Eliptical Trainers: Yay or Nay??

I have one, I use it all the time, I have the Livestrong one and got a good deal on it, go for quality over cost.

My favorite machine in the entire, whole wide world.

Now, I use ones in gyms, so I don't know how they are as home machines. I know in the gym you can vary it up and challenge yourself as needed to change your routine.

I've got one use it,everyday. Normally burn about 300 calories for,30 minutes on it.

Definitely leaves you sweating.

Especially in this heat...

I use it mainly because my knees are feeling the abuse of the military. Good way to get your heart rate way up. Put it on a setting you know you can do, then move up from there. Never put the settings lower or easier halfway through the workout (unless doing intervals).

Love mine, and i get a great work out with it!

I purchased a treadmill instead, but I did consider an elliptical.

Maybe it's all those years of marching band in my youth, but my natural stride is one foot exactly in front of the other like walking a balance beam. Treadmill lets me do that. Elliptical and tread climbers, etc force me to keep my feet apart, which for me is unnatural.

I used the elliptical in college because they had personal TVs and the treadmills did not, but for my own home, I went the treadmill route instead and bought a small cheap TV for a nearby wall just in case. I find myself just listening to my ipod now though, because it lets me get a good beat to match my pace.

I'm also very short, about 5 foot 1 inch, so it seemed easier to find a home treadmill that could fit my stride and also accommodate my then-fiance-now-husband who is closer to 6 foot. I think he would have preferred an elliptical because they are supposedly better on the knees, but this purchase was essentially mine.

He was kind enough to help me assemble it though. (FYI: When they say "14 easy" assembly steps, it's a lie. Some of those steps had 5 steps of their own, and big warnings about how if you screw up you can ruin the machine, void your warranty, or electrocute yourself. We completed the assembly with no problems, but I wouldn't exactly agree with the "14 easy" steps marketing claim. ) It definitely takes two people to assemble that monster.

Plus the treadmill was cheaper. I got mine (a Nordic Track) on sale through a Sears store just before Thanksgiving. They went on "sale" again for Black Friday, but the sale price I paid was still less than the Black Friday "sale."

I had researched the recommendations (belt length, motor power) so that I knew what specs I needed to suit both me and my guy (without paying for features that didn't really matter, aka at some point maximum mph, incline and power is just overkill), knew I wanted a name brand and new for the warranty just in case, and then set a price that I was willing to buy at. When the Sears sale flier showed one that met my needs at the price I wanted I ordered it. Haven't regretted it yet.

Maybe it's just me, but I feel that I can push myself alot more on a cross trainer than a treadmill. When I get tired on a treadmill I find myself swaying from side to side, occasionally misstepping a little, which isn't giving me any benifits. But with the eliptical, I can go past this point and keep going for another 20 minutes at least, and it's great because you're able to do pretty much the same fluid movement without putting too much weight on one side of your body.

Keep on it for about 45 minutes, and if you've got the resistance up a fair bit then you'll definitely feel it at the end!

I have a cheapie 200 dollar walmart one that never did have adjustable resistance...or maybe it did??? I don't remember since the electrical parts have long since broken but I Have owened the thing for 5 years and used it on and off here and there. I used it for 6 weeks after my son was born and lost 20 or so pounds and I am currently using it 5 days a week : ) I love it! I do sweat a ton on it