Should I get a cross trainer or an exercise bike?

Joisgettingfit
Joisgettingfit Posts: 160 Member
edited October 3 in Fitness and Exercise
I'm thinking of quitting my gym and just continuing to work out at home, I'd rather invest in a piece of equipment I can use regularly in addition to running outside and doing my own strength training routine.
At the moment in my house we currently have one of those old nordic track ski machine, it's alright to use but it can be a bit fiddly.
I'm also planning on buying a kettlebell or two and a barbell with some weights in addition to this exercise machine so I can continue strength training.
I'm on a budget so I really don't want to spend over £150 so if there's any machines you'd recommend let me know but what I'm really here to ask is which one you think I should get, which is better?
I can see the cross trainers burning more calories but then i can also see them taking up a lot more space than an exercise bike, I think it would be much easier to stay on a bike for longer but then I can see the cross trainer burning the same amount of calories in a shorter time period.
There's pro's and cons for both really.

Replies

  • gsager
    gsager Posts: 977 Member
    Well, all I know is you burn more calories standing than sitting.
  • cuddlyrunner
    cuddlyrunner Posts: 116 Member
    I bought a crosstrainer from ebay for £15 and got an exercise bike from freecycle for free. Why don't you try those first and see which one you like most/fits in better at home?
  • nsimportant
    nsimportant Posts: 170 Member
    Well if You are on a tight budget. And wanna change Your cardio abit You can do:
    Jump rope for 5 minutes then 20 burpees repeat jump rope then 20 squats and do this as long as you like :)
    I have a cross trainer and its collecting dust (was using it for like 1-2 hour a day before but its so dull) but I do find a cross trainer more interesting then a bike. But on a bike you can do HIIT easier.
  • boopiejones
    boopiejones Posts: 73
    i've tried the gym at home, and didn't like it. i had all the equipment i could ever need, but i found that once i got home it was difficult to get motivated to workout. plus, for the cost of a well equipped home gym, you can pay for many years worth of a gym membership.
  • dobarber
    dobarber Posts: 611 Member
    Exercise bands are good too. They're small but effective. Up side to those is, they're light and small so you can take them with you if you can't be at home or the gym and still get a good work out.
    Doug
  • renecandelaria
    renecandelaria Posts: 5
    I would not quit the Gym....it takes more discipline to work out at home then to go to the Gym. Think about all the distractions at home. I tried the "working out at home" and its tough. You come home from work, slip into comfortable clothes, grab a snack, start watching tv and then before you know it...you havent worked out. Just my two cents. My motto is simple....just get to the Gym...thats it...to many people think about what they will do when they get there and for how long....just get to the gym!!! When you get there it becomes easier.
  • Joisgettingfit
    Joisgettingfit Posts: 160 Member
    As much as i'd love to go to the gym
    lately I've been getting really anxious when I go. I've put on weight and because of that fact when I'm at the gym i am constantly thinking that i'm the hugest person in the room (which yes logically I know I'm not but its hard to listen to the logical part of your brain when you're that anxious) I get worried that everyone's watching me and judging me and I find it very hard to concentrate on my workout and I just want to get out of there as quickly as possibly.
    So yes I know the gym may be better in terms of access to equipment but its not worth me going if i'm going to feel like that everytime I go in and i only work part time at the moment so i'm home at least 3 days during the week and I can easily fit my workouts in then, so being tired when i come home isn't a problem.
    The days i'm working I usually walk a 2-3 mile round trip as well so i'm adding in a bit of exercise even then.

    So yes now i've explained that i'm an anxiety ridden mess in the gym and whilst it may work for some it doesn't for me i'd like advice on what piece of equipment I should get?
  • Joisgettingfit
    Joisgettingfit Posts: 160 Member
    Well if You are on a tight budget. And wanna change Your cardio abit You can do:
    Jump rope for 5 minutes then 20 burpees repeat jump rope then 20 squats and do this as long as you like :)
    I have a cross trainer and its collecting dust (was using it for like 1-2 hour a day before but its so dull) but I do find a cross trainer more interesting then a bike. But on a bike you can do HIIT easier.

