So, today I tried the Arc Trainer at the gym for the first time! Woo hoo! I've been looking at it for a while but I was afraid to try it. I only lasted for about 5 minutes .

Does anyone use this piece of equipment? What are/were your thoughts on it? Did you find it helpful? Any tips on lasting a little longer?

My gym buddy and me have a whole long list of arc trainer jokes (generally Sundays are arc trainer days, and we each do the 20 min weight loss routine that comes on the machine). It's pain, lots of pain, and at the end we're wobbly and sweaty, but it's an awesome work out! Just bring water and a towel, hehe.

It was hard for me to go from the elliptical where I did just over 2 mi. in 30 min to the arc where I do about 9/10 of a mi. in 20 min!

The arc trainer gives me a good, hard workout. I switched over to it from the elliptical after my accident injuries made it inadvisable for me to use my hands for pulling or pushing on a machine. I was used to working the elliptical handlebars while I moved.

The stride that I use on it is similar to the elliptical in that I try to keep my weight on my heels, rather than the front of my feet, and I try not to pick up my feet. I rest my hands on the sides, though, and I wish I didn't -- I try to be hands-free on the lower resistance intervals. Otherwise my lower back bothers me after I get off. (I always have to do some bending over stretches afterward.) This is one machine where it might help a lot to have the gym personnel give you some tips on proper form while you're actually up on it.

One issue with the arc trainer is that I can't stride backward with it, as I do with the elliptical, and I wonder if that is somewhat limiting.

I do an hour on it, but that's after working with ellipticals for more than a year beforehand & spending an hour on those machines, and I turned to ellipticals only after a lot of hard, fast walking on hilly terrain. Using a stationary bike helped, too. So I suspect the trick is to just work your way up gradually until you have the breath for it & the leg muscles for it.

Thanks, ladies! Wow, Saef, an hour! I gave it a try again today! I was able to do 19 minutes total! Did 9 minutes, then walked on the treadmill for about 5 minutes, then back to the arc trainer for 10 minutes. Woo hoo! This machine kicks my butt! But I'm really liking the way I feel after. Dripping with sweat, heart pounding, makes me feel super good!

See, already you are doing better. You started with 5 minutes, now you've worked up to 9 minutes & then 10 minutes, for a total of 19 minutes. There's a learning curve. If you keep going into combat with that big mess of metal, you will eventually prevail & be able to stay on it as long as you want.

How long do you stay on the treadmill? Did you have to work your way up to spending time on that? It will be like that, then, all over again.

I think it's excellent that you're challenging yourself in the gym -- that you looked around, saw this machine, and figured you'd give it a shot, and now you want to master it. That's the way to go!

Yes, saef, I'm so proud of myself! I usually do about an hour on the treadmill. I can't wait until I can do an hour on the arc trainer like you! Hoping I can do a little more tomorrow. Or, do it without taking a break.