Does anyone have an elliptical machine at home?

[Ruby Slippers]

I'm thinking of getting one, but wondering if I'll use it consistently enough and long-term enough to justify the cost. I could buy one for the cost of about 6 months at the gym I last had a membership at.

 

Elliptical owners, have your found it to be a good investment?

[Els]

I'm interested as well.

[Normm]

Had one for a few years. It was quite handy for hanging laundry to dry.

[Happy Lemming]

OMG!! This so reminds me of a story from 15+ years ago. I was dating this woman and she wanted an elliptical machine for her apartment.

 

First off, the thing was very expensive, but she wanted it and had the money for it.

 

So we go and pick it up (on my truck) and boy was this thing heavy. We get it back to her place and have to take it into the apartment in pieces. We spent all afternoon putting this monster together and it was defective. So, I disassembled it enough to get it out of her apartment and took it back to the store, partially assembled.

 

The store employee and I struggled with it, but were able to put it on a skid to ship back the manufacturer. Then the employee and I loaded a second one on my truck and back to this woman's apartment.

 

So we take the second one into the apartment one piece at a time and assembled it. The second one worked fine, but in the end this thing was HUGE and took up her whole second bedroom. She wasn't happy about the size of it (in comparison to the room). Personally, I was exhausted. What a day!!

 

Fast forward two weeks and she is using it to dry/hang laundry and not working out on it. I was furious!! In the end, I got more exercise moving the thing in and out and back in again then she got actually riding the stupid machine.

[GrateHelx]

I have one that’s collecting dust lol I don’t have a new version but it’s not worth it I think a treadmill would be better

[Els]

I have one that’s collecting dust lol I don’t have a new version but it’s not worth it I think a treadmill would be better

 

 

Treadmills are high impact to your joints. The big benefit of the elliptical is that you can get the same cardio workout without gradually destroying your joints. https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/elliptical-vs-treadmill#elliptical-pros

 

 

I feel you on the collecting dust part, though. That's my biggest worry, lol.

[Ruby Slippers]

^ Exactly. I used to run a lot, but it was always hard on my joints and I found out I can get just as good a workout on a good elliptical, with none of the impact.

 

I bought my first house this year, so space isn't a concern - though I would make sure to get a space-efficient model rather than a behemoth machine, simply due to preference. Ease of assembly is another factor to consider, certainly.

 

I've been pretty active my whole life, and I don't see that changing anytime soon. My thinking right now is that if I commit to using it X times, it will be worth it. Just need to figure out what that number is.

 

Eventually I plan to invest in a weight set as well, so I'll have a pretty good home gym to work with. I can definitely do all this for LESS than the cost of just 1 year at a gym, so it seems like a wise investment.

[Happy Lemming]

I purchased a "wind trainer" for my bicycle, so I can ride indoors when the weather doesn't permit riding outdoors. The "wind trainer" was inexpensive.

 

Similar to you, I used to run a lot but my left knee no longer enjoys that sport, so I switched to bicycle riding. I get some fresh air and being outdoors seems to relax and rejuvenate me for the day ahead.

 

I also have a small trailer that attaches to my bicycle so I can do my grocery shopping. I'm "killing two birds with one stone" getting my exercise and acquiring my weekly groceries.

 

Do you think you'll crave the outdoors or fresh air if you exercise indoors (all the time)?? Being a ex-runner, I missed the outdoors/fresh air and thus tried to combine that element with a low-impact activity.

[Ruby Slippers]

I get outside plenty, so I'm not worried about that. I do a lot of brisk walking, play tennis occasionally and sometimes get more intense by joining leagues, go swimming outdoors now and then when the weather is nice, work in my yard a fair amount.

 

While gyms are nice for the high-end equipment and wide variety of it, I don't like going to the same place and doing the same things for my workouts, so financially it's never been worth it for me. I really wish gyms would offer memberships for occasional users, like $10 a visit. I would totally sign up for that, then go once a week or so, while mixing in different workouts to keep it interesting.

 

I just think it would be so easy to hop on the elliptical at home for half an hour while listening to music, podcasts, etc.

[Els]

Tbh, the main reason why I want an elliptical is so I can watch my favourite TV shows while exercising and not get bored, lol. My biggest issue with exercise is that I find it very mentally boring, in that my body is engaged but there's nothing to engage my mind.

 

Outdoors is great, but it's just too damn hot here half of the year to do any sort of serious workout outdoors.

[Happy Lemming]

Outdoors is great, but it's just too damn hot here...

 

100% Agree... We are in the hot & humid monsoon season, so my bicycle is in its "wind trainer".

 

I can't wait for the heat wave to break so I can ride outside again.

[Ruby Slippers]

^ I'm a Texas native, have played tennis for hours in the scorching heat since I was a kid and don't mind the heat a bit, personally. I read Andre Agassi's biography - he grew up in Las Vegas - and he said it always gave him a big edge in competition that intense heat was no sweat for him. I used to play in a tennis league in Chicago, and most women would cancel the match if it was over 90 degrees. Wimps!

[Timshel]

An elliptical is great...but if you were to volunteer at a food bank or cook in a shelter, you would have thrice the benefit.

[MINAKO]

Had one for a few years. It was quite handy for hanging laundry to dry.

