I've developed a strong appreciation for the elliptical machine -- I'd never really used one successfully until this Road to Wellness challenge, and now -- unless they're all taken when I get to the gym -- I'm spending about 45 minutes at least four days a week on one.

1.) I can go 4-5 miles and around 500 calories (which I count in units of "Becks Light"s... that 500 calories is about 8-9 of my favorite low-cal beer) without feeling like I'm getting instant shin splints. I've had on-again/off-again relationships with the treadmill because of the way my lower legs can feel after a few miles. And I've never been a street runner because I just can't pace myself (in that respect, either a treadmill or elliptical is the way to go.)

2.) The options. I've been reading more about working out since I've gotten back into it and (aside from the weight training that I should be doing more of) the key element is variety. The elliptical offers tons of different options you can throw in, from higher tensions to focusing on arms over legs or legs over arms. The cross-training settings are where I have the most "fun" -- they're a challenge, but they speed things up and slow them down and create enough "turbulence" that, hopefully, I'm getting a good workout in those 45 minutes.

3.) The TV attached to the top. Yeah, so I'm a sludge. Since we don't have a full basic cable package at home (we have $9 local-channels cable -- try it sometime when you're looking to save some cash), I pretty much never get to see ESPN -- except when I'm at the gym. Between the evening baseball games and, now, weekday football (Monday Night, Thursday Night) I find that little flat-panel a nice distraction while I'm trying to get "through the burn" on some of the tougher parts of my cross-training course. (Tour de France was awesome -- I could just try to fall into pace with the riders!) Tennis is good, too... and, really, anything that I get into can keep me up on that thing another 10-15 minutes while I wait to see "how it ends."

I've never been as dogmatic about getting to the gym as I am this time around -- and at least part of it is that machine. It -- by which I mean both the workout and the determination to get to that work out -- feels good!

Previous Comments

ID

159478

Comment

I spent about 90 minutes on the thing yesterday (went through a whole 60+5 workout and started it up again) while I was watching Sunday Night Football. Went nearly six miles and about 12.5 Becks Lights (er, 800 calories) and was pretty much jello-legged by the end of it. We'll see if I make it back out there tonight for Monday Night Football.. Cards v. Titans, could be worth a few miles. ;-)

Author

Todd Stauffer

Date

2010-08-23T14:39:14-06:00

ID

159487

Comment

Yo Todd, I thought you looked cut the last time I saw you. Did it happen in a bar fight or what? Good luck! Aging is a mother....

Author

Walt

Date

2010-08-24T16:49:37-06:00