It's 100+ degrees here (Kansas) on a daily basis so it's too hot to go for a run. It will start snowing soon so that'll make outside workouts difficult as well.

There is a gym in town but there are only 3 elliptical machines and they're full during the peak work out times (when I want to work out)

Elliptical machines give me a better work out than running alone, plus I have weak knees and the elliptical is a low impact work out

I'm looking at a model that's about $550-- it's middle of the line, not the cheapest available and not top of the line. I can get motivated enough to work out at home, plus I'd do it more than I would if I had to drive to the gym all the time.

So has anyone purchased a piece of work out equipment for their home? Any recommendations or things to look out for?

Also if the machine needs repairs, where can I find someone to do that?

8/27/2006 6:38:33 PM

There is no way an elliptical gives you a better workout than running alone. Weak knees is understandable, though.

8/27/2006 7:04:34 PM

this is the WORST way to spend $500

a gym membership would give access to all kinds of cardio machines and weights.

and you dont even need a fucking gym. run around a fucking lake. cost, $0.

8/27/2006 7:07:53 PM

did you not read my post? ^


i'm not interested in the benefits of the gym-- i can do weights myself at home

and because of my weak knees running is painful and i cant do it for nearly as long

for every 20min i run i could do 40 on an elliptical

god forbid someones body works different

8/27/2006 7:14:41 PM

everyone's knees hurt when they run. just live with it.

[Edited on August 27, 2006 at 7:34 PM. Reason : or find a new gym]

8/27/2006 7:34:24 PM

i guess a family history of it

and my grandma having both of her knees replaced

and the perpetual cracking of my knees when i do something so simple as walking up the stairs

has nothing to do with it

plz to find someone else to troll, try chit chat instead

8/27/2006 7:35:44 PM

most people i know that have purchased home work-out equipment generally lose interest after a couple months. at that point it just becomes a $500 drying rack for your clothes.

i would assume any repairs needed beyond routine maintenance would be covered under a warranty of some sort.

also, have you thought about cycling? its pretty low impact, plus you can get an indoor trainer for inclimate weather.

8/27/2006 8:21:06 PM

^^ then get in a fucking wheel chair

FACT: excersizes strengthen bones, ligands, tendons and muscles.

by avoiding stress now, youre insuring that those knees remain weak.

i have a history of cardiovascular disease in my family. but its funny, my doctors still recommend i do cardiovascular excersize. what a paradox.



[Edited on August 27, 2006 at 8:38 PM. Reason : frdh]

8/27/2006 8:32:58 PM

indoor cycling?? hmm

i've done the math and for a gym membership in the area, as long as i use it for at least 2 years i've gotten my money worth

thing is, i'm stuck in a small town where i don't know anyone for a year so i have a lot of free time so i'll stick with it

i'm motivated enough to go outside for short runs but its the 110 degree tempreature that makes it difficult

Quote :

"FACT: excersizes strengthen bones, ligands, tendons and muscles. "

wtf do you think i'm trying to do, fuckwad?

i wasn't asking for exercise ADVICE

please to GTFO

[Edited on August 27, 2006 at 8:47 PM. Reason : mbm]

8/27/2006 8:44:29 PM

you dont have to ask. when people demonstrate a huge lack of knowledge about their own biology I have to correct them.

Quote :

"wtf do you think i'm trying to do"

spend needless amounts of money. its funny that youve been powerfully conditioned by your mental response to the pain from running--if you were mentally stronger you would realize that running is far cheaper and a perfectly suitable form of excersize.

8/27/2006 8:51:54 PM

Quote :

"excersize"

exercise

...i guess i feel the need to correct your spelling error

what i spend my money on is none of your business

and you can stop riding my ass about it-- i get enough of a work out as it is

[Edited on August 27, 2006 at 9:19 PM. Reason : wkeawhe]

8/27/2006 9:19:05 PM

You should thank me for educating you. I am not 'riding' your ass. I dont see how I could have been nicer.

8/27/2006 9:23:47 PM

Quote :

"(Kansas)"

i dont care if its 100 degrees or its snowing

you never have to run uphill in kansas

8/28/2006 12:03:51 PM

i actually live in the flint hills

its not as flat as you'd think

but where i have been running there are no hills

8/28/2006 6:40:57 PM

i'd check with a doctor about running before you follow josh88282's advice. You might have a cartiledge issue or something that might require a brace before running, or a lower impact activity to build yourself up to running.

either way, you're right, it's tough to run when there's 2 feet of snow on the ground from october til march. i'd check with the Doc, and then decide what's best for your current state of health.

8/29/2006 1:23:04 AM

The only gym in town has 3 elliptical machines?

I'm a big proponent of actual running, but she does make the good point that I've been trying to ignore for a while--cross-country running has been known to take its toll on some people. Maybe not all--I see 60 year old women running marathons, but still. I guess with her family history, who knows, it might just happen.