 

Yeah, it really depends on how motivated you are. I have a friend who has one and every time I see her, she always talk about how she is going to start working out soon. It never actually happens though. I say, if you can consistently make it to the gym for a month or so, then you know you are serious and will probably be consistent about it at home too.

[Normm]

. I say, if you can consistently make it to the gym for a month or so, then you know you are serious and will probably be consistent about it at home too.

 

Not me. The elliptical sat in the basement unused for the past 2 years but during that time I've been hitting the gym 4-5x per week and am in the best shape I've been in the last 20 years (age not withstanding).

 

I can't get into it at home. I do a scheduled gym class and if you cancel last minute you get penalized a few bucks. It's a good incentive not to miss a class and the classes themselves are very motivating. I need a trainer to tell me what to do.

[Ruby Slippers]

An elliptical is great...but if you were to volunteer at a food bank or cook in a shelter, you would have thrice the benefit.

I volunteer and donate money to worthwhile causes - but no amount of standing around cooking and volunteering is going to give me anywhere near the intensity of workout I need to maintain my physical fitness, so not sure what this has to do with a home gym.

[CautiouslyOptimistic]

I volunteer and donate money to worthwhile causes - but no amount of standing around cooking and volunteering is going to give me anywhere near the intensity of workout I need to maintain my physical fitness, so not sure what this has to do with a home gym.

 

Glad I'm not the only one scratching my head!

 

Have you used an elliptical before? I don't care for them much because after 20 minutes my feet fall asleep.

[MINAKO]

Not me. The elliptical sat in the basement unused for the past 2 years but during that time I've been hitting the gym 4-5x per week and am in the best shape I've been in the last 20 years (age not withstanding).

 

I can't get into it at home. I do a scheduled gym class and if you cancel last minute you get penalized a few bucks. It's a good incentive not to miss a class and the classes themselves are very motivating. I need a trainer to tell me what to do.

 

 

Hey that is great! I am the same way. Though, it would be easier if I could be inspired at home. Ah well.

[Ruby Slippers]

Glad I'm not the only one scratching my head!

 

Have you used an elliptical before? I don't care for them much because after 20 minutes my feet fall asleep.

Yes, it's my favorite form of indoor machine cardio. I love the "adaptive motion" ellipticals they put in at my last gym. Basically, you can do as long or as high a stride as you like, meaning you can get a very intense cardio workout with minimal impact. Once you get a big stride going, it almost feels like you're running. I looked them up and those machines are about $13,000!

 

A home machine will be more affordable and basic - but the smooth, low-impact motion still beats the harsh impact of running / jumping cardio any day.

[Els]

An elliptical is great...but if you were to volunteer at a food bank or cook in a shelter, you would have thrice the benefit.

 

 

You really don't get much of a workout at all from cooking - if you did, all professional chefs would look like athletes...

[ElKay]

I used to have one and while I used to put clothes on it, I used it at least once a week. I got it on sale at Canadian Tire during the Christmas sale and it was only $150. It broke after a couple of years though.

[SolG]

I have an elliptical cross-trainer, a weight bench, and a TRX suspension kit set up at home. I also have a membership for my gym at work. I use them all regularly.

 

I workout before work. So sometimes I walk to work and then use the gym. If the weather is crappy I'll work out at home, and then drive to work. I really enjoy doing HIIT on the elliptical in particular.

 

I've had my elliptical for about five years now. IMO they are well worth the investment. But I would say invest in at least a mid-range model rather than a budget version. If you're used to the professional level ones at the gym, the budget ones just don't cut it.

[Ruby Slippers]

I've had my elliptical for about five years now. IMO they are well worth the investment. But I would say invest in at least a mid-range model rather than a budget version. If you're used to the professional level ones at the gym, the budget ones just don't cut it.

Nice. I'd definitely start out with a budget version, as I don't have the extra money to spring for a pricier version now. But I've used budget versions before, so I know what I'm in for. For me, even a budget model still beats the joint impact of running.

 

Right now my plan is to spring for it once I save up the money, beyond my regular savings.

[Els]

 

I've had my elliptical for about five years now. IMO they are well worth the investment.

 

 

Have you needed to get them maintained/fixed often? One of my friends who's had one has complained about that, which is part of the reason I'm hesitant.

[Interstellar]

I know this is late but why not get a rowing machine? specifically one made by Concept 2. I row at my gym all the time and it’s an incredible full body workout.

It’s also very low impact on the joints and the workouts will challenge the heck out of you ie. 2000 meter row for time (which is probably the most difficult thing I ever had to do in the gym) and it will only cost you $900 bucks. You can learn and get the hang of it in five minutes. There are bazillions of tutorials all over YouTube.

 

I used to own a treadmill and I would also credit that for my incredible health. It never just gathered dust in my house. I would also get creative with my workouts in addition to the running, like doing a full on sprint for 30 secs. then getting off it and doing 10 pushups and do that for ten rounds or so, just fun. You can do that on the elliptical too. I only stopped using it and signed up for a gym membership because the motor started crapping on me. Plus, I like the communal atmosphere in the gym and meeting women, hah. A concept2 rower will probably last you forever though.

Edited August 9, 2019 by Interstellar