Need opinions... which do you prefer? Elliptical or stationary bike?

[redqueen]

My sister does spinning and loves it. I think I'd prefer that 'cause you do it sitting down. (Yes, I can be very lazy.)

I'm burnt out on step aerobics and kick boxing. It's been over a decade, and my knee's been giving me trouble... so I'm looking for another way to get cardio.

I was just gonna get the bike but then I saw an ad where they touted the elliptical's ability to shape your butt and thighs. That sounded pretty good... so now I'm on the fence.

So, if anyone wants to let me know you preference I'd be glad for the advice. :)

[soleft]

1. I do both and like the variety

I like them because I have to be careful with my knees. I do 20 minutes on the bike and 20 minutes eliptical. And then once a week I do actually running, because I found out last spring after a winter of bike and eliptical that while it increased my strength and endurance neither did anything for me as far as agility and strengthening my tendons and ligaments. So it's still important to work in some agility otherwise if you ever go out to play a real sport you could pull or strain something.

[MissMillie]

6. yep

the best workouts are varied of the course of a week or two. If you do the same thing over and over and over and over again, your body tends to think "ok, I can manage this" and then goes into "maintain" mode.

My suggestion would be to spend the money on a gym membership where you have access to a lot of different things.

[redqueen]

8. That sounds like the best idea, a gym...

but I've tried it and I found I was too shy to do it.

[soleft]

13. The thing that's good about going to a gym

Is that if you go to a gym - my experience anyway - you will do the exercise. If you have the stuff at home you could tend to put it off because you know you can do it anytime, so you'll do it later.

I think one of the most important thing in making a choice, all other things considered, is pick a gym that's really convenient to get to. I take an express bus to and from work, and my gym is practically right at the first stop. So on my way home from work, mentally I know all I have to do is get off the bus. Then the rest takes care of itself. Then I hop back on when I'm done and I'm home in 15 minutes.

I know what you mean tho, about being shy. Last night I was lying on my stomach in the weight room doing leg curls, and there were the guys standing around me and I was cringing inside thinking they were looking at my butt. But then, so what? Didn't really affect me any.

Most of the time I'm listening to my IPOD and in my own little world. Two hours fly by really fast.

[redqueen]

15. Oh I'm pretty good about not putting it off...

I insist on doing it first thing in the morning, 5:00 a.m., so there's no doing it later for me.

[umtalal]

23. Redqueen: how do you motivate yourself???

[IronLionZion]

22. soleft, no one in their right mind goes to a gym to check out women

seriously, while I'm sure you are hot stuff, people in gyms tend to be tired and sweaty and concentrating on their own workouts.

I used to be nervous about swimming when there are women around. But I quickly realized that there is no reason for them to watch me when they have their own laps to do.

[Lost-in-FL]

17. Yup!!!

You are right about that!!

I had the equipment at home for 3 years carrying dust so my hubby sold everything. Since I joined the gym I am now going at least 3 times a week.

[Longhorn]

2. I agree with Soleft.

I have an elliptical and I really like it because it's easy on my knees. However, I'm thinking of getting a recumbent bike for the variety and it's supposed to be easier on the knees than an upright.

I voted for elliptical but I'm sure you'll like either one. I think both are better than a treadmill.

[GOPisEvil]

3. Elliptical.

I can work out for longer periods. After about 20 minutes on a bike, my ass starts hurting. I've gone as long as 45 minutes on an elliptical at a pretty high level.

[Jean Louise Finch]

4. I much prefer the elliptical

It feels like more of an all body workout as you are moving your arms at the same time as really working your legs. I am not a big fan of stationary bikes as I find them to almost exclusively work my quads; this might just be because I don't know how to use them properly!

I think the key is to find an elliptical that matches your stride -- I'm ridiculously short and had a hard time finding one that felt right. But once I found it, I find it really comfortable to use.

Jean Louise

[redqueen]

7. Which one did you end up getting?

I'm barely 5'3", so ... that might be a consideration for me as well.

[Jean Louise Finch]

12. Hmmmmm...

I will have a look at home on the brand that we bought. I live in Thailand, so it might not be one that is available all over! I'm only 5'0" so it was a big big consideration for me. I will let you know about the brand later tonight or tomorrow...I think the most important thing is just to test a whole bunch out before purchasing. Really running on them for a few minutes and seeing if they have a comfortable stride for your body.

