I was wondering what you guys out there thought of the elliptical and if any of you use it and if so hwo do you incorporate it into your training?
What up, D-Bo? I do not hesitate to say that I’ve used the Elliptical trainer and will continue to use it in the future.
I’ve used it for post-training cardio, and I’ve also used it for intervals (i.e. HIIT, sprints, etc).
I think it’s an excellent choice not only because of it’s low-impact nature but also because of it’s full-body modality (if you’re using one with the arms that move). It’s also a self-controlled piece of equipment in that you can sprint or jog without adjusting any buttons, speeds, etc.
I use it. To me its tougher than a bike. I try to use it in small 20 minute sessions as hard as I can go
Even though I am a Rookie/Future T-Vixen…thought I would jump in.
I use the eliptical during post training cardio. I found that it takes me longer to reach my target heart rate, but it is easy to maintain once reached. I usually will hit the stairmaster for 15-20 to get my heart rate up and then jump to the eliptical. It isn’t as boring as the tread or bike.
Just my .02 worth.
Alicia
I find this to be the best machine for getting my HR up without causing too much muscle fatigue…great for doing interval sprints post workout!
i dont know what the hell my problem is, but i cant use those things. i feel totally uncomfortable on them. like my hips dont sway properly or something.
I love the elliptical trainer. Its my favorite movement for my love handles and backside. I feel like i can get a nice round bottom in no time if i use the elliptical trainer and do some crunches to burn off the extra fat. And with my all soy diet, im well on my way to being skinny again.
I have used them in the past (don’t do much cardio lately). They’re one of the best machines because of the full range of motion at the knee joint. One routine I used to use was running forward for 10 mins, running backwards for 10 mins (to hit the hams more specifically), and then forwards again for another 10 mins.
The eliptical is the only thing I can really use since my knee surgery in late April.
Without it, I don’t know what I’d be doing for cardio. Also, it allows me to work on range of motion without having my entire body weight ivolved.
In short, great machine…
Brad
Haha, Goldberg
Actually, I like turning the level way up and going for about 30 Minutes. The hill setting is pretty good for this, almost like circuit training. I haven’t done cardio in a month, because I’m finding that intense weight training is better for increasing LBM than cardio is.
I use it to maintain stamina for biking and snowboarding rather than burning fat, or ‘toning’.LOL
I concure with everyone here. The eliptical machine is a main stay for me. The fact that it is low impact is what impresses me the most…I can get all the benefits of a great cardio workout with sacrificing lean muscle mass. I generally use them for post training low/moderate cardio (15 minutes) and I often use them for HIIT sessions also. Although I must say that for the best “bang for your buck” would be to do sprints on the track. In any case, the eliptical is definetely an intregral component of my workouts.
I use the elliptical trainer for HIIT these days. Works great, low impact save the knees for the important stuff like squats! wouldnt use anything else.
People with bad knees can appreciate the cross-trainer. Stationary bikes suck, IMHO… I find the cross-trainer have a much better “feeling”, not to mention that I sweat much without really feeling my muscles ache.
Don’t like it. Takes too much focus to keep my legs in the machine’s groove, and if I try to slow down, it doesn’t let me. And a la Goldberg, it hasn’t made my ass any prettier.
Rowing is still the ultimate cardio exercise in my book. Nothing really compares.
DI
I first used an elliptical machine about 15 months ago. It took a little getting use to, but once I got the feeling of it I loved it. I specifically used it for HIIT. Spent 90 seconds at a steady pace, and then I pushed it to max resistance, highest angle, and worked out as fast as possible. Then I would drop it down and repeat. I added one cycle every week until I got to where I wanted to be.
I moved 11 months ago, and the machine was in the clubhouse at my previous apartment complex, so I lost access to the machine. I try to avoid anything too hard on my knees, so the machine was perfect for me.
[quote]KnightRT wrote:
Don’t like it. Takes too much focus to keep my legs in the machine’s groove, and if I try to slow down, it doesn’t let me. And a la Goldberg, it hasn’t made my ass any prettier.
Rowing is still the ultimate cardio exercise in my book. Nothing really compares.
DI[/quote]
I understand what you’re saying here. It takes some serious getting used to. I almost seriously hurt myself the first time I got on one. But, I stupidly went balls to the wall the first time without feeling the thing out. Lost control slipped out of the foot holds, whacked my shin on one leg and my calf on the other and nearly racked myself. Thank God there wasn’t anyone else in there. I have a respect for the machine now and approach it like an angry bull.
[quote]Goldberg wrote:
I love the elliptical trainer. Its my favorite movement for my love handles and backside. I feel like i can get a nice round bottom in no time if i use the elliptical trainer and do some crunches to burn off the extra fat. And with my all soy diet, im well on my way to being skinny again.[/quote]
lol
[quote]Iron Maiden wrote:
Even though I am a Rookie/Future T-Vixen…thought I would jump in.
I use the eliptical during post training cardio. I found that it takes me longer to reach my target heart rate, but it is easy to maintain once reached. I usually will hit the stairmaster for 15-20 to get my heart rate up and then jump to the eliptical. It isn’t as boring as the tread or bike.
Just my .02 worth.
Sorry Iron Maiden and welcome but Stairmaster will not do what you want.you must not have the elipitcal set @ the right resistance. The stairmaster rates very low in most test of cardio
Alicia[/quote]
The ellipticals are great for low-impact energy work.
I hate the elliptical. Not so much because it’s a bad machine-it can be good if you want to avoid high impact cardio. But too many girls in designer spandex would spend hours and hours on end on the elliptical back at school. Then they’d exit the gym, adjust their designer sunglasses, and light up a Parliament.
Some of them are really cool people, and even some of those that are not are still good hook-ups or fun at the bar. But I’d rather not be next to them on the elliptical. Better to lift and briefly look up and get some nice, elliptical eye-candy in between sets.