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Thread: treadmill, elliptical, bike or stair stepper?

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    Default treadmill, elliptical, bike or stair stepper?

    Which is the more effective cardio machine to use if you cant do high impact aerobics (i cant-bad joints). I usually do the elliptical machine for 30 min to an hour to where I am out of breath and can barely hold a conversation. I am bored! So I moved to walking on the treadmill at a steep incline at 3.5-4.5 mph, and that's ok. But I hear great things about the bike and stepper too, but the bike is weak for me-cant get my heart rate up high enough unless it's a spin class.

    So which do you girls use if you can't run or swim that seems pretty effective for a good cardio and fat-burning workout?
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  2. #2
    exotisch23
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    Default Re: treadmill, elliptical, bike or stair stepper?

    One of my favorite workouts is on the treadmill w/incline, start at 1% and move up the incline by 1 % every minute until you get to 15% then come back down the way you went up. It's like hiking.

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    Default Re: treadmill, elliptical, bike or stair stepper?

    Treadmill at a steep incline too. Its a hard workout without being too hard on the joints but be prepared for yourself to feel like you're hiking Everest.
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    Default Re: treadmill, elliptical, bike or stair stepper?

    Treadmill on incline.

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    Yekhefah
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    Default Re: treadmill, elliptical, bike or stair stepper?

    I love the elliptical. I put it on a varied setting so it changes a lot, and every fifteen minutes I switch direction (forward to backward to forward to backward). I have my iPod to keep me lightly entertained, and I like to go early in the morning and plan out my day in my head and stuff like that. It's boring, but it's only an hour and it's got to be done so I get through it.

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    Default Re: treadmill, elliptical, bike or stair stepper?

    I have a treadmill with variable incline for general cardio and burning calories (I also use dumbbells at the same time to get some upper body workout on the treadmill too). I have a stair stepper for legs and ass, which is excellent for a focused workout on those areas. I have a stationary bike too but it sucks and I never use it. I have tried elliptical machines at health clubs and hotel workout rooms ... they're OK I guess but truthfully I don't see a huge difference over the treadmill.

    My faithful standby is still my TotalGym, because none of the other machines allow me to do upper and/or lower body side motions or a focused upper body workout.

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    Default Re: treadmill, elliptical, bike or stair stepper?

    Quote Originally Posted by Melonie View Post
    I have a treadmill with variable incline for general cardio and burning calories. I also have a stair stepper for legs and ass. I have a stationary bike too but it sucks ...

    But my faithful standby is my TotalGym, because none of the other machines allow me to do side motions.
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    Veteran Member Danielle_'s Avatar
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    Default Re: treadmill, elliptical, bike or stair stepper?

    I've never done the elliptical but my sister says it works way better than a treadmill. I use a gazelle when I can't get motivated or don't feel well enough to use my treadmill.

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    Default Re: treadmill, elliptical, bike or stair stepper?

    I think the elliptical is much more fun. My bf says it works your upper body if you do it right... but I guess I do it wrong, because I only ever feel it in my legs.
    If you think school is hard, try being stupid.

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    Default Re: treadmill, elliptical, bike or stair stepper?

    I love the elliptical too, but if it's feasible, try a bicycle! 30 minutes on an elliptical isn't bad but can often feel like an eternity to me. But I can do an hour outside on a bike without even feeling it. The calories burned are pretty similar, too, plus depending on where you live, you can use it to make errands as well and cut down on your gas expenditures.

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    Default Re: treadmill, elliptical, bike or stair stepper?

    Stepper definitely. The hardest of them all, but it will absolutely BLAST throught the calories. Also, helps tone tush, thighs and tummy.

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    God/dess Vyanka's Avatar
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    Default Re: treadmill, elliptical, bike or stair stepper?

    Which one is better to lift/tone the ass?

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    Default Re: treadmill, elliptical, bike or stair stepper?

    Quote Originally Posted by Vyanka View Post
    Which one is better to lift/tone the ass?
    Stepper, that is why I'm in love with the things. Tighten your tushie while stepping and it works even better. Then turn around backwards to tone different muscles. It works the whole lower body, and the core too if you don't hold the handles.

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    Default Re: treadmill, elliptical, bike or stair stepper?