    I have a skipping rope so I shall try this :) thanks
    I still want to get some piece of equipment though as I get bored doing stuff like skipping than i do on something like a back.
    I shall give this a try tomorrow though.
  • Joisgettingfit
    Joisgettingfit Posts: 160 Member
    Also what's people's opinions on those combined exercise bike/cross trainers, i'm not to keen on them really because i'd prefer a bike to have pedals but if you have one and they're good let me know.
  • ak_in_ak
    ak_in_ak Posts: 657 Member
    I think bikes are cheaper and they are nice if you want to watch tv. If you have the outdoors then you may not need either seeing as how you could run or bike outside. Some DVD's may be a cheaper and better choice. requardless go to a used store or look at ads. I bet you can find a great deal there and then you can see it and decide what you have room for.
  • 3dmborges
    3dmborges Posts: 3 Member
    Even though your on a budget, your better off at the gym. #1-You are paying so that will be your incentive to keep going. #2: Keeps you social and motivated. #3-If it breaks down, you don't have to fix it. Join a bootcamp class to add something to ramp up your workouts. They usually last 6-8 weeks and are not very expensive. Add them in a couple times a yr. Most at home equipment usually are great to hang clothes on or become a dust collector. Good Luck and hang in there.
  • 3dmborges
    3dmborges Posts: 3 Member
    Even though your on a budget, your better off at the gym. #1-You are paying so that will be your incentive to keep going. #2: Keeps you social and motivated. #3-If it breaks down, you don't have to fix it. Join a bootcamp class to add something to ramp up your workouts. They usually last 6-8 weeks and are not very expensive. Add them in a couple times a yr. Most at home equipment usually are great to hang clothes on or become a dust collector. Good Luck and hang in there.
  • Joisgettingfit
    Joisgettingfit Posts: 160 Member
    Even though your on a budget, your better off at the gym. #1-You are paying so that will be your incentive to keep going. #2: Keeps you social and motivated. #3-If it breaks down, you don't have to fix it. Join a bootcamp class to add something to ramp up your workouts. They usually last 6-8 weeks and are not very expensive. Add them in a couple times a yr. Most at home equipment usually are great to hang clothes on or become a dust collector. Good Luck and hang in there.

    It really doesn't keep me social, it makes me withdrawn and after a gym session i just want to run away and hide forever
    which may be hard for some people to understand.
    I get really really anxious,to the point where I sometimes want to just run out of the gym all the way home and hide under my duvet and cry kind of anxious because it's really really overwhelming. I used to love the gym and I don't know when my confidence took such a knock.
    I know anxiety can be hard to understand if you don't suffer from it, it's not a case of 'just do it and get it over with' I wish it were that simple and I have tried to go and reason with myself logically but when you are in that situation its really really hard to get your brain to snap out of it.
    I'd rather work out at home,where no one can see me and it doesn't matter what I look like.
  • Joisgettingfit
    Joisgettingfit Posts: 160 Member
    *bump*
  • bekins
    bekins Posts: 8
    I, too, tried doing the home gym thing only to find out that it was costing me more money to replace equipment than it did for my gym membership. Wiith the gym membership they have the headaches when it comes to repairing or replacing equipment, Have you shopped around for gym memberships? I found one for $34.99 per month even in this bad economy and I don't have to worry about repairing or replacing equipment. In answer to your question, I prefer the cross trainers as they burn more calories and work more muscle groups than the exerclise bikes. The same applies to strength training equipment--which can work more muscle groups than do kettle bells.
  • Espressocycle
    Espressocycle Posts: 2,245 Member
    The best thing about a treadmill is that once you set the speed, you can't slow down without pressing the buttons. That's the motivation I need! I have a treadmill and a bowflex and that takes care of my workout needs. Plus, it's right in the house, I watch my own TV and I can exercise in my underwear if I don't feel like putting on my workout clothes. I got both units on craigslist for cheap.
  • theginnyray
    theginnyray Posts: 208 Member
    If you want to quit the gym, quit the gym! Sorry you get getting lots of pro-gym responses, I understand what you are saying.
    So, I would go with the bike - like, get a bike and go bike outside (you said you were already running outside?). You can get a stationary trainer thing to also ride your bike inside. The stationary piece will be pricey - but if you don't already have a bike you could get a used one (in good condition) for a good price on Craigslist. You might find the stationary piece on there too.
  • JamesBurkes
    JamesBurkes Posts: 382 Member
    I can see your reasons for wanting to exercise at home, but if you want a piece of good quality equipment that is a joy to use and is sturdy and lasts a while, you may need to increase your budget a bit unless you know exactly what you're after and you hang around on EBay for a while....
  • Joisgettingfit
    Joisgettingfit Posts: 160 Member
    Thankyou to everyone who's answered my question properly and not just been like go the gym.
    I could probably increase it to around £200 but I'd just have to buy the equipment a bit later than planned, i'm not looking for a top of the range gym equipment just something I can use to get a good workout.
    I'll probably be using it for 30-60 minutes 3 or 4 times a week, i'm going to be doing workout dvd's too whenever I can.
    At the moment i'm leaning more towards the cross trainer/elliptical like I said i'm not bothered about it being top of the range brilliant just something that works.
  • Joisgettingfit
    Joisgettingfit Posts: 160 Member
    If you want to quit the gym, quit the gym! Sorry you get getting lots of pro-gym responses, I understand what you are saying.
    So, I would go with the bike - like, get a bike and go bike outside (you said you were already running outside?). You can get a stationary trainer thing to also ride your bike inside. The stationary piece will be pricey - but if you don't already have a bike you could get a used one (in good condition) for a good price on Craigslist. You might find the stationary piece on there too.

