Ellipticals

Options
24

Replies

  • JPod279
    JPod279 Posts: 722 Member
    Options
    The only cardio I do is eliptical. (I also try to do weights 2-3 times a week.) But, I make sure I crank the resistance on the eliptical. It may be gradual, but I get it up there. Today I started at 5 for 5 minutes, then went to 10 for 5 minutes then to 13 for 10 minutes then to 15 for 10 minutes. Then I decreased down to 10 for 3 minutes and then down to 5 for 2 minutes as my cool down. Today was a "light" day for me as I often start at 10 and go up from there. The max resistance on this machine is 20. I try to maintain a good pace and I ALWAYS use the arms. I have had good success. However, if you want to lose you should really work in a minimum of 2 days a week of weights.
  • mississippi_queen
    mississippi_queen Posts: 483 Member
    Options
    Busting my bum on the Elliptical is something I actually look forward to.

    Me too! I know it sounds weird but it's like i'm a glutton for punishment! Oh wait! I am :bigsmile:
  • SithZombie
    SithZombie Posts: 165 Member
    Options
    ^_~ Bump that elliptical up as high as it will go and have at it. The only cardio I do now is bike with my pups, rowing machine and the elliptical. If you want to 'tone', hit the weights!
  • JPod279
    JPod279 Posts: 722 Member
    Options
    One more thing....I once read a statement that said if your legs aren't like jello when you are done then you have wasted your time. I don't agree with it 100%, but it is a good feeling to get off the eliptical and have to catch yourself because you are so spent. Makes you know you have just done some good.
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
    Options
    In my opinion the elliptical is an all-around great machine to get started with.

    It's low-impact, so you don't tend to get sore knees and ankles from it (muscles, sure, but generally not a lot of joint pain).

    It toasts off TONS of calories if you're willing to put in some sweat, and you can keep increasing your effort and hit a target heart rate to keep burning about the same number of calories.

    You can safely close your eyes or watch a TV or something while using it, with less chance of disastrous consequences for inattention (unlike a treadmill which will turn you into a projectile very painfully if you screw up).

    It engages far more muscles than a stationary bike, and you can tune most of them to different muscle groups (low incline for the legs, high incline for the glutes) so you can engage different muscle sets on different days - at least to an extent.

    You'll probably want to work some strength training and/or other machines in eventually, but I think ellipticals are, maybe second only to swimming, the easiest and most approachable exercise for most people. I've been using it as my primary stamina builder/maintainer for years.
  • amytweedie
    amytweedie Posts: 4
    Options
    I love Ellipticals! my legs are a major problem for me as the weight goes there first but after a while on my elliptical i find it really makes a difference, not only that but my bum and arms too!
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
    Options
    The elliptical has been okay for me. It's a low impact workout but I noticed that I burn less calories than when on the treadmill. It could just be that I tend to zone or watch TV while working out and if you do that on the elliptical you may slow down and not notice it right away... if you zone and slow on the treadmill your *kitten* will be on the floor behind it. : ) My husband uses the elliptical all the time and he burns a lot on it, but he is an animal. I use it to change things up from the treadmill and just have to remember to really keep my legs moving and not slow down when a slower song comes on my ipod... keep the tunes on the faster beats.

    That's both the advantage and disadvantage of an elliptical.

    - advantage: inattention tends not to cause injury so you can zone out and be in a happy place while burning calories
    - disadvantage: inattention tends not to cause injury so you can zone out and be in a happy place and end up slowing down without noticing it

    I find that the right soundtrack helps. The soundtrack to the movie "Run, Lola, Run" has a backbeat that was built for keeping up an aggressive pace (since the whole movie is about a young woman running across town to save her friend's life). David Arkenstone? Not so much. :)
  • firstnamekaren
    firstnamekaren Posts: 274 Member
    Options
    The elliptical has been my go-to cardio (in the gym) for years (when I actually WENT to the gym :wink:) and I like turning the tv on, muting it, reading captions from tv shows and listening to my iPod for a good 35 minutes. I plan on doing this tonight! But I crank the resistance way up, choose one of the programs, and switch the resistant and incline every few minutes. It's a great burn.
  • bakatare2k
    bakatare2k Posts: 17
    Options
    I have been doing the ellipitical for 30 min a day and also watching what i eat and have lost 32 lbs in 76 days. I agree that its what you put into it. I see people ***** about ellipiticals but its because they dont put any resistance and incline. Love them since i hate to run.
  • JaceyMarieS
    JaceyMarieS Posts: 692 Member
    Options


