Really stupid question

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Replies

  • TrailRunner61
    TrailRunner61 Posts: 2,505 Member
    First of all, no question is ever stupid!!!! Stupid people never ask and never learn! :)

    I tried an eliptical and I hated it too. I found out later that they are adjustable to your height so maybe that was why it was so hard for you? I don't know, I never tried it again because I hated it so much. lol I'm glad I never bought one because it would be collecting dust.
    Keep trying different things until you find something you're comfortable with and you enjoy.
  • AmberJslimsAWAY
    AmberJslimsAWAY Posts: 2,339 Member
    First of all, no question is ever stupid!!!! Stupid people never ask and never learn! :)

    I tried an eliptical and I hated it too. I found out later that they are adjustable to your height so maybe that was why it was so hard for you? I don't know, I never tried it again because I hated it so much. lol I'm glad I never bought one because it would be collecting dust.
    Keep trying different things until you find something you're comfortable with and you enjoy.

    lol I feel like a complete moron at the gym anyways, I'm always inspecting and reading how to do the stupid workouts lol. If there is a way to adjust it I might try that, I felt like it for for a really short person. My legs are SUPER long.
  • pat6250
    pat6250 Posts: 90
    Ask the gym attendants to help you figure out how to use it correctly. It's their job, right?
  • hollyk57
    hollyk57 Posts: 520 Member
    It's awkward, admitted. The elliptical used to be my arch nemesis.... now we're old friends. :) I used to get on it, and last about 25 seconds before my knees hurt. Then I'd watch people a lot heavier than me, doing it for an hour, so I was determined to prove to myself I could do it too. The first time I really pushed, I could go for about 5 minutes. Then up to 10 and 15... I did it once for 45 minutes too. It takes getting used to, but it's the one thing that REALLY gets my heart rate up without the impact of running.
  • Bizeebec150
    Bizeebec150 Posts: 88
    When I am on the elyptical I don't use the "arm" handles instead I either shadow box or twist to get a waist workout at the same time
  • AmberJslimsAWAY
    AmberJslimsAWAY Posts: 2,339 Member
    Ask the gym attendants to help you figure out how to use it correctly. It's their job, right?

    It's an apartment gym
  • LynnSkaggs76
    LynnSkaggs76 Posts: 4
    Great question, I have an elliptical, been working out on it the past 2 wks. When I would go to the gym that's all id work out on and would lose inches quicker, push with heels, with knees slightly bent, and try not to bounce around, when doing it at first start out slow focus on legs pushing forward, once you get yourself stedy then pick up speed, I love the elliptical less impact on my feet, and I burn more calories, and get to work my whole body and build my booty
  • msmindylee
    msmindylee Posts: 61
    I absolutely LOVE the elliptical! But then, I'm also pretty heavy right now so it's much easier on my joints than running (which I want to get back to eventually). My trainer and also the owner of my gym have counseled me to find a pace I can stick to and then do intensity intervals - two minutes at a light to moderate resistance, two minutes at a higher resistance, and keep switching back and forth. At the end of about 30-40 minutes I am dripping! But my muscles feel great and I even get a little "runner's high" sometimes.

    Killer tunes on the iPod help too. LOL
  • bethmcdonald4
    bethmcdonald4 Posts: 12
    I use the tony little gazelle elliptical every day, for part of the work out i bend my knees to work my thighs and glutes and the other part of the 45 minutes I straighten my legs out so I am almost in a run and I work the rest of my body.
  • msmindylee
    msmindylee Posts: 61
    Oh, and I forgot to mention - if you're bouncing at all, then you need to increase the resistance. In that way, it's like riding a bike, if you're bouncing on the bike seat, it means you're in too low of a gear and need to shift up...
  • AmberJslimsAWAY
    AmberJslimsAWAY Posts: 2,339 Member
    Thanks everyone!
  • Package02
    Package02 Posts: 97
    depends on the type, but instead of going faster i find it a great burn to increase the resistance.

    This is what I would suggest. I do the eliptical every day for an hour in a half and keep it at resistance 5-10 (somewhere in between there depending upon how I feel). When I have the resistance at one it feels a little weird, mainly because I tend to move faster than it wants to go and then it gets awkward. Deff give increasing the resistance a try. It's great for the working the legs (I don't feel it as much in the arms)

    (I'm required as a teacher to tell you that there are no such things as "stupid questions" lol for the most part)
  • BlueInkDot
    BlueInkDot Posts: 702 Member
    My toes always go to sleep when I get on that thing! I run on the treadmill instead... :-)

    Mine did too! But then I was told that you should go backwards for a while in between to keep that from happening. So I go forward for a while, backward for a while, then forward for a while again.
  • shivaslives
    shivaslives Posts: 279 Member
    Keep trying it's not easy at 1st but once you figure it out you will be able to stand taller and push with yours heels and roll forward slightly to your toes..it takes awhile but it's worth it because every muscle in you legs and mid section are on fire and it gets your arms a good workout too!!
    Another vote here. You'll get the hang of it. Most of my lost weight is puddled around my elliptical.

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    Advice is worth exactly what you pay for it!
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    How the heck do you use an elliptical?!

    I was on it yesterday at the gym, and my knees were bent the whole time... Is that normal?? It felt really weird...

    I think some people just aren't made to use one. My husband can't. I suppose if he really tried he could learn to, but when he got on mine it was hilarious. I honestly thought he was just being funny, but he really couldn't do it correctly. And he's not uncoordinated, he used to play high school and college sports. But he looked crazy trying to use it. I, on the other hand, never had any problem. It seemed perfectly natural to me. :ohwell:
  • Nerdy_Rose
    Nerdy_Rose Posts: 1,277 Member
    I have one at home. I use it to hang wet shirts on to dry.

    LOL me too
  • jenny95662
    jenny95662 Posts: 997 Member
    Keep trying it's not easy at 1st but once you figure it out you will be able to stand taller and push with yours heels and roll forward slightly to your toes..it takes awhile but it's worth it because every muscle in you legs and mid section are on fire and it gets your arms a good workout too!!

    ^^^^ This listen to her, she is smart!

    i agree it is weird at first and hurts but after a little while its wonderful i love mine and it is a wonderful workout
  • Bikini27
    Bikini27 Posts: 1,290 Member
    The elliptical kills my knees. Go play on the Arc Trainer. That thing rocks! :bigsmile:

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