All this talk about elipticals...

Dave H (MI)

Well-known Member
...so I got on one at Sears tonight. I really got going, heart was really pumping. Got off and looked at the timer to see how long I was on it. 58 seconds.

Maybe this just isn't for me. :(
 
Don't give up! The first time I was introduced to one in physical therapy I did 45 seconds. Used correctly, they tend to work things you didn't even know you had.
 
If I can do it... anybody can!! I did over 7 minutes yesterday and today (and I am the ultimate couch tater).

Of course I am only 2 days into it. LOL

I can't do it by minutes. I am going by songs. Two songs per day until it's easy, then will add another... then another.

And you have to sing along at the same time.

YOU CAN DO IT. DON'T GIVE UP!!!
 
After my bout one year ago with Neurosarcoidosis and I learned how to walk again I could only due one minute on my Precor elliptical. Now I am back up to thirty minutes but it is about killing me.
 
Dave I am glad you and others are thinking about exercising more. I tried the elliptical machines but just could not stand the stress on my knee and back. If I used it one day I had to use a cane the next just to walk.

So I dropped back to what worked for most of my life, WORK. I parked the Gator and started doing the chores like I used to, meaning walking and carrying. In just six weeks I have dropped 15 pounds and four inches off my waist.

My one Grand Daughter studied how I do the chores each day. She came up with me walking about 2 miles/day and carrying over a ton of feed/hay. I am feeling better already. I am getting strength back too. I had to take a cylinder head to town today for some work. My son took it off a tractor he is working on. He used the cherry picker to lift it off the tractor and set it on some saw horses. He was busy in the back of the shop this morning so I just grabbed the head and carried it out the door an loaded it into the pickup. A month ago I would not have been able to, lift it let alone carry it.

I am not sure anyone has noticed but I am not on here as much either. I was setting on my butt in front of the computer surfing the Internet and gaining a spare tire. I limit my computer time to after supper during the week and Try to not spend all day Sunday loafing on here. LOL
 
I got back on ours tonight after too long of a hiatus from it, went for my whole 30 minutes without having a coronary, we'll see what hurts in the morning. I just wanna be able to see my belt buckle when I'm standing up again. The last time that happened was 12 years ago when I quit smoking and food started tasting so much better. Thanks for the inspiration. DP
 
Ya... I'm picking shorter songs than that. LOL

If they can't sing it in 3-4 minutes, it's too long.
 
Thats funny Dave, Randy has inspired me to look into getting one also.But i'm afraid 58 seconds would have me huffin and puffing too! I'm trying to do more walking instead of riding the 4 wheeler.
 
winter is my problem,we have no animals,not many chores to do.I would like to burn wood for heat,but my wifes asthma cannot handle wood fire at all,even a wift of it can trigger problems.We used to pay to get some of the lawns cut in pa,,I always cut the lawn in nj and worked,plus doing lots of repairs in PA.Recently I cut back on work.i made the decision to cut all the lawns.I do it with a 4 ft walk behind.Lots of people tell me Im nuts,but I like it and will continue doing it as long as I am able ,Its a fast paced walk,no pushing involved,,and I find I get done in most spots just as quick as the Ford with the finish mower. I felt better all season while I was doing it.Also I get to keep a really close eye on things in PA too.A neighbor here in nj had a bobcat 4 ft walk behind for years.He got rid of it at 60 and bought a new zero turn,He gained 50 lbs,,,now he goes to the gym to lose it.....Now this spring the battle will begin again,my daughter says all the lawns are too much for me,,but Im gonna continue doing them and argue it out.,,,lol
 
I would never buy a new one. Look on Craigs List and you'll find massive amounts of exercise equipment for sale at pennies on the dollar. Give it another month as all the New Years resolutions begin to fail and some really nice stuff will be up for sale. I have a heavy duty unit that I bought for $100 - new at Dick's it was just over $500. About the only use it got was for the guy's wife to hang her coat on.
 
Just use it on the lowest setting for the first week then slowly increase. You have to challenge yourself somewhat to get good benefit out if it. You will thank yourself when it's time to tear those bins down.
 
I use mine because my back can't stand running anymore. The only ache it causes is my arthritis in my neck to act up for some reason. The first joint at the base of the skull will start to ache sometimes and if a I take a week break it goes away. If I try to power through it the pain just keeps getting worse until I can't even turn my head. My wife says its because my big head (size 7 7/8) starts bobbing with the up and down motion and my neck (18 inches) isn't strong enough to support it.........
 
I like to mountain bike on the trails and dirt roads around here. In the winter when it is too cold, snowy, or muddy I have been pedaling a recumbent bike mounted on a trainer stand.I can read while doing it and even though I hate just exercising just for the exercise I have been doing 1 hour 4 times a week this winter. When the weather is better I usually ride the bike for from 1 to 2 hours at a time 3 to 4 times a week. Try to get out every other day. It's fun trail riding and I like being out in the woods, and it helps keep me healthy. Been into mountain bikes since about 1987. It is easier to be regular about exercise now that I have retired. When I get done with today's computer time I will be doing my "pedaling" then heading for the shop later.

