I bought an Elliptical!!!!!

[Native Vail Gal]

Mr. NVG and I bought an Elliptical last night. It is AWESOME! It's a little big, and sits in our living room, so I gotta figure out where we're going to store it.

We can't get it into the basement because we have one of those really low basement ceilings! So I'll be Feng Shui'ing our Upstairs and I'll get this figured out!

I'm so excited! I got on it last night and I only lasted a minute!!!!

My goal for today.....2 minutes!!!! :ROTF:

 

[Robyn]

YAY! That's so exciting. When I'm exercising inside in my living room (like on my trainer) I find it's a great time to get tv shows on DVD from Netflix and watch those. It tends to distract me from the workout and I'm done before I realize it.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

That's great! Have fun "decorating" it!! It's my son's favorite piece of training equipment. I saw him (through the window where I was doing a Step Aerobics class) chug away on one of those for 45 minutes once ....dang Super Jock...

 

[Severine]

Woohoo! Congrats! That's one thing I miss about when we would go to the YMCA. LOVED the elliptical!

 

[SnowHot]

The elliptical is one machine that I love and also the one that kicks my butt the most.

 

[Robyn]

Interesting, because I gett a much harder workout on a treadmill. Although doing the elliptical in reverse generally kicks my butt and is great for the butt/hamstrings.

 

[num]

Awesome! Great investment to have one at home.

I generally like doing my cardio outside, but if I'm doing it at the gym, ellipticals are my choice. I can throw my headphones on, find my rhythm and pound it for an hour and a half, whereas on treadmills I'm bored fast.

 

[SueNJ]

Yes, if I want a kick-ass workout, I'll do 30 to 45 minutes on the ellipical, then I crawl into the locker room to the shower. I've got a treadmill at home, but would love to have an elliptical as well, if only I had the room and the $$$s.

 

[CMCM]

Yahooey!!! I love ellipticals....especially the low-impact aspect of them. But I have to go to the gym to use one....although I do have a skier's edge at home and it can be seriously exhuasting to use for 30 minutes!!! I also do treadmills at the gym, but I rarely run on them. Rather, I do a routine which I found out Fergie does....crank the incline up to 13% and walk at about 2.5 mph on that for 30 to 45 minutes! Feels really easy at first, but by 10 to 15 minutes the sweat is pouring off. Then I also mix in some backward walking on the treadmill (also a Fergie thing), and that is hard! (not done at the high incline, though!!). But the elliptical is my main thing, so lucky you having one at home!!! Which one did you get?

 

[Native Vail Gal]

Ok....I just did 4 minutes!!!! :cheer:

Progress, I say.....

Progress!!!!

 

[Jenny]

Congrats on 4 minutes!

I absolutely HATE the elliptical - can't get comfortable on it no matter what. It always feels like my normal stride is longer than the ellipticals let me do, so then I fell all cramped and wrong.

Does anyone else feel that way, or is it just me? Maybe that's the way it's supposed to feel and I just don't know it?

 

[Robyn]

Jenny, I had issues with ellipticals at first, it was like the stride was off or my step was too jerky but I tried it again at some point and it worked much better. You might try changing your speed a bit.

Good job on the 4 minutes Kel!

 

[Native Vail Gal]

This one has an 18", which is a really LONG stretch for me, but proving to be a good length for a workout.

We talked to the guy at the store and he said some of the cheaper models and the ones at some rec centers are set with a wide stance and with a stride length of 12-16". Perhaps that was what was causing the problem.

Mine has a really narrow stance which makes it easier for smaller framed people (uh...women) and is better on your hip joints.

Just something to think about. I think you need a stride of 18" and a narrow stance for the best, and most comfortable workout. I really love this thing......but I would call it a love/hate relationship right now!

 

[persee]

Indeed. I've never felt comfortable on a strider (aka Elliptical, Arc Trainer). I've always figured it was my size/build.

 

[Telluride Ski Babe]

Congrats Kel! I bought a Stairmaster for home years ago, and it was a great investment. (Now, I wish it were an elliptical instead.) I also have a Concept2 rower at home, and I am TOTALLY ADDICTED to it. Rowers are the best all-body workout you can get besides swimming. And now that I'm cleared by my doc, I'm on it every day! Oh, happy days.

I also just joined a new private gym (limited membership with specific time slots), and they have an elliptical. In fact, it was so popular with the members (only five at any given time), she had to order an additional one!

 

[num]

My gym upgraded a lot of machines in the past year, and I by far preferred the stance of the older ellipticals. The length of stride is still good, but the width makes a huge difference.

 

[ski diva]

I love the ellipticals, myself. I find it a great workout, especially since I can't tolerate high impact stuff like the treadmill (ever since my bout with plantar faciitis). Half an hour on the elliptical, plus half an hour with weights, is a terrific workout.

 

[Native Vail Gal]

I love the ellipticals, myself. I find it a great workout, especially since I can't tolerate high impact stuff like the treadmill (ever since my bout with plantar faciitis). Half an hour on the elliptical, plus half an hour with weights, is a terrific workout.

Good Lord! 30 Minutes?!?!?!? Can I do that in 4 minute intervals and lift weights in between????

I just can't be on that thing yet for over 4 minutes. My heart rate SOARS to the target after 2 minutes....going at the minimum!!!!!

Dang meds!

 

[Telluride Ski Babe]

Good Lord! 30 Minutes?!?!?!? Can I do that in 4 minute intervals and lift weights in between????

I just can't be on that thing yet for over 4 minutes. My heart rate SOARS to the target after 2 minutes....going at the minimum!!!!!

Dang meds!

Don't worry, in no time you'll be up to about 20 minutes. I typically do 20 minutes on the elliptical, then weights, then 20 on the spin bike. At 9,000 feet, you feel it, but I get my heart rate up to about 170 and (while I'm dying) know that it's just what I need for the endurance training I'm seeking. (We have a TON of 14ers in these parts, and I want to climb a couple this summer.)

 

[Native Vail Gal]

OK....time me!!!

I'm getting on my Elliptical....starting....right......NOW!