    That sounds good, I have a sort of bike (its someone else's but she never uses it) at the moment its at my caravan in the lake district and i'm hoping that my mum's friend will let me use it but I did want an exercise bike too because I could exercise indoors when the weather goes ****ty.
    I didn't know you could get things to make your outside bikes into a stationary one,that's well cool. I shall look into that as well.
  • Joisgettingfit
    Joisgettingfit Posts: 160 Member
    I, too, tried doing the home gym thing only to find out that it was costing me more money to replace equipment than it did for my gym membership. Wiith the gym membership they have the headaches when it comes to repairing or replacing equipment, Have you shopped around for gym memberships? I found one for $34.99 per month even in this bad economy and I don't have to worry about repairing or replacing equipment. In answer to your question, I prefer the cross trainers as they burn more calories and work more muscle groups than the exerclise bikes. The same applies to strength training equipment--which can work more muscle groups than do kettle bells.

    It's got nothing to do with the membership price, i only pay like £20 a month anyway which is like roughly $31.25 a month.
    I haven't been in over a month and a half, i'm just throwing money down the drain being at the gym.
    I was planning on doing a lot of exercises using my own body weight (kind of like what they do on insanity) as well as incorporating kettlebells/ a barbell and some dumbells.
  • JamesBurkes
    JamesBurkes Posts: 382 Member
    Actually that good be a good, cheapish option - borrow your friend's bike and buy a Turbo trainer to run it on, indoors. You can buy rollers, too, but I think they're quite tricky to use (quite hard to balance on) - one of the turbo trainers (which screw onto the frame) might be easier and safer. Your bike will need smooth tyres though - I think the knobbly tyres on mountain bikes make it a bumpy experience! Some DVDs might make the indoor cycling more interesting, too. I found a few complete RPM workouts on the web - I'd love to do RPM in a gym (as I love it) but would need to travel 60 miles to get there, so the web workouts do me fine on days when I can't get out.
  • tiedye
    tiedye Posts: 331 Member
    i think an elliptical trainer would be best. one that has all the different modes like hill, random, interval. one with moving arms gets the full body workout. You can always bike or jog outside if you want, but you can't get the same movements on the elliptical.

    If you have a regular bike, you can buy a stand for it and bike inside.

    Good luck!
  • Biancalee76
    Biancalee76 Posts: 107
    I just got an elliptical, and it is so much better than a bike! It's more of a body workout, and those exercise bike seats were awful.
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