I wasn't sure I was going to survive when I first started the elliptical... Even now it is hard, and I can run outside at the park for 2 hours with no problem...

Keep at it, it does get easier!

haha thanks guys for letting me know I'm not the only one with these troubles!!

I am going to try and work my way up to it and build my leg muscles while walking before I let it try and kill me again.

I've never heard anyone talk about the eliptical without saying something like what you said: "5 minutes and I thought I was going to die". If there is anyone out there who thought it was easy, I just don't want to hear it!! Even now when I don't get on it for a while it kills me EVEN THOUGH I haven't slacked up on other types of exercise.

so good news! I shelled out for some good shoes and I have actually been able to walk faster and on an incline without my feet giving out. I can actually feel the burn in my legs the next morning now so I will be kicking that elliptical any day now! lol

I felt like that the first few times on one:yes I set mine up in front of my tv at home, and it really helps the time go by, especially if you're really into the show. I started by getting on it during the commercials, break during the show, then eventually I switched to being on it during the show, break on commercials, and now I can be on it through a whole show. It really is an awesome machine:yes You'll get there, one day you can look at one and say I kicked your butt!

You just wait. You will master it. And then you'll become an elliptical connoisseur. If you're traveling, and use the gym at the hotel, or at a friend's place, you'll start comparing machines & you'll like one better than the other, and you'll see how luxurious some are & how bare-bones others are. You can start getting snotty to ellipticals that don't meet your standards. You'll be an elliptical snob.

Changing ellipticals can be a b*tch. I got used to working on the Precor at a college gym & when the college gym closed for the summer during the best hours for me, I had to pick up a membership at a local gym. The first time I tried their elliptical, I set it the way I would for the Precor, with the resistance at what I was used to. The new machine kicked my butt all over again. In fact, I hurt my foot badly & made my plantar fasciitis (I am sure I spelled that wrong) flare up. I had to lay off & use the stationary bike to get over that, and when I tried the elliptical again, I had to set the resistance much lower. Now I'm accustomed to that particular machine, but this did not happen overnight.

I hate it... it makes me feel like a loser... and not the good kind of loser..
I will tackle it eventually, its actually on my list of 'challenges'.. but right now I need to be doing equipment that I 'like'.. not that thing....

Awww, Sweetcaroline - don't let it make you feel like a bad loser. Haven't you been reading the thread? It's evil for everyone when they start. It is even hard for my hubby right now because he hasn't done it much and he is in the military, quite fit, and does sprints up to 15mph when he runs. Just stick with it and you can beat it and then it can help you be the good kind of loser.

Hehehe, I totally agree. My first attempt on the elliptical lasted exactly 5 minutes. My legs were noodled, I was sucking air like a fish out of water, and I was drenched in sweat. Little by little, I was able to increase my duration and difficulty level. I love that it is low impact since I have weak ankles and a bum knee.

@PinkyPie - You're so funny. Here I thought only guys yelled at inanimate objects. My personal trainer just started me on some balance ball exercises. That stupid over grown beach ball is now my new nemesis.

I felt the same way when I first got on that crazy machine! My mistake was that I tried one of those natural runner, no handle ones, and it was HARD!!!! I, like many others, could not even make it to 5 minutes, and I'd already lost some wait by that time! I had heard so many ladies write about how "easy" the elliptical was, and I couldn't figure out what was wrong with me! haha. I even googled things like "elliptical is too hard", and "how to do the elliptcal for more than a minute", you get the idea. So anyways, I finally tried one with handle bars, a Life Fitness elliptical, I think... and its getting easier every day! Im up 25 minutes and it only took me about a month to work up to this level...so you can do it too!!!!i Good luck chicka!!!