    Quote Originally Posted by jasmine View Post
    Stepper, that is why I'm in love with the things. Tighten your tushie while stepping and it works even better. Then turn around backwards to tone different muscles. It works the whole lower body, and the core too if you don't hold the handles.
    I'm gonna try that. Thx.

    How often do you do it, and for how long? I've been slacking lately.

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    Default Re: treadmill, elliptical, bike or stair stepper?

    Quote Originally Posted by Vyanka View Post
    I'm gonna try that. Thx.

    How often do you do it, and for how long? I've been slacking lately.
    My goal is 45min a day. Right now, I just got a new one, and can barely do 15min, even though I do 45 on the treadmill or elliptical at the gym every day. That shows how effective it is.

    It is great for the butt. I was kinda known for my tushie when I danced, and all I did was the stepper and running. You can definitely see your butt get higher and firmer after a month or so on the stepper. It also seems to tighten the back of the upper thighs a lot, which makes your butt more defined.

  16. #16
    Chicagoeditor
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    Default Re: treadmill, elliptical, bike or stair stepper?

    Quote Originally Posted by exotisch23 View Post
    One of my favorite workouts is on the treadmill w/incline, start at 1% and move up the incline by 1 % every minute until you get to 15% then come back down the way you went up. It's like hiking.
    Having just started using a treadmill w/incline, I'm curious about the other setting. Speed? In other words, are you walking fast/hiking or running?

  17. #17
    exotisch23
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    Default Re: treadmill, elliptical, bike or stair stepper?

    Quote Originally Posted by Chicagoeditor View Post
    Having just started using a treadmill w/incline, I'm curious about the other setting. Speed? In other words, are you walking fast/hiking or running?
    Usually walking about the same speed 3.5 to 3.7 but slow it down a bit when I get to the top (unless you can handle it). I would love to try running but my lungs just couldn't take it.

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    Default Re: treadmill, elliptical, bike or stair stepper?

    I love my Gazelle. It's kind of a poor man's elliptical!
    It helped me to drop 24lbs and definitly helped tone up my ass, legs, arms.



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    Default Re: treadmill, elliptical, bike or stair stepper?

    Steppers are absolutely terrible for your knees, unfortunately. I just plain can't use them without pain the next day. I get a good burn in my glutes with an elliptical set to the highest incline and a med-high resistance.

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    Default Re: treadmill, elliptical, bike or stair stepper?

    Quote Originally Posted by ChloeTheRed View Post
    Steppers are absolutely terrible for your knees, unfortunately. I just plain can't use them without pain the next day. I get a good burn in my glutes with an elliptical set to the highest incline and a med-high resistance.
    See I like the elliptical too, and someone told me it's best for me to stick to that machine bc I have very weak knees.

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    Default Re: treadmill, elliptical, bike or stair stepper?

    I like the stairmill after weight training lower body. I'll only stairmill for like 15 or 20 mins though. It's killer for me.

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    Default Re: treadmill, elliptical, bike or stair stepper?

    How long can you have these things before replacing them!
    Well, I've had my TotalGym for something like 5 years now. As long as the cables and pulleys are still in good shape, I'll keep on using it. IMHO a TotalGym gives you about 80% of the workout possibilities of a full 'machine' i.e. BowFlex, for about 1/10th the cost and 1/10th the space requirement.

    I'm on my second treadmill - but mostly I got a new one because it has 'profiles' where the track speed and incline changes automatically through different programmed workout regimens. My old one still worked, but I didn't have room for 2 so I gave it to a local dancer who wanted it.

    Steppers are absolutely terrible for your knees, unfortunately. I just plain can't use them without pain the next day.
    unfortunately, this is true. At most I do a stair stepper workout twice a week, and only for 20 minutes.

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    God/dess papillonluvr's Avatar
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    Default Re: treadmill, elliptical, bike or stair stepper?

    well if steppers are that bad for your knees then I def. can't use it. That's where most of my joint problems are and why I use the elliptical. I just don't seem to be getting a good enough workout anymore on it.
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    Default Re: treadmill, elliptical, bike or stair stepper?

    I use all of the machines. Your body becomes use to the exercise if you do the same machine all the time.

    I've said it before, I'll say it again: Learn HIIT, Love HIIT, do HIIT.

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