I know I personally might get bored with just one piece of equipment. Does your gym have more than one piece of aerobic equipment (ellipitical, treadmill, bicycle, pool, etc)? Switching up your routine every now and then helps you break through plateaus. Not to mention, I know that when I'm doing a machine, it's easy to simply get bored and get off the machine at any time. After you run a couple of miles out, you're kind of comitted to running the rest of the route if you want to get back home.


[Edited on August 29, 2006 at 10:39 AM. Reason : .]

8/29/2006 10:32:30 AM

It generally feels cooler in Kansas than in NC, even if the temp is a little higher. You won't have snow until November, but the cold + wind will suck in the winter (especially if you can only run at night/early morning). Regardless, it is good to have an option for exercising when the weather is less than ideal.

You should join a gym to do some weight training for your legs. Believe it or not that will help your weak knees far more than running or elliptical. I know you said you can do weights yourself it home, and I'm guessing that means you neglect your legs. A couple of dumbells aren't going to cut it. Working out on elliptical isn't necessarily a bad thing, as long as you aren't avoiding other strength/fitness/wellness issues that should be addressed.

8/29/2006 11:14:03 AM

my biggest complaint about the ellipticals i have used are that the radius isn't large enough

8/29/2006 12:12:22 PM

lol guys using ellipticals

^try running, it's a lot more masculine

8/29/2006 1:21:10 PM

I wouldnt mind an eliptical that I could get the same workout on as running. Set that badboy up in front of my tv in the afternoons and watch my Rome/AroundTheHorn/PTI.

I would probably end up getting more exercise that way, but I can run just fine and I dont care to spend the money. I already own a weight bench.

8/29/2006 2:37:50 PM

thanks for the responses

yes the only gym in town has 3 ellipticals!!!

population 4000....

no pool or indoor track/running area either

i travel a lot for work (about 25% of my time) and i try to work out when i'm on the road and thats when i take the opportunity to vary my workout since you never know what you'll get in the on site hotel gym. i prefer to swim laps or go for a short run around the area i'm in when i'm not home

about the weight training, esp for the legs-- you're right, in home stuff wont really cut it but i also hesitate to start a weight lifting/strengthening routine without knowing what i am doing. consulting the doctor is one thing but getting into weights can be bad if you dont know what you're doing (and i dont)

my blood pressure is 80/50 so my first step is to simply get some physical activity and strengthen my heart

i can add more variety to my routine as i learn more about weights and stuff

i'm also more apt to join a gym with trainers on site to give me advice about weightlifting and whatnot once i move out of this small town

[Edited on August 29, 2006 at 7:17 PM. Reason : ksdf]

8/29/2006 7:09:11 PM

ive seen lower bp's on very small girls.

Quote :

"i'd check with a doctor about running before you follow josh88282's advice."

this is a given. you should get check for the common hemolytic anemias if youre truly as frail as you claim to be.

8/29/2006 7:15:14 PM

since when are facts claims?

and who said anything ab frail?

my knees crack and hurt

and i have the blood pressure of a chair

i feel great though

8/29/2006 7:50:31 PM

all things are 'claims' until supported by objective information

btw, many people have joints that crack and hurt.

[Edited on August 29, 2006 at 8:53 PM. Reason : 24]

8/29/2006 8:49:31 PM

a note about knees...

I'm ALL about low impact elliptical machines! I've been athletic my entire life, soccer, tae kwon do, basketball, softball, track, etc etc etc and while I wish I could get back into those sports, my knees are proving to be quite a frustrating obstacle.

I've had an ACL injury in one knee and I currently have calcium deposits AND ongoing patellar tendonitis in BOTH of my knees. I was told by a doc specializing in sports medicine that 1 of 2 things will occur if I continue with high-impact workouts: the first is that I will simply have to deal with the pain and swelling...and popping, ice and ibuprofin. The second, well, how do the words "degenerative arthritis" sound? Oh, and surgery to repair bands of tissue that are currently misaligning my knee caps AND to remove the calcium deposits? Yeah...that sounds absolutely fabulous.

SO, Josh8315, you must realize that everyone's bodies are different and everyone's needs are thus different. Believe me. I wouldn't refrain from something that I enjoy so much if I didn't have to. I HATE working out in the gym...but its what I'm left with. The occasional pickup game of soccer/bball/whatever isn't TOO bad, but I deal with the consequences for days after.

NCSUWolfy Definitely try some strength training for your legs...esp the muscles that surround the knees. HOWEVER, check with a specialist first to determine where your pain is coming from. I say this because SOME injuries/problems require special treatment (and you should stay away from those exercises that put undue stress on the problem areas).

9/1/2006 9:21:19 AM

Quote :

"lol guys using ellipticals ^try running, it's a lot more masculine"

lol, what an asshole thing to say. but still funny. i dont care, i use ellipticals in addition to treadmills/running. i think its good to mix low impact with medium-high impact aerobics, so you don't kill your joints. its especially good to do low impact prior to running to warm your legs up.

9/1/2006 1:17:13 PM

i'm gonna go shopping for machines this week! woo hoo

will eventually order online because i have no way to get it to my house

thanks for all the advice and i plan on consulting with a doc ab my knees and starting a new work out routine esp since my blood pressure is very low

9/1/2006 6:33:22 PM

dont worry about a machine with a heart rate moniter. they are cheap, and if you want it, just buy the watch and chest strap kind.

