• Welcome to AlpineZone, the largest online community of skiers and snowboarders in the Northeast!

    You may have to REGISTER before you can post. Registering is FREE, gets rid of the majority of advertisements, and lets you participate in giveaways and other AlpineZone events!

Elliptical trainers- thoughts?

legalskier

New member
Joined
Sep 22, 2008
Messages
3,052
Points
0
I've demo'd one and was impressed that it worked both upper and lower body simultaneously. It seems to be a good off-season training option, and probably burns some calories too.
Does anyone have one? Is it effective for off-season training? Any suggestions re: makes/models, keeping value in mind? I'd appreciate any serious input....
 

deadheadskier

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Mar 6, 2005
Messages
27,921
Points
113
Location
Southeast NH
I use them at the gym. I don't think it does all that much as far as the upper body is concerned, but the extra movement probably helps burn more calories. I find the rowing machine to be much more of a full body workout and used to have one at home, but sold it when I got a gym membership. More than both of those pieces of equipment, I find the stairmaster kicks your butt the most.

Personally, I think resistance training helps my skiing more than anything. Cardio just helps me be less of a fat ass than I am normally. ;)
 

hammer

Active member
Joined
Apr 28, 2004
Messages
5,493
Points
38
Location
flatlands of Mass.
Bought a Schwinn 460 just over a year ago:

100145


I like the variable stride on it and it's nice and compact...but it's not quite as sturdy as I would like. My wife loves it, though...she does 30 minute sessions on it several days a week.
 

Glenn

Active member
Joined
Oct 1, 2008
Messages
7,691
Points
38
Location
CT & VT
I used to to alternate between running on the treadmill and the elliptical at the gym. For me, I find running gives me a better workout. I feel my heart rate is faster and I certainly sweat more. But that's just me.
 

severine

New member
Joined
Feb 7, 2004
Messages
12,367
Points
0
Location
CT
Website
poetinthepantry.com
Look into arc trainers. No impact, but a better workout. Can be used like a stepper or an elliptical for more versatility. On the strength mode on the one at the gym, I can burn as many calories as I did running, only my knee and back don't hurt afterward.
 

legalskier

New member
Joined
Sep 22, 2008
Messages
3,052
Points
0
Thanks very much for the advice everyone.

Uphillklimber, would you mind saying what make/models you're referring to?
Carrie, I checked out arc trainers as per your post. Looks interesting, but unfortunately they are way beyond my current pay grade! :-o
 

severine

New member
Joined
Feb 7, 2004
Messages
12,367
Points
0
Location
CT
Website
poetinthepantry.com
That's the definite downside... great workout, high price tag. :lol: An elliptical would then be a good compromise. Given my knee and back issues, I far prefer them to treadmills now.
 

Sky

Active member
Joined
Apr 15, 2005
Messages
1,426
Points
38
Location
South Central Massachusetts
I have an eliptical with the wheel in the front...takes up less space, rolls smooth, bought it at dicks probably four years ago. At work, I have access to the Nautilus version (wheel in the rear), a Bowflex Treadclimber, and a nice treadmill, plus the weights et al.

I HATE the treadclimber. WIth my big feet...I'm constantly stepping on the edge of the opposite foot-pad. Operating the thing is NOT intuititve. I gave up after two separate attempts.

I like the eliptical for a steady workout...30 minutes, 500 cal. I usually roll forward for 3 minutes, backwards for one. My eliptical has a "Reverse" cycle where the software "prompts" you to reverse direction. The Nautilus version applies the brakes to force you to stop before changing direction. I hate that....so I just run "Intervals" on the work machine and watch the timer. ALSO...if I want "more" leg work, I sort of squat (lower my body) so my legs never fully straighten. If you want to do some "sprint" work...you can crank out the strides per minute

If I could only pick one machine...it would be the eliptical.

What I like the treadmill for is sprints. 9 to 10 mph for 30 seconds.....30 seconds on...30 off. Sometimes we increase the grade and drop to 20 seconds on 40 seconds off. I huff and puff harder on the treadmill, but the knees prefer the eliptical.

