elliptical or treadmill??
 

My trusty ole treadmill just croaked on me! Thank goodness I recently got a Gazelle at a yard sale so I had a back-up. But I do want to replace my treadmill and I was wondering if an elliptical might be a better idea? I would love some feedback from those who've tried either or both and which you would recommend.

Thanks!
Beverly :D

I agree, I think the elliptical kicks the treadmill's butt! LOL I have bad knees and the motion of the elliptical is very easy on them. Plus, I think you can get a harder workout on an elliptical. In fact, the doctor at my fitness center said he thought the elliptical was the best thing to come along in calorie burning exercise.

But, I also agree that it would be a good idea to try one out for a while. It may seem a little harder and maybe a bit awkward the first few times, so give it a time or two before you decide. Even if you don't belong to a gym, most gyms will let you pay a small fee and work out on a day pass. Also, I find that different elliptical machines have different "personalities" -- be sure and play with all the adjustments and settings until you hit the combination that feels right for you.

how long should you be on the elliptical machine? I see people on them doing really intense workouts and I would like to join them but I fear that I would burn out. Any ideas?

Start out slow! Work your way up!! When I first started the elliptical I could only go 4 minutes LOL I would just go a little longer each day! I agree the elliptical gives a much better workout than the treadmill. I saw one at walmart for 188 bucks and it worked well, if you want to check it out :D

Michelle

Trainers: salesman in a shirt
 

"Consult a licensed exercise physiologist, not just a salesman in a trainer's shirt about a program and explain your goals..."

Jack-
You must have some lousy trainers at that spiffy Bally's to have that great an attitude towards trainers. Yes, part of a trainer's job is to sell their own services, but that's true of the licensed exercise physiologist, a nutritionist, dentist, or any other person who you would pay. That doesn't mean that the trainer doesn't know anything or is not qualified to contruct any exercise and nutrition program based on a client's current condition and goals. It's what I do all day long, and I have a lot of satisfied clients who are meeting their goals. It's definitly a two way street, though. Just because a client pays me doesn't mean that he or she will achieve anything; I can only guide and provide information, and the motivation to get through the 1 hour session. An unhappy client is always the one who doesn't do what I've suggested during the other 23 hours in the day.

I'm sorry you've either had bad experiences with trainers or only seen the sales pitch side of the business.

For the rest of you on this thread, there are knowledgable, caring trainers out there who can help. Just like any other profession, there are also some who only care about collecting their pay. As a consumer, you need to interview the trainer during your initial meeting (which at most gyms should be a free session to talk) and determine if a particular trainer is right for you. Will they listen to YOUR goals? Will they provide the kind of information (nutritional, sport specific, conditioning) that you need or do they have a standard, one-size-fit-all approach?

Not too many people go into training to get rich. It just plain doesn't pay enough. From my experience, trainers do the job because they want to help people and are excited by the chance to change people's lives. If I just wanted to make money, I would have stayed in the computer field.

Mel

About Personal Trainers
 

I belong to the same Ballys as Jack (and know exactly who he's talking about, above ;) ). There ARE some great trainers there as well as bad ones and I'm sure most gyms are the same way. Like Mel says, you have to be an informed consumer and choose wisely.

For the record, I worked with a personal trainer for the year that I lost weight. He taught me everything that I know now about nutrition and exercise. It was a true partnership and my success was as important to him as it was to me. There is NO DOUBT in my mind that I could NEVER have lost the weight without him. So the right personal trainer can be priceless. :)

Getting back to original post....I'm probably in the minority, but I prefer the treadmill. I have both at home (and both are good quality). I have found that I don't enjoy spending much time on the elliptical. I tend to "get into" my workouts more on the treadmill. My husband prefers the elliptical though.

OK, back to the original post. I know it's not practical at home unless you have a lot of space and big bucks, but I like them both. I get really bored doing cardio on only 1 machine. Sometimes I even break up my sessions and do a "cardio circuit" of 10 minutes elliptical, then treadmill, then bike, then stairmaster if I'm feeling ambitious.

Mel

Thanks for all the great responses everyone! Sounds like the elliptical wins this one. I may sneak over to a local gym and see if they'll let me try one out before I make up my mind. Thanks again!

Beverly

I would also recommend an elliptical trainer. If you want to run or walk, you can always go outside. I've switched from treadmill running to outdoor running and it's both more challenging and more pleasant. But as much as the treadmill bores me now, I still love the elliptical trainer for cross training.

Chalk another one up for the ellipticals! I love mine. I got it for $400 (It's a Pro-Form). I find it more challenging and it burns a lot of calories quickly.

Good Luck,
JoAnn

Go with the eliptical...yea, it's hard but it works...I just started and I've lost 12 lbs in 2 weeks! If there is a Gold's Gym in your area they can give you a 1 week pass most of the time if u just wanna try things out. I don't know if you can still do it but for a while if u said you saw it on Dr Phil you got a free 2 week pass..either way, the trainers there seem pretty nice and honest :)


Jenn