Jean Louise

[Jean Louise Finch]

19. Vision Fitness X6000

This is the one I've got in my living room. It's great -- the only downside is that it's a beast to try and move. It takes two of us to roll it out of the way, so it might not be a good choice if you want to keep it out of the living area, though moving it is a workout unto itself.

[MemphisTiger]

5. I prefer the elliptical

but lately I've been using a recumbent bike and love it.

[flamingyouth]

9. Elliptical.

I'll add to the chorus - especially if your knee is giving you trouble. :hi:

[redqueen]

10. Thanks :) ... I really appreciate all the opinions...

I had no idea it was so much better!

[feminazi]

11. I say bike

just because I always feel totally uncoordinated on an elliptical.

Does it take a while to get used to or am I hopeless? :)

[redqueen]

14. Well I couldn't say,

but it took me months... four I think... before I feel coordinated doing a new aerobic or kickboxing routine. So...

[Lost-in-FL]

18. It takes time

And you develop muscles by trying to be "coordinated" so you get stronger legs and a firmer butt.

[MemphisTiger]

20. I can only speak of my experiende but it didn't take

long to get the hang of it. Just try to run on it. Going backwards is a bit hard at first but it's great too.

[Lost-in-FL]

16. Elliptical, due to my knee problems

I blewed up my knew during a 50 mile bike ride in Germany 7 years ago. It was a very heavy cheapo bike (a rental) and not fitted for me. Lots of hills and the bike was not the best for that type of activity (Mountain bike instead of road bike). I used to run a lot then and had to quit after that injury reason I am now somehow overweight. I first fell in love with the elliptical machine after noticing that my LT knee was pain free after 20 minutes using it!!! :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: I would only last 10 minutes in the treadmill and a little over 15 minutes in the bike before a sharp pain the in side of my knee set in. I can use the elliptical for ever and not feel a thing.

I cannot use the gym cycling equipment (can't do spinning classes, etc.) cause I pay dearly with knee pain for days. If I use the bike at the gym its a "recumbent" bike with ZERO RESISTANCE and a target RPM of 80 (Settings recommended to people with knee problems). Since I use the elliptical so much, the recumbent bike setting doesn't raise my heart rate much (and I can't increase the resistance) so I don't bother to use it but as a warm up. If you have knee problems, get a personal training session and ask the trainer about the proper exercises to straighten the legs taking in consideration your knee problem. There's a lot of exercises you can do to straighten the legs muscles without having to do squats (which are knee killers). I was not able to do squats (not even without dumbbells!!!)until I did that and I am now slowly beginning to incorporate leg machines into my workout even with very heavy sets. The key to be able to have healthy knees is reinforcing the muscles around the knees.

If you are thinking about getting a stationary bike, I would get a real road bike instead and go bikeriding outdoors. It is much more satisfying. I do have a custom fit road bike (SPECIALIZED bike) which I LOVE but I MUST use stiff cycling shoes with cleats and Speedplay pedals which are "free float" and are better for bad knees. I have to follow a 80 RPM Cadence (too low or too high cadence can hurt my knee). If I try using my bike with regular pedals I start feeling a "discomfort" after 25 minutes. I have to stop so I don't aggravate the problem. I can ride 30 miles in my custom fit road bike during the weekends with no problems but a sore "butt". I am finally able to ride faster with my bike since I have been doing weights to straighten my legs. Knees don't get any better with time reason I would prefer the elliptical. My real goal is to RUN AGAIN since I LOVE running!! I wish so badly to run again. I hope the training sessions can help my knee get better. :cry:

Anyways... I'll get the elliptical if I was you. And to complete the package, an MP3 player. I personally hate the idea of an stationary bike and they make more noise than elliptical machines. Elliptical machines seem bulkier but I HATE STATIONARY BIKES!!! Hope this helps and sorry if I insulted your intelligence by posting something that might be "common sense" to you. :blush:


LAST THING: DO NOT get the stationary bike in a Department Store, GO TO A BIKE SHOP!! Believe it or not, it is the best place for that since they can tell you which one is the best for you. Bikes, even stationary bikes are like bathing suits. They don't fit well on everyone equally.

[Brewman_Jax]

21. Having used both

if you are going to purchase one, I suggest the elliptical. Although the elliptical needs more room, it's a more complete workout since it includes the arms in addition to more accurately simulating the motion of running and walking. I like my gym's spinning sessions. They're great for cross-training, but I wouldn't do it on my own.

Should you choose the elliptical, be prepared to spend a fair amount of money. Look for one that has foot pads that angle back and forth simulating the foot strike on the ground. I had the cheap model with the flat foot pads and they killed my calves.