    I find that the right soundtrack helps. The soundtrack to the movie "Run, Lola, Run" has a backbeat that was built for keeping up an aggressive pace (since the whole movie is about a young woman running across town to save her friend's life). David Arkenstone? Not so much. :)

    THIS THIS THIS! I love my elliptical and it's what i started with because it didn't bother my back - walking did. i would never make it through a session without really pumping music though...cannot watch TV or read
  • Jellyphant
    Jellyphant Posts: 1,400 Member
    Options
    You have to really work on the ellip to get your moneys' worth, not just willy nilly around on it at no resistance. You have to pump that b!tch up to 7.0+ to get the sweat flowing. I personally don't like it anymore. Too repetitive, since I used to do it as my workouts.
  • shelbynicole32
    shelbynicole32 Posts: 179 Member
    Options
    I have done the elliptical since I began my quest for fitness. It definately gets you a start, but I have learned that you have to add to/or switch it up. I do the elliptical with some treadmill for cool down, maybe some weights, swimming and raquetball. The more the better!
  • Jessamine
    Jessamine Posts: 226 Member
    Options
    Wow! Thank you for all the replies!

    I tried the elliptical for 15 minutes today. I was sweating, red-faced, and had jello legs when I got off. I loved it!

    The weights room is few steps away, so I thought I'd do a weights routine and then jump on the elliptical afterwards.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    Options
    My $.02 - with the elliptical you get out what you put in. It is really easy to hit go, move your legs a little and not work hard. You really need to put in the effort.
    That's different from every other exercise in what way?

    OP, the elliptical is a great piece of equipment. But you need to lift some weights, too, probably. It's all cardio.
  • jwuchef87
    jwuchef87 Posts: 110 Member
    Options
    it works for me!!! i've lost 10 pounds in the past month doing elliptical three times a week!! my bf says it's not worth it but i see a difference so i'm not stopping! :)
  • Andrea681
    Andrea681 Posts: 178 Member
    Options
    I love the elliptical. I do it everyday for an hour and I am dripping sweat by the time I'm done. But, what you put into it is what you get out of it. If you are just going to go on there and put it on the lowest level with no resistance, you won't get very much out of it. I go on there and put it on level 10 at a level 20 incline and do interval training for 60 minutes and I typically burn about 700 calories just by doing that.
  • MBuckler3
    MBuckler3 Posts: 22
    Options
    The elliptical is awesome. I do 60 minutes 5 days a week. I set the resistance as high as I can stand and just go for it. When I am done I look like I was swimming in my clothes and my limbs are useless but it works. I have lost over 40 pounds doing it. So worth it.
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
    Options
    You have to really work on the ellip to get your moneys' worth, not just willy nilly around on it at no resistance. You have to pump that b!tch up to 7.0+ to get the sweat flowing. I personally don't like it anymore. Too repetitive, since I used to do it as my workouts.

    I've found through experimentation and long use that my elliptical goes to 20. I routinely work out at 16.

    When you feel you are getting bored of the elliptical, try it at 2 resistance settings higher than you are used to. It'll get your attention back FAST when you have to brace your arms into the railing and PULL yourself down.
  • Jena_72
    Jena_72 Posts: 1,057
    Options
    My $.02 - with the elliptical you get out what you put in. It is really easy to hit go, move your legs a little and not work hard. You really need to put in the effort.
    definately agree with this! DOn't get comfortable on it if your feeling "good" up that resistance!!
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
    Options
    The elliptical is my go-to at the gym. I've actually left a Zumba class and switched to elliptical instead because I wanted to keep my heart rate UP.

    Music with a good fast beat is a great way to keep up your pace.

    Also, the ellipticals with moving handles are better IMHO than the ones which only work your legs.

Categories