Anyone have an Elliptical?

[Kathy R]

I'm seriously considering buying the Precor EFX 5.37 Elliptical . It's almost exactly what I use at the Y and I'm really happy with it, except the part about having to drive to the Y.

 

Do you have one?

Would you buy it again?

 

I looked at refurbished models, but I'm only saving $270 overall and only getting a 3 year warranty -vs- a 10 year warranty....so the NEW looks like a better deal.

 

[Quinn]

The first question I always ask of any piece of exercise equipemnt: How many clothes will it hold?

 

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[Richard_D]

http://www.treadmilldoctor.com/?gclid=CLzf05yU0rQCFQHonAod1zsA4A

[Peter Parts]

Used exercise equipment is a good bargain since there are so many discarded due to lack of use or something trivial not working right (often from the first set-up).

 

Barely any fancy electronic function that can't be replicated using a bicycle speedometer for $15 or other stuff lying around your house.

 

Can't beat an elliptical for warming up lots of body parts before strength exercises. We have a room full of second-hand gear... which now gets plenty of love.

 

Comparable to an elliptical trainer in some ways, you might consider a recumbent bicycle, ski machine, or my favourite, a rowing machine, esp. if you use an elliptical trainer elsewhere.

 

Ben

[Rocer]

Gee, for a moment there I got all excited about welcoming you into the fold. We run 1/4 ellipticals in the bugeye but after clicking on your link - ah shucks.

 

Good luck with your search.

 

[JohnnyJ]

We have a precor elliptical trainer at work (power plant staffed 24/7). Quality of build seems excellent, and we have had no problems.

 

If you have the space I say go for it!

 

 

Johnny J

[Heyfrank]

After going to the gym for 8 years I bought a Elliptical device. After researching I ended up with a Schwinn 431. The price of the gyms machine was to much for my taste and the Schwinn worked out great. It has a smaller foot print for residential application . Not given me any problems what so ever and is smooth.I still go to the gym for the other weight and specialty machines and the people encouragement. The in house elliptical is a good supplement for when I don't want to ride over. Price and performance was important to me.Good luck with your choice It cost me around $800.00 bucks

[Kathy R]

The first question I always ask of any piece of exercise equipemnt: How many clothes will it hold?

 

Richard - Thanks for that link. I'd never heard of the True brand, but I don't know much about exercise equipment. I see this Precor is "runner up" to the first spot. I'm partial to the Precor because this local store has been in business a long while and they service what they sell. I expect, (I'm hoping Quinn ) to use this about 6 days a week, if not 7, and so a warranty and service really matter.

 

 

 

Thanks Ben. I've used the rowing machine at the Y and like it too.

 

My habit, pre accident, was to do yoga stretching on the mat for 15 minutes before any exercise, then ...

Three days a week - get on #1 thru #14 weight machines (this took me about 1.5 hours) - and then about 30 minutes on treadmill, or elliptical, or stair stepper...Followed by 15 minutes of yoga. Done

OR

Alternate Three days a week - 1 hour on elliptical and sometimes another 15 minutes on the stair stepper or rower or bicycle....Followed by 15 minutes of yoga. Done

 

So in the end I was at the Y for a few hours, in the morning, 6 days a week. The option to simply walk down the hall to a workout of; yoga, free weights, elliptical, yoga, is very appealing to me.

 

This elliptical, with the option of the 40% incline, affords a heck of a range of muscle work out and should afford me a cardio workout I can grow into. I've never used all the punishment this machine can provide at the Y, so I have a ways to go to reach its, and my, limit.

 

I was told by the trainer(s) to never do cardio before weight training. "Warm up the muscles with Yoga". I was told it's OK to do cardio after weight training and actually that was desirable.

 

The salesman called me last night and said in addition to the weight bench he was authorized, by Precor, to pick one customer from the weekend and give them a Precor Stretch Trianer . Yeah, I suspect the margins are wide or I'm just a very lucky girl.

 

 

Gee, for a moment there .....

I know! I lamented the fact that this represents a bike! But....I really think those workouts in the past are one big reason my body held together so well and I want that advantage going forward. Right now I'm all jiggly One reason I was happy riding all day and covering big miles was that my body was so strong. Exercise has always been an integral part of my endurance on bikes.

 

 

If you have the space I say go for it!

Thanks for your insight on this equipment. I have a small spare room that serves as an Office/2nd guest room. I don't need an office and 2 guest rooms are 1 more than I really need. This room has windows for cross ventilation, lot's of light and I have to walk past it often. All good reasons for it to serve as a perfect location. I want my exercise room to be in my face, rather than tucked away in my basement.

