Ellipitical trainers: what say you? Gimme the good, bad and ugly

[Buford T Pusser]

I'm looking at dumping my old NordicTrack cross country skier and giving my recumbent bike a break.

I started looking at Ellipitical Trainers yesterday. Anyone have good or bad experiences?

Tell me what you like.

It seems I need to spend $1000 at the minimum and I've seen a few that may be okay. But maybe I should just go all out and get one in the $2000-2500 range.

I'm 6'4" tall and would like a decent stride length and the heart rate stuff would also be nice. It would also be good to get a more compact one for space issues.

One brand that looked nice was the Octane Q35e.

http://www.octanefitness.com/images/phase_3/products_popup/01_pl.gif


http://www.octanefitness.com/products/


A recent Consumer Reports mentioned a Schwinn 418 as a Best Buy. It's around $1K.

[Buford T Pusser]

The above shot is the 45 model. Here's the 35


http://www.octanefitness.com/images/club_testing.jpg

[FantasticVSDoom]

I would pass because it doesnt really give you a great cardio workout...Get a treadmill, bike, something that will give you a better workout. If you have those already I guess go for it, just seems like a lot of money for a machine that doesnt really push you that hard.

[cdollaz]

I would pass because it doesnt really give you a great cardio workout...Get a treadmill, bike, something that will give you a better workout. If you have those already I guess go for it, just seems like a lot of money for a machine that doesnt really push you that hard.

I get a much better cardio workout on an elliptical than I get on a bicycle. It all depends on the settings you chose and how hard you go.

[waporvare]

Sears sells a real good Nordictrack for around $570, sometimes it's on sale for $470.

[nemein]

I would pass because it doesnt really give you a great cardio workout...Get a treadmill, bike, something that will give you a better workout.

:confused: That's funny I've always heard the opposite, that they give a better work out since more of the body is involved as opposed to the treadmill/bike which primarily focuses on the legs.

Anyway the good (depending upon the above debate ;)) is that they give you a better workout, the bad is that they are expensive (esp for something that'll work for you w/ your size) and take up a lot of space, and quite frankly they are all ugly -ptth-

I've had a mid level Rebok for a few years now and it's starting to wear a bit. If you have the space go w/ a nice one/best your budget can afford.

[The Bus]

It definitely has to do with the settings.

I have been very happy using the Precor EFX series at the local Y.

[Phil L.]

Buy whichever one holds the most coats and wet towels :p

[Wazootyman]

It definitely has to do with the settings.

I have been very happy using the Precor EFX series at the local Y.

I use this one at the local gym, and it gets me a really good work out, really gets the sweat going, and it's not rough on the legs at all

[adamblast]

Buy whichever one holds the most coats and wet towels :p:lol:

[al_bundy]

http://www.minoura.jp/HyperMagALU-R.jpg

just bought one of these babies today

[monkey42]

The gym I go to has some Precor machines, but I prefer the Life Fitness ellipiticals. This is the model I like to use:

<a href="http://us.commercial.lifefitness.com/content.cfm/95xi">http://us.commercial.lifefitness.com/content.cfm/95xi</a>

The reason I don't like the Precor is the motion feels more up/down to me, where the LifeFitness is more front/back, and feels more like a running stride to me. That's just personal opinion though.

[majorjoe23]

I say as long as they don't have a seizure near me, let them do their jobs.

[Bloomiesgirl]

I bought an Elliptical for Christmas. I got the Nordic Track Cx990 Model.. i believe it retailed for $999 but I got it on sale at NordicTrack.com for $799.

I tried out some different brands at Sears--and even lower models of the Nordic Track and I went ahead and went for the more expensive model. I found what was important to me was the smoothness of the strides. Some of them felt really choppy which made me wonder if i'd be able to endure a 45-60 min session.

I'm happy with the one i got however--it is a bitch to put together. I would suggest having it assembled for you even if you think you're the best at assembling things.

ChitownAbs, Inc helped me and it still took us at least 5 hrs.

I use it consistently about 3x a week--but--i can be humble and say that the first time I used it i had higher ambitions for myself. I soon realized I had to work up to higher resistance levels and inclines. It was a little demotivating the first time..but i'm better now. I should be using it more..but.. all in due time . :)
Good luck.

[woofman]

We use lifefitness at my gym as well and I really like it, granted I've not used another brand, but it has a good range of motion and I get a great aerobic workout on it. It has user friendly settings too. I'm sure they're not cheap though.

[FantasticVSDoom]

I dont know...Im obviously not an expert but all the physical trainers and "experts" I talk to say that it isnt the best. But I guess like with everything its how you work at it.

[DaveCole]

I have found ellipticals to be great for people starting out (or at least me). It allowed me to go a long time and keep my heart rate up without killing my shins. Now that I have gotten used to it and built up my leg muscles I have switched over to a treadmill trying to get my shins built up for extended walking outside this summer.

[Buford T Pusser]

I would pass because it doesnt really give you a great cardio workout...Get a treadmill, bike, something that will give you a better workout. If you have those already I guess go for it, just seems like a lot of money for a machine that doesnt really push you that hard.

I have a nice recumbent bike but I seem to read/hear experts say that they build up the legs but don't push the cardio aspect enough. They all seem to love ellipitical trainers which I'd been ignoring as large and expensive.

[Buford T Pusser]

The Jan 2005 Consumer Reports did a short report on them.