I've only used a star-stepper an hand-full of times. The simple machines (single set of steps) certainly work the muscles. It took me a while to get the rythym so the step didn't bottom-out before switching steps. I used to have access to a real fancy step machine that had 5 or 6 stairs. OOOF! That was a tough workout.

The rowing machines....oh man....3 minute blasts on that over thirty minutes does it all. It's nice to be able to access the different equipment...but I'm thinking the eliptical (aside from sucking up so much space) can give you whatever you want.

Do something, I think that's the best guidance.
 

Marc

New member
Joined
Sep 12, 2005
Messages
7,526
Points
0
Location
Dudley, MA
Website
www.marcpmc.com
What I like the treadmill for is sprints. 9 to 10 mph for 30 seconds.....30 seconds on...30 off. Sometimes we increase the grade and drop to 20 seconds on 40 seconds off. I huff and puff harder on the treadmill, but the knees prefer the eliptical.

Try the Tabata protocol - sprint 20s, rest 10s, sprint 20s, rest 10s, repeat that for 4 minutes (8 reps total). Hurts so good.

Regarding the elliptical, I've never used one, but I can say this- I only got noticeablly faster running and cycling when I starting incorporating hard interval workouts targeting my V02 max. If you can do that sort of thing on an elliptical, great, but I don't know if you can or not.
 

bvibert

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Aug 30, 2004
Messages
30,394
Points
38
Location
Torrington, CT
Try the Tabata protocol - sprint 20s, rest 10s, sprint 20s, rest 10s, repeat that for 4 minutes (8 reps total). Hurts so good.

When you say rest do you mean stopping and resting completely, or slowing down to a walk/jog?
 

Marc

New member
Joined
Sep 12, 2005
Messages
7,526
Points
0
Location
Dudley, MA
Website
www.marcpmc.com
When you say rest do you mean stopping and resting completely, or slowing down to a walk/jog?

Slow to a jog. If you have a decent sprint, it would take more effort to stop abruptly. At the end of the 10 second rest period, you'll have just barely slowed down to a resting jog pace and it's time to sprint again. It's ridiculous. The 20 seconds begin to feel like minutes, and the 10 seconds feel like 1 second.
 

wa-loaf

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 7, 2007
Messages
15,109
Points
48
Location
Mordor
Slow to a jog. If you have a decent sprint, it would take more effort to stop abruptly. At the end of the 10 second rest period, you'll have just barely slowed down to a resting jog pace and it's time to sprint again. It's ridiculous. The 20 seconds begin to feel like minutes, and the 10 seconds feel like 1 second.

I found a couple timer apps for it on the iPhone. May try it out. 20-10, 20-10 ... would be tough to keep track of if you are just using a stop watch.
 

Marc

New member
Joined
Sep 12, 2005
Messages
7,526
Points
0
Location
Dudley, MA
Website
www.marcpmc.com
I found a couple timer apps for it on the iPhone. May try it out. 20-10, 20-10 ... would be tough to keep track of if you are just using a stop watch.

When I did them running, I held my dig. watch in my hand in chronometer mode... I could pretty well gage in my head when I came up on 20 s, and it is easy to stay on track since every two reps should start a new minute. A timer would make it easier though. You can get small programmable workout timers with audible alarms.

On the bike, since sprinting usually lasts longer, I do 5 reps of 40s x 20s, and that's pretty horrible too.
 

bvibert

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Aug 30, 2004
Messages
30,394
Points
38
Location
Torrington, CT
Slow to a jog. If you have a decent sprint, it would take more effort to stop abruptly. At the end of the 10 second rest period, you'll have just barely slowed down to a resting jog pace and it's time to sprint again. It's ridiculous. The 20 seconds begin to feel like minutes, and the 10 seconds feel like 1 second.

That's what I thought. Thanks for the clarification. Clearly I'm a fitness gaper. :dunce:
 

bvibert

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Aug 30, 2004
Messages
30,394
Points
38
Location
Torrington, CT
Do they have treadmills that you can program to do intervals like that? Seems like it would be a pain to keep changing the speed every 10-20 seconds...
 
Top