 

 

After going to the gym for 8 years I bought a Elliptical device. After researching I ended up with a Schwinn 431. The price of the gyms machine was to much for my taste and the Schwinn worked out great. It has a smaller foot print for residential application . Not given me any problems what so ever and is smooth.I still go to the gym for the other weight and specialty machines and the people encouragement. The in house elliptical is a good supplement for when I don't want to ride over. Price and performance was important to me.Good luck with your choice

 

Frank - Very good advice. I looked at the Schwinn online. I'm struggling to make this price difference decision. What I keep coming back to is how when at the Y if this Precor was in use (there were only 2 of them) I would resort to another elliptical, but always felt a little sad about it. The days I was able to use the precursor to the Precor 5.37 (precursor was up to 30% incline) I was really happy. I loved that machine and devoured that hour. The price difference between the 30% and the 40% incline is little enough to move me to the higher range of motion without a thought. But, as you point out, I'm still hemming and hawing over the humongous gap in price between say, the Schwinn and this monster Precor 5.37. I've never bought exercise equipment for my home before. I don't want to do it twice.......you give me something to think about. Thanks.

 

 

 

 

[JohnnyJ]

The salesman called me last night and said in addition to the weight bench he was authorized, by Precor, to pick one customer from the weekend and give them a Precor Stretch Trianer . Yeah, I suspect the margins are wide or I'm just a very lucky girl.

We have one of those at the gym I belong to. It's just a bunch of bent thin-walled tubing with a pivot-point. I suspect the price is inflated as part of the sales scheme. If you already do yoga, then that thing is just a space taker.

 

BTW: I am very impressed with your routine... It puts mine to shame.

 

 

Johnny J

[Peter Parts]

Kathy -

 

Living in a biggish city, I always think first about buying second-hand locally. I think we paid about $80 for our solid but no-name elliptical trainer that was as good as new... just the basic mechanical stuff and a simple electronic console that I never look at. Works for me but you seem far more engaged.

 

Many traditional rules about exercise and fitness, some important, some false, some true but hardly worth worrying about.

 

While I have forever thought yoga to be a questionable import from a land and culture far away, a recent book by New York Times science reporter and yoga aficionado has doubled my disbelief: William Broad, The Science of Yoga, 2012. Just reading the corrupt history of how certain Indians re-invented yoga 100 yrs ago based on their grasp of the best western fitness practices of 1912 will make you laugh. But the main impact of Broad's book relates to injuries from it.

 

For sure, stretches are essential to fitness but not the whole yoga way. Stretches are doubly essential to bikers.

 

Ben

[Kathy R]

It's just a bunch of bent thin-walled tubing with a pivot-point. I suspect the price is inflated as part of the sales scheme. If you already do yoga, then that thing is just a space taker.

 

I agree. At a later date the Y added one to the weight area. I had some comical moments figuring out how to use it. While it was interesting, it seemed limited in comparison to the stretching yoga afforded me.

 

I was thinking this morning that I could donate it to the Y, so they have two.

[Kathy R]

The old credo holds true: Always talk to the decision maker

 

It turns out my salesman was a highly educated (multiple degrees in sports med etc etc) who is the companies V.P. He was "in the field" that day. In addition to dealing with an expert, and you know how rare that is these days, I got a great price, free stuff and then he gave me free set up and delivery too. It didn't hurt that "Tim" is super bright and quite a looker.

 

I'm hoping to be hanging clothes on it within 2-3 weeks.

 

Thank you for all the input

 

[tallman]

"It didn't hurt that "Tim" is super bright and quite a looker. "

 

 

Ah, gee, now you sound like my 2nd grade teacher.

 

[Peter Parts]

Precor EFX 5.21 got pretty favorable ratings in Consumer Reports for Feb, p33. So did other brands but some much more expensive.

 

Ben

[Mister Tee]

I'm seriously considering buying the Precor EFX 5.37 Elliptical . It's almost exactly what I use at the Y and I'm really happy with it, except the part about having to drive to the Y.

 

Do you have one?

Would you buy it again?

 

I looked at refurbished models, but I'm only saving $270 overall and only getting a 3 year warranty -vs- a 10 year warranty....so the NEW looks like a better deal.

 

I seriously don't see a return on investment. It's the home version of one of the machines I use at the gym. And it's not my first choice machine - my gym has Precor AMT machines which are much nicer than standard ellipticals but those start at about three or four grand for used machines.

 

But, I'm not a fan of home exercise equipment. I can't assemble nearly as nice of a set of cardio and weight equipment as I could use at the gym, plus there is the motivational factor of having other people to talk to and work out with. That and I can't stand being at home. If I exercise at home, I'm outside riding my bike. I guess that isn't exercising at home then. Most home gym equipment I see ends up in a garage corner or a closet after a couple months.