1-Precor $2400
2-Life Fitness $2600
3-Nautilus $2300
4-Vision Fitness $2500
5-New Balance-$1200
6-Schwinn $1100 (their Best Buy-saw this online for $900-1000 shipped)
7-Keys Fitness $900
8-NordicTrack $800
9-Reebok $600
10-Pro-From $800



They had problems with the NordicTrack, Reebok and New Balance. The NT "clunked when we pedaled. We managed to reduce the clunking, but we couldn't eliminate it." The NB also clunked and the Reebok had electrical problems.


Sadly they didn't test the Octane or another a nearby dealer recommends: SportsArt. This is around mid $2K.

[Dabaomb]

I would pass because it doesnt really give you a great cardio workout...Get a treadmill, bike, something that will give you a better workout. If you have those already I guess go for it, just seems like a lot of money for a machine that doesnt really push you that hard.

actually, it gives you the best cardio workout.

Running in general can be tough on your knees and joints.

With an eliptical machine, you get more of a total body workout cuz you have to use your arms and upper body to move the handles. On an eliptical machine, you can usually last quite a bit longer than you can on a traditional treadmill. Plus, if you use a pretty high setting, you'll feel like you're not working as hard when in reality you're burning a lot more calories. The resistance is causing you to go really slow but you're exerting a lot more energy trying to move. You sweat a ton.

Typically, while on an eliptical machine for 30 minutes, I can burn 600+ calories which is a lot more than I burn while running. But then again, I could never stay on a treadmill for 30 minutes. I prefer running outside cuz I don't have the patience to run on a slow setting on a treadmill.

[Thor Simpson]

<img src="http://www.michaeljournal.org/images/jp2.jpg" width=200>
John Paul II

<img src="http://www.popes.by.ru/imeges/15/Sixtus_IV.jpg" width=200>
Sixtux IV

<img src="http://www.vaticanphoto.li/images/Card.%20Joseph%20Ratzinger-2.jpg" width=200>
Benedict XVI

[Buford T Pusser]

huhwah?

[Al Padrino]

Maybe he's referring to the last portion of the thread title. At least, I hope so. Maybe he's just posting pics of people who endorse ellipticals.

[D.Pham00]

i hate elliptical machines. they're just annoying to use. i've tried it once and didn't like it.

[DVD Polizei]

Strap your baseball bat to a $150 bicycle. Then, after getting a good speed, whip the bat around your head in clockwise and counter-clockwise motions. :up:

[big whoppa]

I prefer spinning but elliptical machines give a good cardio workout. We have the Precor EFX with a monitor and dvd player for watching cable, dvds, or cds. As in most exercises, I think results will often vary based on intensity of workout. Many people I see who use this machine or others don't seem to break a sweat.

[jfoobar]

http://www.minoura.jp/HyperMagALU-R.jpg

just bought one of these babies today

OK, I recognize a bait casting reel when I see one but that has got to be the funkiest looking rod I have ever seen.

[Trigger]

fishing rod? I thought it was for turning and carving really short table legs.

[Buford T Pusser]

double oooffff!

I have one of those with the bracket to hold the front wheel and I never used it once.

[Buford T Pusser]

Maybe he's referring to the last portion of the thread title. At least, I hope so. Maybe he's just posting pics of people who endorse ellipticals.


hmmmm.

I would have expected pix from a spaghetti western.

[bigsoos]

my wife and I picked up this NordicTrack model from Sears:
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=FIT&pid=00628509000&subcat=Ellipticals

good machine, resistance levels are very tough. You can also download fitness routines from the web (for a small fee).

[redinger]

Ever since I figured out I could play Halo 2 while using my elliptical, it's been my favorite form of exercise.

[al_bundy]

OK, I recognize a bait casting reel when I see one but that has got to be the funkiest looking rod I have ever seen.

It's a bike trainer

I have an older version of this bike

http://www.cbike.com/images/05_col_dreamhp_NL12bici.jpg

The back wheel goes in the trainer and you can ride without going anywhere

[Checkmate]

Here's my take:

Any machine is good as long as you use it. Which ever one gets you to excercise is good. With that being said you have to look at your goals when excercising. If you are trying to train for a 5K run or something, an eliptical is not the way to go. As I understand it runing outside is the hardest on your body (shins, knees, etc..). I run on a treadmill, so when I try and run outside it is a lot harder on my body to get used to it. I run for 30 minutes using interval training (1 minute walk, 1 minute run) on my treadmill and running outside still takes alot out of me. An eliptical is much easier than a treadmill and will be much harder to get used to running outside then with a treadmill.

If you are looking for a non-impact cardio machine, then the eliptical is the way to go. If on the other hand you don't have any impact problems, go with the treadmill. By the way for those of you that think you are burning more calories on a eliptical than anything else, you are way off. None of those measurements are accurate on any machine I have seen or used. Just my $.02

[Kittydreamer]

I have one and it sits upstairs in my bedroom collecting dust. My husband uses it to hang his bathrobe on. It's great.

[Tommy Ceez]

If you can read the paper, talk on the cell phone, work on your PDA, or play X-Box while doing your cardio...your NOT working hard enough.

After my eliptical time I have to sit on a gym bench and hold my head in my hands, actively choking back the vomit.

[Thor Simpson]

After my eliptical time I have to sit on a gym bench and hold my head in my hands, actively choking back the vomit.
See, I can do that with no exercise at all. Guess that means I'm in better shape than I thought?

[Buford T Pusser]

Tommy-you paint a pretty picture. I was 50-50 on getting one, but you've just moved the percentage to 52-48.

[redinger]

If you can read the paper, talk on the cell phone, work on your PDA, or play X-Box while doing your cardio...your NOT working hard enough.

After my eliptical time I have to sit on a gym bench and hold my head in my hands, actively choking back the vomit.

Yeah, sometimes I feel like this after playing HALO, too.