Elliptical Trainer Recommendations

[robert]

My wife and I are considering canceling our fitness club membership and getting some free weights and an elliptical trainer for home use. Does anyone have any good recommendations on elliptical trainers? We are considering the Smooth ME and the Proform 750, but we are just starting our search. I appreciate your help.

 

Robert

[kurthicks]

i'm guessing you have, but have you used ellipticals before? whenever i use one my lower back just kills me. they also kill my hamstrings. maybe it's just me, but i prefer being outdoors. it's cheaper too.

[robert]

I have used elliptical trainers many times at my gym. I would love to get out to hike and climb every day, but that is just not possible. I can keep myself in good shape for when I do get out by spending time on the trainer everyday after work.

[eternalX]

I love the ellipticals, especially the ones with the moving arms.

[jon]

It seems like a great deal... until it breaks.

[willstrickland]

The ellipticals at the gym where I train (the 750s you mention) seem to be very popular. I personally don't care for them as a training tool, but that's neither here nor there.

 

All the people I know who've bought pricey exercise equipment for their home have not gotten their money's worth. It's too easy to go sit on the couch and eat bon bons instead of using the machine. They get used for a few weeks or months and then end up as a place to hang clothes when you get bored with them. My grandma is the sole exception I know...she's worn out 3 treadmills by putting 5-10 miles per day everyday on them for about 10 years.

 

I personally am more motivated in the gym. I am also more likely to workout because I know I've paid membership dues and that gets me to the gym.

 

Working out in a place where people are not there to socialize but to get strong makes me train harder than I otherwise would. It also allows me to have a spotter anytime I need one. I would get extremely bored using the same machine over and over.

 

A membership at least gives you the ability to train anything you want. You could probably get a mid-level gym membership for you and the wife for five years with the money you'll spend on an elliptical. Five years you could be using the saunas, pool, free weights, other cardio equipment, etc...not to mention looking at MILFs in spandex and makeup.

 

My recommendation: Go to a gym afterwork. Or buy some roller-skis (kinda like a skate-ski for asphalt)...same type workout, cheaper, more fun, and it gets you outside.

[Courtenay]

Actually, Robert, I'll side with you and say I disagree with the "outside only" recommendations. I LOVE my Elliptical Precor 544, which we got refurbished 5 years ago for about $2K. The newer 546's are double the price and wonderfully smooth, with a higher ramp (about 10 degrees greater). I personally don't really like the ones with the arms, I find those get in my way. Since I'm admittedly more of a fair-weather climber, I'll take step aerobics or ellipticizing over getting drenched hands down, BUT everyone is different.

 

I suggest before buying one that you try as many models as you can to compare strides, smoothness, features, programs, bells and whistles and then get the one that best suits you. Size/footprint may be as much an issue in a home gym as cost. Performance, too. I see EFX's as one of the more versatile non-impact training options, easier on people's knees than traditional stair climbers, and perfect as an alternative to biking (as they allow you to load the spine as in climbing) and as a cross-training option for runners. You can go forward, backward (to target different muscles) high ramp or low, and for those clients I see coming back from lower extremity injury, the EFX seems to be a wonderful option (I used mine during a spell with plantar fasciitis and in rehabbing a broken foot). Anyway, my $.02. Bottom line: I love 'em!

[robert]

Thanks for the comments on the use of the 750's. Our problem with the gym is that we can get to it as often as we would like. Before our baby was born we were each there 3 or 4 days per week. Now since one of us has to watch the baby (the day care there is not an option) we are getting only 1 or 2 trips per week. The cost of the trainers were are looking at is about 2 years gym membership, so we figure that we would be able to work out as much as we used too and not break the bank. We just have to stay motivated. I think that a monthly payment should help. I hope so anyway.

[robert]

Thanks for the suggestions on stride length and feel. We have tried out about 6 machines that we don't have at our gym and they all really feel different. Of course the machines that feel the best cost the most, but there are some good feeling Life Fitness models that are not too expensive. We heard that the adjustable ramps are going to be phased out as they are stressing the achieles tendon too much. Do you know anything about problems in that area?

[Courtenay]

As to adjustable ramps stressing the Achilles, the main consideration you need to make is whether you'll be using the highest setting or not -- Some of the models I've tried DO stress the Achilles, BUT then again if you're a climber going up steep hills or training for cramponing and WANT the occasional stress on those muscles so they adapt, then it's not necessarily a BAD thing...

[robert]

Just to follow up on this thread. We bought a Life Fitness SX30 and have been using it regularly for about a month and a half. We both like it. I wish I could work my quads a bit more, but other than that it is great. Having it at home makes it easier to both get a workout in each night, but the pull of the couch is harder to resist than I expected. We set it up so that we can watch TV while working out and that makes a big difference. Thanks to everyone for their suggestions and comments.

Robert

[Eerie]

remove the couch from the t.v. room or vise versa and do WALLSITS while you watch the toob!! its your pennance for being a slave to the damn thing plus the wallsits will work your quads.