefan2 wrote: »
    I don't have a gym membership, I work out at home. I mostly do Daily Burn videos--kickboxing, cardio, light strength training, etc. I used to have a treadmill and then it died last year. I had tried the elliptical a couple of times at hotels and such and mentioned to my husband that I think I'd like an elliptical to replace the treadmill. So he bought me an elliptical for Christmas last year.

    The problem is...I just haven't taken to it as much as I thought I would. I really WANT to enjoy it because he got it for me and it's winter outside and I need more activity. I also signed up for a bike race next June that I think the elliptical would really help me get ready for. I'm wondering if there's any good training schedules or tips that anybody has to get me more excited about the elliptical, haha.

    A lot of the home ellipticals don't feel as good as the gym ones. The stride is shorter. They feel more unsteady. Depending on the version of the elliptical, the stride may be significantly different.

    So, it may be the actual elliptical.

    Perhaps an audio book? If the elliptical is fine, perhaps you need different entertainment.

    You're right, the stride length is shorter than I would like.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    I've never liked the elliptical. I could only stand it for two minutes at normal speed. When I slowed way down I could do it for 10 minutes at a time. Obviously, this burns less calories.

    My gym recently replaced the bank of ellipticals I used to use with something that's like a cross between an elliptical and a recumbent bike. Staff told me they get used at physical therapy a lot. This is a different brand, but similar idea:

    https://www.amazon.com/Sunny-Health-Fitness-Recumbent-Exercise/dp/B09X23WFF5/

    b92m5rrj6xjt.png

    I like it a lot better.
  • dougii
    dougii Posts: 679 Member
    I've used the elliptical for years. It's a fantastic for weight loss and give a great cardio workout but getting to enjoy it is another story all together. Put in your ear buds and crank up your favorite music. Intervals can keep it from getting overly boring and make the time go by faster - I like 30 seconds as fast as you can go followed by 2.5 minutes steady state. Place the elliptical in front of a window or glass door where you can watch the world go by. TV. I actually crank up the music, get on the intervals, and watch out the window each session - makes the hour+ go by relatively quickly.
  • xbowhunter
    xbowhunter Posts: 1,256 Member
    I'd rather exercise outside and its free... :)

    I walk the dog no matter the weather. It builds stamina and character... :)
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I'm not a big fan of any indoor stationary cardio. I find the elliptical to be particularly unpleasant as it makes my feet go numb...and on top of that, it doesn't really translate to anything functional other than just getting some cardio in (ie run to be a better runner...ride a bike to become a better cyclist, etc).

    My only indoor cardio is having my bike set up on my indoor trainer and I have the Zwift app for training. I don't particularly enjoy it, but it's primarily just a winter thing so I put in my ear buds and throw on a podcast and do it knowing that we have pretty short lived winters where I'm at and I'll be back on the road or trails soon enough. We have relatively mild winters here, but I have a pretty low tolerance for the chill of winter on a bike. I do still walk most days during my lunch break. In the new year I'm going to look into some alternatives to just riding...my gym has a body combat class as well as a kick boxing class, so I may try those out maybe in March when the crowds start to die down.
  • loulee997
    loulee997 Posts: 273 Member
    no1racefan2 wrote: »
    loulee997 wrote: »
    no1racefan2 wrote: »
    I don't have a gym membership, I work out at home. I mostly do Daily Burn videos--kickboxing, cardio, light strength training, etc. I used to have a treadmill and then it died last year. I had tried the elliptical a couple of times at hotels and such and mentioned to my husband that I think I'd like an elliptical to replace the treadmill. So he bought me an elliptical for Christmas last year.

    The problem is...I just haven't taken to it as much as I thought I would. I really WANT to enjoy it because he got it for me and it's winter outside and I need more activity. I also signed up for a bike race next June that I think the elliptical would really help me get ready for. I'm wondering if there's any good training schedules or tips that anybody has to get me more excited about the elliptical, haha.

    A lot of the home ellipticals don't feel as good as the gym ones. The stride is shorter. They feel more unsteady. Depending on the version of the elliptical, the stride may be significantly different.

    So, it may be the actual elliptical.

    Perhaps an audio book? If the elliptical is fine, perhaps you need different entertainment.

    You're right, the stride length is shorter than I would like.

    Sometimes the stride can be adjusted. Some cannot.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,944 Member
    Controversial answer: Don't if you really don't like it. Sell it and accept. Learn from it and next time don't buy expensive equipment on a whim but test it first, maybe via rental.

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