For folks just starting with exercise I would say just do what you can and don't do so much you can't walk after it or the next day. Try and keep it fun or have something to do like read, watch TV, or listen to music. If you OD on it and start to hate it you won't keep at it. No matter how little you do at the start you are doing better than nothing and better than you did before. If you can only do a few seconds or minutes maybe try twice day?

As a general guide like or recommendation I have heard at least 2 1/2hr and 4 hr. min. aerobic exercise a week. Again though no matter how little you start out with it is way better than nothing. Good luck with you folks who are starting out, it's worth it!
 
Start out easy and work your way up just a minute or two every week or so. You will find your heart rate will settle in to work mode after about two minutes. I did 15minutes this morning and I was the most winded after two minutes and felt better after 3 minutes going the same steady pace. At least that's the way my body works weather I'm biking, running, or even fast pace walking.
 
I might add you may want to warm up a little with a few exercises before you jump on it. I do some light weights, setups and a little time on the treadmill beforehand. Sometimes I alternate back and forth a few minutes each with the treadmill and elliptical.
 
I'm telling you Dave,that's exactly what I thought and I had already spent the money. My first time on it,I toughed it out for a minute,but I was soaked with sweat,my legs were on fire,my lungs were burning and I thought my heart was gonna come right out of my chest.

Now I'm a year in as of yesterday. I have no idea what my limit is. I don't even sweat after 15 minutes and it hardly has my heart and respiration up. I do 25 minutes a lot of days. I think the only thing that would stop me would be inertia. I don't want to risk hurting myself by trying to find out how long that would take. No sense undoing a year of progress.

All I can say is,take a risk. Spend $90 at WalMart and stick with it. You'll think you're dying for the first few weeks,but the rewards are SO worth it.
 
I go out and do chores first. That gets me limbered up. When I come in,I drop my pants and get right on it while I'm still in motion. I did 15 minutes the first day I had it,but a minute or two at a time,then 15 minutes every day after that in however many attempts it took every day to get there.
 
That's what I thought until I started pricing new ones online. I bought a new one at Wal Mart for $89 and got free shipping on it.
 
It's OK this time of year,I'm in my long underwear. You wouldn't want to come to the door in warmer weather though. LOL
 
I believe you and I am wanting/intending to do it. I walked all the way across the mall last night, regretting that pizza from the food court all the way and taking breaks whenever possible (Starbucks, Godiva Chocolates, Pretzel Factory, etc) just so I could try one out. I didn't think Walmart would have one set up and I wanted to see what one was like. The reason I believe you has to do with this concrete block wall I built in August. I have had chronic joint pain for decades. I was scheduled to go see the orthopedist to discuss shoulder surgery. But then I ordered in three pallets of block and a skid full of mortar bags. I carried and set every block myself. Mixed all the mortar by hand. When I needed concrete for the bond beams I used a mixer but I loaded and unloaded by hand. When I was done I was completely pain free for the first time. Scares me that I might slip backwards. Kinda funny, though. I could do ALL that with the block, but can't do a minute on the machine. :)
 
Winter is my problem too, Larry! Specifically tax season. Usually 7 days a week at a desk and it runs for months. Starts with holidays, works right into pre-season desk work and then the actual season. I have about a week after the 15th for clean up and then the pain begins. Last years solution was a disaster. I decided to go out in February and trim some trees with the chainsaw. Sort of keep in shape. I remember I had to do some gymnastics to get the apple trees the way I wanted them. They had not been done in years. Woke up the next morning with pain across my middle...got worse and worse...started being sick. Spent the next three days in the hospital with a tube up my nose and a pump running while my middle untwisted.
 
See, I was thinking that was the way I would have to do it. I could start out with some commercial jingles on tape. Those run like 20-30 seconds. Move up to some more popular individual songs...3-4 minutes each. End up with some of the longer stuff...Creedence-Grapevine, Zeppelin-Kashmir, etc. I'll never get there staring at a timer.
 
Sweetfeet : Many of the fellows on here got to "exercise" like this song talks about in there late teens and twenties. It can really PUMP a fellow up thinking about that. Kind of makes using a machine to exercise seem wimpy.






https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbI0cMyyw_M
Old exercise song
 
You can sort iTunes by time. The two longest songs we have are by AC/DC.

Clocking in at:
12 min. 17 sec... Let There Be Rock
14 min. 43 sec... Jailbreak

I never listen to them - can't stand one song for THAT long. I do like some AC/DC... but that is crazy-long. Must be something our kids bought or dumped in from a CD.
 
You can sort iTunes by time. The two longest songs we have are by AC/DC.

Clocking in at:
12 min. 17 sec... Let There Be Rock
14 min. 43 sec... Jailbreak

I never listen to them - can't stand one song for THAT long. I do like some AC/DC... but that is crazy-long. Must be something our kids bought or dumped in from a CD.
 
Songs are way better than the clock.

When I feel like my legs can't go forward... I do it backward for awhile. Seems to use a different set of muscles.
 
JD Seller,

I cannot even begin to imagine.

Great song though! I remember it from when I was a kid. I have a bunch of Creedence - but didn't have that one. Do now though... just bought it. Thanks! :)
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top