9/1/2006 8:24:52 PM

For a really good workout, if you can't run, I would try one of these suckers:



I do spin classes two or three times a week, run three times a week and do athletic conditioning one day a week. I think I work just as hard doing spin as I do during either or the other two activities.

I used to have a lot of pain running too but it actually went away once I changed my running style and now I've done four 5k's, so maybe try going to a store that will watch you run next time in you're in Durham/Raleigh.

[Edited on September 2, 2006 at 5:56 AM. Reason : http://www.shopping.com/xPC-InSTEP_Schwinn_Evolution_Sr_Indoor_Cycling_Bike]

9/2/2006 5:55:20 AM

a bike like ^ is 10x smarter choice

[Edited on September 2, 2006 at 7:07 PM. Reason : 25]

9/2/2006 7:07:45 PM

^^so what makes that bike so great? didnt see a lot of reviews on it when i googled.

9/3/2006 10:11:40 PM

That's a bike that you use in spin classes. No electrical components to deal with. Easy to change the height settings and the resistance is controlled completely by a knob in front of the handlebars.

9/4/2006 6:05:24 PM

thanks for the suggestion kirk

i might look into spinning classes when i move to a more populated area but i hesitate to buy a machine i dont have any experience using

i checked out ellipticals this weekend while i was in raleigh and i got to try out one that i was looking at

9/4/2006 10:45:35 PM

i've pretty much decided on this one after trying it out in the store

we'll see how it goes-- now i just have too recruit a bunch of handy people to put it together for me holler

9/5/2006 9:52:35 PM

Quote :

"most people i know that have purchased home work-out equipment generally lose interest after a couple months"

thats par for the course.

Quote :

"i wasn't asking for exercise ADVICE"

then why did you start this thread?

9/6/2006 1:36:00 AM

Quote :

"most people"

id wager its at least 95%

9/6/2006 2:21:47 AM

^^

Quote :

"So has anyone purchased a piece of work out equipment for their home? Any recommendations or things to look out for?"

thanks for playing. go back to first grade and learn reading comprehension

9/6/2006 1:49:29 PM

wow i didnt know people trolled old school

that is a little sad

[Edited on September 6, 2006 at 4:59 PM. Reason : how did he qualify for this anyway?]

9/6/2006 4:59:25 PM

^ seriously

you think people would encourage someone who was trying to stay in shape

such hostility

9/6/2006 10:19:21 PM

surely you could bat your eyes at some poor sap at work and he's put the thing together for you.

my knees are pissing me off too - having them checked at the dr tomorrow

9/6/2006 10:43:14 PM

i think i'm going to get a few people from work to help me-- from what i've read it takes a few hours to put together

batting my eyes might help but so does being a cool person

besides its not like i'm going to be like kthx peace guyz-- i'll provide food & drink

9/6/2006 11:57:07 PM

i can run a 4:18 mile on an elliptical

9/7/2006 12:15:43 AM

i can run a 4:17 mile on an elliptical

9/7/2006 8:53:56 AM

i can throw a football over those mountains

9/7/2006 11:34:03 AM

Quote :

"There is no way an elliptical gives you a better workout than running alone."

actually, there are many ways in which an elliptical will give you a better workout than running alone. controlled temperature environment, the ability to better control energy output and heart rate, and less impact on joints are just a few.

have you already purchased the elliptical machine you are looking at? the main problem I have seen with economic models is that they rarely last more than a couple of years before they start having parts malfunction on them. models with a lot of electronic settings are notorious for just giving out at random times and being expensive to fix.

have you tried pricing refurbished gym quality exercise equipment? you might be able to get a lot nicer model for an equivalent price, and they are designed to be used a lot more than a home model will be.

9/10/2006 8:06:07 PM

^ i havent thought of a refurbished gym model-- where would i go about finding one?

my main problem is i'm in a remote location and don't have the ability to haul something on my own

the main reason for purchasing online is because it ships free to my house


i'm really only looking to get a few years use out of it. i need something to get in shape with and use at my convenience

9/10/2006 10:32:56 PM

u see this drama?
http://raleigh.craigslist.org/cgi-bin/search?areaID=36&subAreaID=0&query=elliptical&catAbbreviation=spo&minAsk=min&maxAsk=max

9/11/2006 8:10:10 AM

thanks for the idea but i've already stated that i dont live in raleigh and have no means of moving said machine to my house

i also live in a place so remote that the nearest craigslist postings are usually at least an hour away

9/11/2006 3:15:42 PM

you could try finding a store on ebay that specializes in refurbished equipment. most people selling them list them for pickup only since shipping costs around $100 for freight items, but stores are more likely to know how to package them up for shipment.

9/11/2006 5:52:44 PM

note to self: don't post in threads where nice suggestions will be met with PMS-laced responses.

[Edited on September 11, 2006 at 11:56 PM. Reason : ]

9/11/2006 11:53:45 PM